The Study Of Programmatic Accreditation In Higher Education In The USA

Education accreditation has first established in the United States of America and through about100 years development, programmatic accreditation of U.S. higher education has formed a series of rather mature system. Therefore, have been acquired recognitions by the general public as well as the authorities.This paper, through researching of U.S. higher education programmatic accreditation, analyzes its features as well as the power and responsibilities shared in different players in the process of programmatic accreditation in U.S. higher education that is the reflection of interaction of government departments, universities and agencies, thus advancing some suggestions in order to improve Chinese higher education and promote programmatic accreditation system with our own country's features.Part one: introduction. In this part, author states the theme's purpose and meaning, analyzes research situation about the theme home and aboard, and defines the core concept related to the theme.Part two: in this part, the author clarifies the background of American higher education programmatic accreditation producing and the contents, the standards, the process of the programmatic accreditation in the USA.Part three: On the basis of labeling and analysis on part two, the author summarizes the USA higher education programmatic accreditation features and clarifies the power and responsibilities shared in different players in the process of programmatic accreditation in U.S. higher education that is the reflection of interaction of government departments, universities and agencies. There are four features, which are co-existence of voluntariness and force, self-discipline and rule, independence and control, scientificity and democracy. The power and responsibilities among the government dapartments, universities, and programmatic accreditation agencies are that the United States federal government macro-controls the higher education development by the means of finance and legislation.The power and responsibilities of universities in the professional development are specific, but free in operation. The programmatic accreditation agencies play a role of coordinating the relationship between the government departments and universities. Actually, the relationship between the United States government departments and the programmatic accreditation agencies is that the programmatic accreditation agencies are empowered by the United States government departments to perform what they should do.Part four: Conclusions and enlightenments. After wholly and deeply studying on the programmatic accreditation system of American higher education, the author is about to get the conclusions. At present, there are some deficiencies in the process of programmatic accreditation in our country, and the reasons are: imperfect market mechanism, single direction of government public opinion, negative impact of cultural traditions, lacking of laws and regulations. In the enlightenment part, the author is to give countermeasures and advices on developing programmatic accreditation system of higher education in our country.