AACSB Accreditation

AACSB accreditation is generally considered the "best" or highest form of accreditation for business programs.

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has been around since 1916.

The AACSB accredits business schools and programs all over the world.

Although the AACSB consistenly get high marks, is an MBA from an AACSB accredited institution really better than an MBA from a non-AACSB accredited one?

Try posing this question to someone at Harvard University versus someone at the University of Phoenix. No doubt, you would likely see opposing viewpoints.

In a similar vein, try posing this question to a business professor versus a business owner. Again, you will likely see differing opinions. It all boils down to what your point of view is and what “better” means.

On the plus side, AASCB accreditation is arguably the most recognized and sought after business school accreditation around. Business schools such as Harvard, Stanford, and other well-known schools hold this accreditation. Having this accreditation puts a business school of any size in good company.

By the same token, receiving a degree from a school that is AASCB accredited is very favorable in the academic environment. For example, there is an increased acceptance of credits and degrees between AACSB accredited schools. This is good for undergraduates looking to graduate school or MBA graduates looking for a Doctorate degree.

On the other hand, AACSB accreditation has more weight in the academic world than in the business world. Has the average employer ever heard of AACSB? Most employers don’t really understand accreditation at all. In this sense, the AACSB accreditation does not make for a more marketable degree.

Let’s say you received an MBA from a local state university which is AACSB accredited. Are you more marketable than a person with an MBA from the University of Phoenix, which carries no business accreditations at all? No…not just because of the accreditation. Many businesses are employing people with all kinds of MBAs and they do not pay attention to the accreditation.

AACSB accreditation is not required for marketability in the business world. However, it certainly does not hurt to have it. It is definitely a good thing to have the same business school accreditation as the likes of Harvard University.

The true value of the AACSB accreditation is the higher level of quality that it promotes. Accreditation through the AACSB is rigorous and intensive. The sheer fact that the accreditation is received shows a commitment to quality. This can only be good for both the business school and the student.