With the recent notification of the reaffirmation of accreditation of undergraduate and master’s degree programs in business, the ETSU College of Business retained its membership in an elite group across the globe.
Dr. Linda Garceau, business dean, said, “There are only 400 institutions worldwide that are accredited by the AACSB – The International Association for Management Education. The AACSB accredits 376 in the United States, seven in Canada, two in Mexico, one in Central America, two in South America, three in Asia and seven in Europe.
The total AACSB membership consists of the over 600 U.S. educational institutions, more than 140 international educational institutions and around 45 business, government and nonprofit institutions.
“In addition, AACSB institutions in this country annually present over 85 percent of all degrees awarded in business and management education,” Garceau said. “AACSB is the premier accrediting agency and service organization for business schools.”
Garceau said that not only is ETSU in good company with its AACSB reaccreditation, it is also a good buy in regard to tuition for those seeking business degrees.
Examples of other AACSB accredited state-assisted colleges of business and their tuition rates, in comparison to ETSU at $2,758 per year, include the University of Tennessee at $3,362; Clemson (S.C.) at $10,000; VPI (Virginia Tech) at $11,280; and Virginia Commonwealth at $13,344.
To achieve accreditation, business programs must satisfy the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to curriculum, faculty resources, admissions, degree requirements, library and computer facilities, financial resources and intellectual climate that are all mission-linked.
The peer review team complimented ETSU in its report: “The College of Business is commended on its faculty who are accessible and willing to work with their students; responsiveness to the needs of the area and for making valuable contributions to the economic development of the region; Strategic Experience capstone course in the MBA program that provides students a hands-on learning experience while assisting local businesses; impressively poised and mature students who are extremely loyal to the college, appreciative of the faculty and dedicated to the university; exemplary cooperation between the university’s office of career placement and the college’s office of external programs; and modern state-of-the-art Charles C. Sherrod Library and Adelphia Centre at Millennium Park facilities that provide excellent support to the college faculty and students.”
Garceau said the accreditation process, while voluntary, is a rigorous evaluation that is not undertaken lightly, yet the end result is well worth the effort.
“We are extremely pleased to be in the top 25 percent of the 1,500 collegiate business schools in the U.S. and Europe,” she said. “The stamp of approval for our business degree programs means we continue to provide a high quality product for our students.”
For more information on programs in the College of Business, call the dean’s office at 439-5489.

Author