A Comparative Analytical study of the Reality of Academic Accreditation of Postgraduate Programs in Universities in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the reality of academic accreditation for postgraduate programs in universities in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, and to identify the similarities and differences between academic accreditation for postgraduate programs in universities in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, as well as to provide aspects of benefit from the experience of the United States of America. To achieve the aim of the study, the descriptive analytical and comparative approach was used along with the content analysis tool. The study was applied to a sample of (27) official documents related to the specific areas of analysis. The study results revealed that there are some similarities and differences in the reality of academic accreditation for postgraduate programs in the two compared countries, in terms of: (academic accreditation systems, models and standards for academic accreditation, and academic accreditation policies). In light of the study results, some benefits were presented. The study also came out with a set of recommendations.