Accreditation Process and Requirements
Educational Membership Process
For the business programs of an academic business unit to become an Educational member of the IACBE, the academic business unit must meet the criteria below:
1. The institution must grant business degrees at the graduate and/or undergraduate level.
2. The institution must have a publicly-stated mission appropriate to a college or university.
3. The institution must have approval to confer higher education degrees by the agency that regulates higher education in its geographic region.
If the above statements are true…
Educational Membership Requirements
To become an educational member of the IACBE, an academic business unit must:
Step 1
Apply for Educational Membership. The application includes providing:
a. Evidence that the member has a publicly stated mission appropriate higher education. This mission must have been approved by the institution’s governing body (i.e., trustees, regents, directors).
b. Evidence that the institution has authority to confer degrees by the agency that regulates higher education in its geographic region.
c. Evidence of institution has institutional accreditation, if established.
d. A copy of the most recent catalogs, prospectuses, marketing brochures, or other materials that describe the institution’s undergraduate and graduate degree business-related programs. If this material is available online, provide the direct link(s) to this information.
e. Affirmation of commitment to excellence in business education.
IACBE staff will review your application promptly.
Step 2
If approved, a conditional approval of Educational Membership will be granted, pending payment of Membership dues. Failure to make timely payment will result in the cancellation of the application for IACBE Educational Membership.
Once the Educational Membership process is complete, a representative of the IACBE will contact the designated IACBE primary representative to discuss the next steps in the IACBE specialized accreditation process.
An Educational Membership allows those within the institution to access IACBE Member-only Resources. Educational Membership does not imply accreditation of any type, nor does it guarantee that any business program(s) will be accredited by the IACBE. The institution will be allowed to publicize that it is an Educational Member of the IACBE, but only in the methods prescribed by IACBE policies.
If two or more academic business units have the same parent institution or if an institution provides business programs under different institutional names, separate membership may be required. Contact the IACBE office to discuss the options that are available.
