Department of Accounting earns prestigious AACSB accreditation

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
August 26, 2013

The Department of Accounting in the McCoy College of Business Administration at Texas State University has received special accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programs. Today, there are 682 business schools in 45 countries and territories that maintain AACSB accreditation, including the McCoy College. Similarly, only 182 institutions maintain an additional specialized AACSB accreditation for their accounting programs, including the Department of Accounting.

"AACSB congratulates Texas State University, Dean Denise Smart, Dr. Ann Watkins and Dr. Rosie Morris on earning AACSB Accreditation for its accounting programs," said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Dean Smart, Drs. Watkins and Morris, and the faculty, directors, and staff of Texas State University are to be commended for their role in earning accreditation in accounting, as well as for maintaining excellence in their overall business programs."

To realize accounting accreditation, an institution must first earn or maintain AACSB business accreditation. Then, in addition to developing and implementing a mission-driven plan to satisfy the business accreditation standards, accounting accreditation requires the satisfaction of an additional set of standards that are specific to the discipline and profession of accounting.

Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation, and adjustment and can take several years to complete. During these years, the school develops and implements a plan to meet the AACSB Accreditation Standards, which require a high quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement, and curricula responsive to the needs of businesses.

"It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn both accounting and business accreditation, and I commend Texas State University for its dedication to management education, as well as its leadership in the community," said Reid. "Through accreditation, Texas State University has not only met specific standards of excellence, but has also made a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high quality education to its students.”

About AACSB International

AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), founded in 1916, is an association of more than 1,350 educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations in 85 countries and territories. AACSB's mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation, thought leadership, and value-added services. As the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master's, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at locations throughout the world. AACSB's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA and its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore. For more information, please visit www.aacsb.edu.