Sophia’s courses have been accepted for credit at hundreds of colleges and universities, thanks to our ACE recommendation. Yet Sophia’s courses are not accredited.
So, what is the difference between an ACE recommendation and accreditation, and how does this affect your ability to transfer courses from Sophia to your college or university?
What Is ACE Accreditation?
The American Council on Education (ACE) is a coordinating body for colleges and universities in the United States. ACE evaluates courses and programs to determine if they meet collegiate learning outcomes with recommendations for the subject level, credit hours, and course subject for transfer credits.
Through a rigorous review process, ACE assesses different aspects of a course, including content quality, learning objectives, instructional design, and assessment methods. The recommendations made by ACE specify the number of credit hours, subject level, and course classification, helping institutions determine credit transfer policies and standardize credit transfers.
ACE recommendations can include courses, workforce training, military training, and more. In plain terms, ACE provides uniformity to ensure learners are getting a consistent experience and achieving learning outcomes.
While ACE recommendations help institutions make decisions about transfer credits, it’s ultimately up to the individual institutions to decide whether to accept ACE credits toward a degree program.
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The Importance of ACE Recommended Courses
ACE is the major coordinating body for two- and four-year degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. Courses and programs that receive ACE recommendations have been evaluated by a team of subject matter experts and determined to provide learning outcomes at the collegiate level. After this review, ACE makes recommendations about the course subject, level of learning, and number of credit hours to help guide colleges and universities in their acceptance of transfer credits.
ACE may recommend any number of courses and experiences for credit. This could include workforce training, military training, missionary work, and — of course — nontraditional learning online with sites like Sophia.
Why Accreditation Matters
We recommend students consider the accreditation status when seeking a college or university. Institutional accreditation means the school is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Individual programs at institutions may also be programmatically accredited.
Employers, other institutions (such as graduate schools), certification programs, financial lenders, and any other organization with an interest in your undergraduate degree may expect you to have attended an accredited school because this means you have received an education that meets certain quality standards.
You can check the Council for Higher Education Accreditation website for more information on your school’s accreditation status.
Where to Find ACE Credit Courses
The ACE National Guide offers resources to find courses and exams that are eligible for college credit or competency recommendations. You can find a list of courses that have been evaluated and recommended for college credit by ACE, including information on the course providers, subject areas, and number of credit hours.
Though the ACE National Guide can be a helpful resource, keep in mind that your chosen institution still has the final decision on whether ACE-recommended courses will be accepted as transfer credit toward a degree program.
Is Sophia Learning Accredited?
Educational institutions have to offer degree programs to be accredited. Because Sophia offers individual college-level courses, not full degree programs, we are not eligible for accreditation and are not accredited. Instead, we provide convenient, affordable online courses that accredited colleges and universities may accept as transfer credits to help you earn your degree.
In addition to ACE recommendation, our courses are also recommended by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), an organization that evaluates distance-learning programs.
So, Will Your College Accept Transfer Courses from Sophia?
We have made every effort to ensure that your college or university may accept your Sophia courses for general education credit. However, before taking a Sophia course, it is important to check with your school registrar or advisor to confirm whether your successfully completed Sophia coursework will transfer to your school.
If your school is one of Sophia’s 70+ college and university partners, your Sophia courses will transfer automatically to your school once you’ve completed a course. You can also check to see whether your school has previously reviewed Sophia coursework for transfer on our website, though it doesn’t guarantee they will accept them in the future.
Learn more about Sophia and our mission to provide affordable online courses for college-level credit by starting a free-trial today!
