The Distance Education and Training Council is a nationally recognized accrediting agency established in 1926. Its independent Accrediting Commission specializes in evaluating and accrediting distance learning institutions. DETC is a global leader in advancing distance education and is a highly respected leader in national and state affairs. For a brief history of DETC click here.

The DETC’s Accrediting Commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Recognition by ED since 1959 and CHEA and its predecessors since 1973 means that these organizations have determined that DETC meets their respective standards and is regarded as a credible evaluator of institutional and program quality.

DETC’s independent Accrediting Commission has adopted 12 broad standards that cover the full range of an institution’s academic, financial/business, student services, learning assessment, and other essential operations. Institutions conduct a comprehensive self-evaluation, submit a self-evaluation report to the Commission, and host a site visit by an examining team of peer reviewers. The team issues a report to the institution and commission and makes recommendations for initial or continuing accreditation, opportunities for advancement, and may issue stipulations based on their findings.