 "Accreditation is adequate for a distance learning graduate program"
Of course accreditation is good and is what a 'real' degree program aspires to have. As a student, I certainly want the doctoral program I attend to be fully accredited. But, I thought the question posed in this discussion to be interesting.Some degree offering programs are simply diploma mills and do not have accreditation and do not want to go to the trouble of trying to achieve it. These kinds of programs tend to have 0 to 2 classes to take and then they grant you their degree. There is a version of the non-accredited program which should be explored. This is the serious school, with a full curriculum and real study and performance requirements. Generally, they are on the path to achieve accreditation. You might explore a school with some kind of provisional accreditation, because by the time you achieve your degree with them they should have completed their requirements for full accreditation. The requirements for full accreditation for a distance learning graduate program are well defined. But, just because a school knows those requirements and has worked to fulfill those requirements, the inspection teams from the agencies which grant accreditation may not like the way the school has tried to satisfy those requirements. Generally, fulfilling accreditation requirements is an iterative process with inspections leading to adjustments in aspects of the school. Then the next inspection leading to further adjustments. In this process the school learns what is required to maintain certification. | 
