For prospective MBA students, one criterion stands above the rest when contemplating which business school to attend. That, of course, is the quality of your education. Accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International, is your assurance that employers will value your degree.
The Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado is among the elite schools accredited in both business and accounting. Just 820 business schools across 53 countries and territories around the world have earned AACSB Accreditation in business, and 187 institutions have earned it in accounting.
What Is the AACSB?
AACSB International connects educators, students and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. The organization aims to achieve its objectives by providing quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to member organizations, employers and accredited business schools. AACSB accreditation is the most recognized form of specialized and professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can earn. The AACSB first adopted its standards a full century ago in 1919 and has since updated them continuously to preserve the highest-quality, most advanced curriculums available in collegiate business education.
What Does AACSB Accreditation Signify?
Before you invest your savings, your time and your future into an MBA program, you have a right to expect the highest standards in business education. You have a right to know that the university you choose is committed to hiring the most qualified faculty possible. You have a right to expect a continually updated curriculum that delivers the preparation employers seek, and you have a right to know that employers believe in the value of your education.
Just the two words “AACSB Accreditation” provide ample evidence that a business school has been independently and rigorously assessed for the quality of its faculty, coursework, services and academic qualifications of students. The accreditation review process includes peer and committee reviews, development of strategic plans, analysis of faculty qualifications, and faculty and administrator self-evaluations.
Should You Choose an AACSB-Accredited MBA Program?
Graduating from an AACSB-accredited business school will be advantageous in your career, regardless of your career path or circumstances. Moreover, the following six factors each increase the importance of choosing an accredited school:
- You want the flexibility of working in a variety of industries, for a variety of employers, some of which may require or strongly value AACSB accreditation.
- A majority of leaders in your industry, from middle management on up, are graduates of AACSB-accredited institutions.
- Employers in your industry value academic prestige.
- Your desired employer prioritizes graduates from accredited programs and/or is a member of AACSB International.
- Your company offers tuition reimbursement for an MBA program with AACSB accreditation.
- You may, at some point in your career, want to join the faculty of a business college.
Competition for leadership positions in business is fierce. Earning your MBA from an AACSB-accredited business school ensures that you will have the confidence in yourself and from your potential employers necessary to succeed.
Learn more about the University of Northern Colorado online MBA programs.
Sources:
AACSB: Achieving the Highest Standard in Business Education
