Energy Degree Accreditation: What to Look For

With the swift growth in renewable and sustainable energy degree programs in the United States, it can be challenging not only to decide which degree type is best for your desired career path but, even more important, which schools have programs offering the highest quality education and relevant skills for their students.

In many more common degree types—business administration or psychology, for example—a strict accreditation process set by recognized organizations ensures that academic programs meet specific standards for educational excellence. However, no such accreditation association exists for energy degree programs, thereby complicating the process for students wishing to select the best schools.

In this guide, we give you the information to understand how to find standardized, comprehensive, and valuable energy degree programs that will provide you the skills you need to launch or further your career in this exciting industry.

Who Accredits Renewable and Sustainable Energy Degree Programs?

In short, no one. But don’t go finding a new career path just yet. Although energy degree programs are highly novel and innovative, many offer significant overlap with numerous other more established degrees, like engineering, management and business, policy, and technical education programs. This overlap provides students with the confidence that their energy program has oversight from recognized national accreditation bodies.

Examples of degree accrediting bodies in the US that impact energy degrees:

• Engineering
  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is a recognized accrediting agency for engineering and technology programs in the United States. It accredits programs in various engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, and energy engineering.
• Management and Business Administration
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is considered the most prestigious and widely recognized accreditation for business schools. It focuses on the quality of the institution’s academic programs, faculty qualifications, research output, and overall educational excellence.
  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) is another prominent accrediting body for business programs, including MBAs. It emphasizes teaching and learning outcomes, curriculum quality, faculty qualifications, and continuous improvement.
• Policy
  • The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) is a global accrediting body specifically dedicated to accrediting public policy, public affairs, and public administration programs. It sets standards for program quality, curriculum relevance, faculty qualifications, and student learning outcomes.
• Technical Education
  • Within the renewable energy sector, there are several accreditation bodies for specific technical programs.
  • The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) offers an accreditation program called the IREC Training Provider Accreditation, which assesses the quality and competency of renewable energy training programs, including those focused on solar installation.
  • The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is primarily known for accrediting solar installation programs but also offers certification for wind installation.

What Other Accreditations Should Energy Degree Programs Have?

A dire mistake students can make is to obtain a degree from an unaccredited institution. A lack of accreditation may raise doubts about the quality of education received, limit career prospects, hinder further educational opportunities, and decrease the return on the large financial investment that a higher education degree requires.

Regional Accreditation

However, even if an energy degree program does not fall under the purview of a national degree accreditation body, students can ensure that their prospective university is accredited by a regional accrediting body in the US.

These organizations assess the overall quality and standards of higher education within their respective regions, ensuring that the institution and program have met recognized standards of quality, integrity, and educational effectiveness, that the curriculum is rigorous, faculty are qualified, and the degree holds value and credibility in the job market.

Examples of regional accreditation bodies:

• The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits universities and colleges primarily in the central United States.
• The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accredits universities and colleges in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.
• The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) accredits universities and colleges in the New England region, covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) accredits universities and colleges in the northwestern US, including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
• The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits universities and colleges in the southern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
• The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) accredits universities and colleges in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands, as well as a few institutions in other states.

FAQs About Energy Degree Accreditation

The process of investigating the right energy degree can be long, exhaustive, and exciting, requiring diligence to ensure you are making the best investment for your future. Determining accreditation of energy degree programs is a crucial step in this process. For a summary of the knowledge you need to understand energy degree program accreditation, here are some of the most basic and critical FAQs:

How important is accreditation when comparing energy degree programs?

Incredibly important. Accredited degree programs offer standardized and up-to-date learning, faculty qualification, and recognition by employers, while providing students with the most relevant skills to earn a job in the energy industry.

Which accreditation commission focuses on energy degrees?

None, but there is significant overlap between energy programs and more established degree programs like engineering, management and business administration, and policy—for starters.

What’s the difference between regional and national accreditation?

Regional accreditation organizations evaluate the overall quality of education institutions, as opposed to national accreditation, which focuses on specific programs or types of institutions within the United States.

What are the consequences of earning an unaccredited degree?

Consequences can be severe. Unaccredited programs can limit your job and education prospects and dramatically reduce the ROI of your higher education investment.