Formal Accredited Colleges & Universities

The most obvious and traditional form of education is through an accredited college or university (which can be public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit). There are two types of accreditation which are regionally accredited and nationally accredited schools. In order to become accredited in the United States, a school must pass a quality assurance process that is provided by private nonprofit organizations (not the government). This is important to understand as getting a degree from an accredited school does not necessarily mean that it provides a better education or helps one become more qualified; particularly when it comes to the field of sexuality.

In fact, in the field of sexuality it may be inhibiting to one's education as many accredited schools have curriculums that are highly edited and restricted due to the provision of federal grant money. This is because many of the accrediting bodies are run by religious organizations whose agenda is to restrict and even warp sexual facts, information and certain teachings.

One benefit in having a degree through an accredited school is that it makes it easier to obtain professional licensure (typically done through the field of mental health). This is important should one desire to provide therapy in states that require licensure and it positions one to be more readily able to have their services covered by insurance policies. However, when it comes to insurance coverage, most sexual therapy is not covered unless it is deemed medically necessary through a psychological diagnosis and classified under a psychological disorder outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or if it is a medical diagnosis and medical treatment is being provided by a physician it would be classified under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

To see a list of these programs see our: Formal Degrees in Sexuality Directory

Non-Accredited Schools

Non-accredited schools range from those that are highly organized and academic to those that are informal and even experiential. It is important to carefully research any program that you enroll in to ensure that you are getting the education that you desire. Many sex experts and programs that promise helpful information are more hype than substance so understanding specifically what the educational program offers as well as the education of those providing it are important questions that you should pose.

Through such non-accredited programs you can obtain academic graduate degrees as well as certificates in areas such as sexology, erotology, AIDS prevention, sexological hypnosis and more.

To see a list of these programs see our: Informal Education in Sexuality