School of Business Administration Maintains Prestigious AACSB Accreditation

The School of Business Administration at Widener University has maintained its business accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. Quick Center

The AACSB peer review team which had three business school deans as members, in their report, stated that the school has:

An outstanding student/faculty environment where students feel that they are clearly the focus of faculty efforts, where close interpersonal relations with faculty are easy for students to develop, and where students feel totally comfortable in the school environment
An excellent program of business relationships including, but not limited to, outstanding Advisory Board involvement and support of the School of Business Administration. The degree of involvement of the Business Advisory Boards in curricula advisement and development is a true strength of the school. Close working relationships with major employers in the area add to this strength.
The close working relationship of the Small Business Development Center with the School and the local community, including the use of student projects in the Mgmt 451 class to supplement the activities of the center is a program strength.
A 150 credit hour program in accounting is innovatively structured to maximize student options and opportunities.

The School of Business Administration offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, business informatics, economics, finance, international business, and management with concentrations in marketing, sport management, and human resource management. There are also three graduate degrees offered in MBA, Master of Science in Taxation and Financial Planning, and Master of Science in Business Process Innovation.

"We are particularly pleased with the finding of the peer review team and their comments about our focus on students and the strength of the School of Business Administration Advisory Board," said Savas Ӧzatalay, dean of the Widener School of Business Administration. "Our goal is to develop students who are leaders in their communities and in their chosen professions, and we believe we are accomplishing that goal through the strength of our faculty, our curriculum, and the wise counsel of our advisory board."

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 more than 650 business schools in 45 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation.

"It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn and maintain AACSB Accreditation," said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Business schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students."

To learn more about Widener University's School of Business Administrationvisit www.widener.edu/sba.

Widener University is a private, metropolitan university that connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention, leadership development, and experiential learning are key components of the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences and professional and pre-professional curricula leading to associate's, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton, and Harrisburg, Pa., and Wilmington, Del., serve approximately 6,500 students. Visit the university's website, www.widener.edu, for more information.

AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), founded in 1916, is an association of more than 1,300 educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations in 81countries 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.

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Photo: The Leslie C. Quick Jr. Center, home of the Widener School of Business Administration.