Online Accreditation Guide
A structured approach for academics and faculty teams, whether you are extending an on-campus accreditation or making a new submission.
Section 1 of 10
Choose your route
The first question is whether the professional, statutory or regulatory body (PSRB) will treat your online degree as a variant of an accredited programme or as a programme in its own right. Ask the PSRB directly, in writing, before you plan anything else.
| Extending an accreditation | New submission | |
|---|---|---|
| When it fits | Same award title, outcomes and assessment strategy; delivery mode is the main change | New award, different outcomes or structure, no existing accredited equivalent, or a different delivery partner |
| What the PSRB tests | Equivalence: do online students reach the same outcomes to the same standard? | The whole programme against the PSRB's standards |
| Typical evidence | Module mapping, delivery and support model, staffing, assessment security, student experience | Full documentation, competence mapping, resources, staffing, quality processes, often a visit |
| Main risk | Treating it as paperwork, then being asked for a full review late | Underestimating lead time and the volume of mapping |
Mode of delivery is not, by itself, what determines quality. The Office for Students' (2022) review of blended learning found both high- and low-quality teaching in face-to-face and online modes, with staff capability a bigger factor. A recent review of online and face-to-face peer learning found online approaches at least as effective for learning outcomes, though long-term evidence is thin (Topping, 2023).
Use it: frame your case around equivalent outcomes and the quality of design and teaching, not around defending online pedagogies.
Check what the accreditation actually covers. Some accreditations name the mode, location or cohort. If yours names on-campus delivery, an online cohort is not covered until the PSRB says so, and students need accurate information about accredited status in any initial marketing materials to comply with consumer protection law.