Be Wary of Nonaccredited Schools
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Accreditation constitutes public recognition that an educational program meets the administrative, organizational, and financial criteria of a recognized agency. In the United States, educational standards for schools are set by a network of agencies approved by the U.S. Office of Education (USOE) or the Council on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA). USOE or CORPA do not accredit individual schools, but they approve the national and regional agencies that do so. Almost all such agencies are voluntary and nongovernmental.
The entities listed below are not accredited by a recognized accreditation agency. Most operate entirely by correspondence. Some issue credentials to anyone who pays a fee. Others require completion of coursework. A few no longer operate. A few claim to be accredited by an agency that itself lacks legitimate recognition. Nonaccredited schools offering health-related instruction almost always advocate unscientific concepts. Moreover, is not possible to learn to properly care for patients without lengthy supervised experience with patients, which health-related correspondence schools almost never offer.
- Academy of Healing Arts
- Academy of Natural Therapies
- Academy of Natural Therapies & Spiritual Studies
- Akamai University
- American Behavioral Studies Institute
- American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders
- American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT)
- American College of Life Science
- American College of Nutripathy
- American Holistic College of Nutrition
- American Institute of Holistic Theology
- American Pacific University
- American Reiki Institute
- American University of Complementary Medicine (AUCM)
- Amstead International University
- Barbara Brennan School of Healing
- Belford University
- Bernadean University
- California Institute for Human Science
- Capital University of Integrated Medicine
- Chatworth College of Natural Health and Nutritional Science
- Clayton College of Natural Health
- College of Metabolic Medicine
- College of Natural Health
- Columbia Pacific University
- Columbia State University (link to another site)
- Columbus University
- Donsbach University
- First National University of Naturopathy
- Global Institute for Alternative Medicine (GIFAM)
- Herbal Healer Academy
- Holos University Graduate Seminary (HUGS)
- Illinois College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
- Institute for Educational Therapy (IET)
- International University of Nutrition Education (IUNE)
- International University of Professional Studies (IUPS)
- Kennedy-Western University
- Lacrosse University (Bay St. Louis, Mississippi)
- Madison University (Gulfport, Mississippi)
- Mills-Grae University
- National College of Complimentary Medicine and Sciences (NCCMS)
- New Hope Bioresonance University of Holistic Medicine
- New Jersey College of Osteopathy
- Newport University (Newport Beach, California)
- Nutrition Institute of America
- Nutritionists Institute of America
- Pacific Western University
- PanAmerican School & Institute of BioEnergetic Medicine
- People's University of the Americas (Puerto Rico)
- Possibilities Vocational School
- Professional School for Psychological Studies
- Romano Byzantine College
- San Diego University for Integrative Studies
- Southern California University for Professional Studies
- Southern College of Naturopathic Medicine
- Southwest International University (SIU)
- St. Luke School of Medicine, SGI
- Steps to Health
- United American Medical College
- Universal University of Holistic Spirituality
- University of Berkley
- University of Health Science
- University of Integrative Health Sciences (AIHS)
- University of Science and Philosophy
- University of the Healing Arts
- Westbrook University (Aztec, Arizona)
- Yamuni Institute of Healing Arts
This page was posted on September 2, 2007.