Undergraduate Business Department Receives International Accreditation

The Department of Business and Economics in the College of Arts & Sciences has been awarded accreditation for its business programs from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs’ (ACBSP) Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Board of Commissioners.

The ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation association for business education, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. Its mission is to support, celebrate, and reward teaching excellence, promote continuous improvement, and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world. It is the only organization offering specialized business accreditation for all degree levels, from associate to baccalaureate to doctoral degree programs. ACBSP accreditation certifies that the teaching and learning processes within the undergraduate degrees offered in the Department of Business and Economics meet the rigorous educational standards established by ACBSP.

Based on the criteria of the National Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award, ACBSP accreditation evaluates aspects of the institutional leadership, strategic planning processes, relationships with the community, quality of academic programs, faculty credentials and services, and educational support to determine whether or not the institution offers a rigorous educational experience and demonstrates continuous quality improvement.

“Bethel University has shown their commitment to teaching excellence and to the process of quality improvement by participating in the accreditation process,” said ACBSP Chief Accreditation Officer Steve Parscale, who will present the Certificate of Initial Accreditation at ACBSP Conference 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia, in June. “This accreditation is evidence that Bethel University is committed to providing the highest quality business education for their students.”

Faculty and other administrators began working on the accreditation process in 2013, which included a preliminary self-study document, a comprehensive self-study document, and a site visit from ACBSP evaluators.