Distance Study Accreditation

HMI Accreditation and Approvals

• Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Approved by the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners (BBS) as a provider for continuing education credits for California licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and licensed Clinical Social Workers.
• Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) as a provider of continuing education credits for Registered Nurses.
• Approved by the Dental Board of California (DBC) as a provider of continuing education credits for licensed Dentists and Dental Assistance.
• Approved by the Hypnotherapist's Union Local 472 as an educational provider for Certification in Hypnotherapy.

What does Accreditation mean?

Accreditation is a process that gives public recognition to institutions that meet certain standards. It is a promise that an institution will provide the quality of education it claims to offer.

Accreditation ensures the student that the institution operates on a sound financial basis, has an approved program of study, qualified instructors, adequate facilities and equipment, approved recruitment and admission policies and advertises its courses truthfully.

Distance study accreditation is an institution-wide source of nationally recognized accreditation that covers all distance study courses offered by an institution. It is unique in American accreditation because it is one based upon a method of instruction rather than educational level or subject matter discipline. It covers all programs, courses and distance study endeavors of an institution, including degree, non-degree, vocational and advocational programs. Unlike regional or specialized accrediting agencies, the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) provides distance education institutions with a single source of national recognition.

The process of accreditation begins when a bona fide distance education institution with a minimum two years of operating experience voluntarily sends an Application for Accreditation to the DETC offices. The review process includes writing an in-depth self evaluation report; review of all courses by subject matter experts; survey of students, graduates, state departments of education, federal agencies, Better Business Bureaus, and other official bodies; and an on-site inspection conducted by peer group evaluators to verify information.

The Accrediting Commission then reviews all reports and surveys in terms of the published standards and determines whether or not to accredit the institution. Only about one in four institutions applying for accreditation become accredited.

If an institution is accredited, it must conform to all educational and business standards of the Distance Education and Training Council's Accrediting Commission, submit annual reports, and be re-examined every five years. In addition, any new course developed by an institution must be sent to the Commission for review by subject matter experts, and then approved by the Commission.

The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is comprised of nine commissioners, four representing the public and five representing the private sector. The DETC Accrediting Commission meets twice a year, January and June, to accredit or reaccredit institutions, and to make changes to any standards and/or policies may be necessary.

Acceptance of degrees or credits from DETC accredited institutions are largely determined by the policy of the receiving organization, e.g., an employer, a college registrar, etc. DETC accreditation is not a guarantee that credit will transfer to any college or university. The American Council on Education reviews courses of DETC accredited institutions and makes credit recommendations, which are published annually in The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs (Oryx Press, 1-800-279-ORYX).

Last modified: 2008-04-07T12:21:47-0700