Best MBA ACBSP Accredited Programs

What is Accredited by ACBSP?

The ACBSP is an accrediting agency that focuses on programs, not schools or institutions as a whole. While regional accrediting agencies and other business-focused accreditation agencies look at whole institutions, programmatic accrediting agencies such as ACBSP focus only on business programs and degrees. This level of focus means that a diploma from one of their approved business degree programs is likely to be of very high value.

The ACBSP is perhaps best known as an accrediting agency for MBA programs, however their scope goes far beyond that. In fact, they accredit business degree programs at all levels. Thus, students can find associate business degree programs that confer ACBSP approved diplomas. There are also bachelor’s business degree programs that are accredited by the agency. These credentials matter just as much at the undergraduate level as for master’s business degree programs. That is, an undergraduate degree that carries ACBSP credentials may be far more helpful when seeking a master’s business degree than an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

The ACBSP also accredits other sorts of programs, including certificate programs and online degree programs. These credentials add a new level of legitimacy to those seeking academic options. Where in the past there may have been employers who looked askance at a certificate or online business degree, they are more likely to hold a fully accredited program at this level in higher esteem. Students who are considering an online business degree should proceed with great confidence when their program has such highly respected credentials. After all, both the ACBSP and online business degree programs are focused on helping students succeed in the contemporary business climate.

Accreditation Standards

To maintain its high value in the world of academic accreditation, the ACBSP has exacting standards for the business degree programs it audits. In fact, the agency has seven standards that business degree programs must satisfy before earning accreditation. Programs find that these standards are not necessarily easy to maintain but that the consistent striving for excellence helps them thrive.

The seven standards for accreditation from the ACBSP are: leadership, strategic planning, student and stakeholder focus, student learning assessment, faculty focus, curriculum, and business unit performance. For the first standard, leadership, programs need to demonstrate that they are able to recruit and maintain a consistent faculty body. When programs maintain their faculty, students receive a consistent and cohesive education. When faculty members form long-standing professional relationships, they are able to collaborate and offer mutual professional support.

The strategic planning metric likewise addresses systemic, programmatic issues. The ACBSP requires that, if a program is to attain its credentials, it needs to be in a process of continuous improvement. Since the business community is in constant flux and growth, so should the academic programs that purport to feed it.

Why Look for an Affordable ACBSP Program?

While the best ACBSP accredited business degree programs may not always be the most affordable, the most affordable ACBSP accredited business degree programs may not always be the best. To help tease out which programs are the absolute most affordable, while maintaining high standards, our educational researchers apply their objective criteria to help students discover which programs are both easy on the wallet in terms of up-front costs, but which also provide long-term value.

After all, if an ACBSP accredited program is cheap up front but doesn't provide a healthy return on a student's educational investment, then it is not truly affordable. After all, a business degree is not a disposable commodity that can be easily replaced when it wears out. Our researchers understand this and thus evaluate metrics such as graduate salaries, net price of the degree, and more to help students find the best ACBSP accredited program for them.