What is the ACBSP? - Master of Finance Degrees

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) is the primary accrediting association for business programs in colleges and universities. The purpose of this accrediting agency is to develop, promote and recognize excellent educational programs for business students.

Resource: 30 Great Small Colleges for an Accounting and Finance Degree 2015

The Mission Statement

The mission of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs is to cultivate best practices and advanced academic programs for business students. The Council accredits qualified business programs that commit to continuous improvement, robust guidelines and competency driven curricula. The Council provides accreditation and quality assurance services to schools and programs that offer Associate, Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate degrees in business. The Council, which is accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), is the one and only association that offers business accreditation for all types of degree programs.

Core Values

The Council’s core values and concepts guide their stringent accreditation processes and programs. First, they believe that business schools and programs must focus on ensuring that students actively learn and develop problem-solving skills. Second, leadership and administrators commit to developing systems and strategies that create high expectations and empower students with the academic tools needed to achieve excellence. Third, business schools and programs must strategically plan and evaluate the execution of every system and method through ongoing improvement activities. Faculty and partnership development are achieved through providing meaningful opportunities to practice new knowledge and cooperate with others to collectively achieve goals.

The Accreditation Process

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs is guided by criteria and standards that ensure teaching excellence and high student performances. For example, it is essential that students first learn how to learn and then use outcomes assessments to enhance their education experience. Second, educational facilities should use research data to improve creative approaches, teaching practices, classroom performances and leadership involvement. Administration should continually seek to develop community and global alliances that result in the development of new activities, services and opportunities that support the organization’s strategic mission and objectives. The accreditation process revolves around formal self-study reports that highlight and document the organizations’ business programs, academic content and community profile.

Potential Careers

While there are limited careers available working within the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, there are plenty of job opportunities in higher educational facilities. For instance, provosts and chief academic officers work at universities improving the quality of programs, expanding academic services and providing support and leadership to deans and administrators. Many provosts are entrepreneurial directors who use their vision and knowledge to encourage the incorporation of technology and online learning platforms into business programs. Accreditation managers are program supervisors who oversee complex accreditation processes. They schedule accreditation audits, oversee and site visits and meet strict academic reporting requirements.

Alternative Accrediting Bodies

Besides the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, there is an alternative accrediting agency known as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Both accrediting organizations value research, student teaching outcomes and teaching excellence. Both of these agency’s rigorous paths to accreditation are very similar. However, schools that are research-centered predominately seek approval from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, while schools that focus more on teaching pursue ACSBP accreditation. Therefore, the majority of business schools are ACSBP-accredited programs, while Master’s and Doctorate degree programs that focus on the AACSB credential.

The ACBSP is a proactive accrediting body that promotes learning-centered education and its core mission of academic excellence.