NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MCLA's Department of Business Administration has earned accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). 

 

This accreditation covers all the department's business degree paths, as well as the College's Master of Business Administration program. 

 

According to a press release, ACBSP is a a global accreditation agency that focuses on recognizing teaching excellence, determining student learning outcomes, and a continuous improvement model. ACBSP's student-centered teaching and learning approach, which is measured and analyzed for quality, ensures that students gain the right skills from their educational investment. Institutions with programs accredited by ACBSP are committed to continuous improvement that ensures their business program will give students the skills employers want. 

 

"This means we have reached a level of rigor and discipline that puts us in the top tier of business programs worldwide," said Professor of Business Tom Whalen, who is also department chair. "This will keep us reviewing what we're offering to students, so we continue to make improvements to keep our program rigorous and competitive. This accreditation will give our graduates that much more credit in the job market." 

 

MCLA's Department of Business Administration already has an excellent track record for job placement. Recent graduates have secured full-time work at major national companies like BDO Consulting, General Dynamics, and Google. MCLA accounting majors who sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam currently have a 100 percent pass rate.  

 

In its review, "the Board of Commissioners noted the excellent self-study and accredited all programs with no follow-up notes required," said Steve Parscale, the ACBSP's chief accreditation officer. "This is a rare achievement." 

 

"We've known for quite a while we have a really solid program," said Whalen. "I'm so proud of what my colleagues have done to get this accreditation. Professor of Economics Chali Nondo has been a champion and a true superman in doing the work to get us here. Associate Professor Tara Barboza has done wonderful work with our accounting program and is a true mentor to her students. Our graduates are out in the world, getting excellent jobs. This accreditation fits in really well with our mission."