Articles

Accreditation Of MBAs And Why It Is Necessary

2010-07-31

The decision to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is a crucial step in certain career paths. Candidates for MBAs require dedication and commitment to the time and expense of pursuing the degree. Finding a program with MBA accreditation is necessary to ensure you are receiving a quality education, one that is transferable to another school, and that is recognized by potential employers. An MBA program prepares students for a future in executive and management positions in business. The career path of MBAs is open to all types of business. The foundation of the coursework in an MBA program is primarily finance and accounting.

Accreditation of any university or program is basically approval from a third party verifying that the program is of good quality. An institution may be accredited by an agency, but MBA accreditation is a specialized accreditation specifically about that program at that institution by a recognized association. When you select a program that has an MBA accreditation, you are selecting a school that you know has a commitment to providing high quality education.

Students earning MBAs at an accredited institution are part of a program that is willing to be observed by, critiqued by, and given feedback from external sources. Accredited universities and programs have a lot of resources, solid framework and structure in place. These are programs with a proven track record and which have demonstrated a high level of consistency. MBA accreditation is given to programs that value professional development through continuing education and seminars, keeping the teachers and administrators up to date on the most recent information in areas pertinent to MBA coursework.

In choosing one of these programs, you are validating that you will be learning about the most current methodology and body of thought on related subjects. Although it is not a guarantee, working on a degree in an accredited program will most likely make any credit hours you've earned transferable to another institution, should you change schools at some point, or pursue another post-graduate degree later on. It is always at the discretion of the school where you are transferring to determine which courses to accept or not.

MBAs with a degree from an accredited program are more marketable to future employers. Not necessarily due to the accreditation itself, but because the best programs will received accreditation. Many desirable employers know the best programs, and will know in an interview your level of knowledge and the quality of your education.

For a candidate pursuing a great MBA education and to maximize his or her educational investment, MBA accreditation is necessary when selecting a program.