AACSB Accreditation

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is an International accreditation which is the hallmark of excellence in management education. AACSB standards guide and inform a rigorous self-evaluation and peer review process, and attainment of AACSB accreditation acknowledges exceptional quality and continuous improvement. Read this brochure to learn more about our 2017 AACSB Reaccreditation.pdf and what it means. Worldwide, AACSB accreditation is perceived as the highest standard of achievement for business schools, helping to ensure:

• Quality teaching and current curricula
• Effective management of resources to advance a vibrant and relevant mission
• Advancement of business and management knowledge through faculty scholarship
• Cultivation of meaningful interaction between students and a qualified faculty
• Graduates who have achieved specified learning goals

A Mark of Excellence

In April 2002, the ESU School of Business + Technology received accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business after years of rigorous preparation and review.

Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency for undergraduate and graduate programs in business. The AACSB seal is a mark of excellence borne by the highest echelon of business schools in the U.S. and worldwide. Only less than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education. Graduates of AACSB-accredited schools have a distinct advantage because employers and graduate admission officers know those graduates have received a high-quality business education.

Through accreditation, business schools provide stakeholders with the assurance that they:

• Guide educational delivery by a carefully constructed mission
• Select and support students to produce outstanding graduates
• Deliver degree programs with qualified faculty
• Structure learning through relevant curricula
• Contribute to knowledge through research and scholarship

Reviewers interviewed faculty and students and examined curriculum course syllabi, technology, faculty qualifications, community involvement programs, and resources for academic research.

Accreditation by AACSB International requires reaffirmation at regular intervals to assure future quality and to promote excellence and continuous improvement in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Visit the AACSB Website

Emporia State University has two honorary student organizations (Beta Alpha Psi and Beta Gamma Sigma) that are recognized by ACCSB. Beta Gamma Sigma is the Business honor society reserved for AACSB accredited schools. ESU's chapter has received the society’s highest honor for five years in a row, the only school in Kansas to receive that honor in Kansas.

AACSB Reaffirms Accreditation for Emporia State’s School of Business + Technology

Press Release, January 30, 2018

The School of Business + Technology at Emporia State University has received an extension of its business accreditation by AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Today, 799 institutions across 53 countries and territories have earned AACSB Accreditation.

Founded in 1916, AACSB is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting students, educators, and businesses worldwide. For over a century, AACSB accreditation has been synonymous with the highest standards in business education and has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world’s business schools.

“AACSB congratulates each institution on their achievement,” said Stephanie M. Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB. “Every AACSB-accredited school has demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development and student learning. The intense peer-review process exemplifies their commitment to quality business education.”

To maintain accreditation, Emporia State’s program completed a rigorous internal review that demonstrated its continued commitment to 14 quality standards related to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.

Dr. Ed Bashaw, dean of the School of Business, explains the importance of this reaccreditation: “Our mission is to provide access to innovative business preparation for limitless opportunities in the region and beyond. This mission is the guide for everything we do here, from hiring faculty to the programs we offer. Extending our AACSB Accreditation reaffirms our commitment to the quality of education our students expect and deserve.”

“The School of Business strives to maintain quality of instruction, an exceptional learning environment and continued distinguished recognition on several platforms,” said Dr. David Cordle, ESU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “By affirming reaccreditation by AACSB, we accomplished this.”

The School of Business is planning a number of activities to celebrate its reaffirmation of accreditation. Details of these activities will be made available as plans are finalized.

ESU President Allison Garrett is proud the School of Business has been accredited by AACSB since 2002. “Meeting and exceeding AACSB standards allows the School of Business to deliver degree programs with qualified faculty and produce outstanding graduates,” she said. “In fact, five of the six degrees awarded by the School of Business achieved a 100 percent placement rate with an average of 99 percent for all six degrees.”

About AACSB International

AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 member organizations and nearly 800 accredited business schools worldwide.

For more information on AACSB, visit www.aacsb.edu.

About ESU School of Business + Technology

Emporia State’s School of Business + Technology offers a bachelor of science in business with majors in accounting, business administration, information systems, management and marketing; a bachelor of science in computer science; a bachelor of science in education in business education; master of business administration (general, accounting and information systems concentrations); master of accountancy; and master of science in business education. Approval is pending for a bachelor of science in business data analytics and a master of science in information technology for Fall 2018. Programs are offered face-to-face on the Emporia State campus, online and at our Kansas City campus at ESU-KC.