CFR > Title 34 - Education > SUBTITLE B—Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education > CHAPTER VI—OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (parts 600 to 694) > PART 602—THE SECRETARY'S RECOGNITION OF ACCREDITING AGENCIES > SUBPART B—The Criteria for Recognition (§602.10 to §602.28) > 602.12—Accrediting experience.

602.12—Accrediting experience.

(a) An agency seeking initial recognition must demonstrate that it has—
(1) Granted accreditation or preaccreditation—
(i) To one or more institutions if it is requesting recognition as an institutional accrediting agency and to one or more programs if it is requesting recognition as a programmatic accrediting agency;
(ii) That covers the range of the specific degrees, certificates, institutions, and programs for which it seeks recognition; and
(iii) In the geographic area for which it seeks recognition; and
(2) Conducted accrediting activities, including deciding whether to grant or deny accreditation or preaccreditation, for at least two years prior to seeking recognition.
(b) A recognized agency seeking an expansion of its scope of recognition must demonstrate that it has granted accreditation or preaccreditation covering the range of the specific degrees, certificates, institutions, and programs for which it seeks the expansion of scope.

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b )