Accreditation Process and Requirements

First-Time Accreditation

For the business programs of an academic business unit to be considered for first-time accreditation by the IACBE, the academic business unit must follow the process summarized below:

First-Time Accreditation Requirements

For the business programs of an academic business unit to be considered for first-time accreditation by the IACBE, the academic business unit must complete the following steps:

Step 1

Be a Candidate for Accreditation in Good Standing

Step 2

Have at least one set of outcomes assessment results from graduates of each program to be considered for accreditation.
Apply for accreditation and pay the relevant fee prior to the beginning of the self-study year

Step 3

Have at least one representative participate in the IACBE Accreditation Institute within 18 months preceding the beginning of the self-study year. This individual must be directly involved in the Self-Study and outcomes assessment processes. If the individual who attended the Accreditation Institute is no longer employed by the institution before the Self-Study year, the requirement is no longer considered met and another individual will be required to attend the Accreditation Institute.
Schedule the site visit.
Determine the programs to be included in consideration for first-time or reaffirmation of accreditation. ⁽¹⁾
Fully implement the Outcomes Assessment Plan (OAP), including the collection and analysis of at least one full set of results for each business-related program to be considered for accreditation.
Submit a draft self-study⁽¹⁾ and all supporting materials at least 120 days prior to the scheduled site visit.
Participate in a technical review with your IACBE Liaison.
Prepare and submit the final self-study and all supporting materials at least 60 days prior to the scheduled site visit.
Undergo a site visit.
Have the application, Self-Study, OAP, site visit Report of Findings, and response to the Report of Findings reviewed by the IACBE Board of Commissioners.

Upon achievement of IACBE specialized accreditation for program(s), publication of the accredited status will be allowed – but only in accordance with the prescribed IACBE policies.

Member benefits are available to employees and students of the Member with Accredited Programs. Such benefits include reduced rates to attend workshops or conferences, webinars, and resources for ensuring continuous quality improvement in the delivery of business education.

⁽¹⁾Guidelines for preparing the self-study are found in the IACBE’s Self-Study Manual in the Member Resource Area. It is essential that these guidelines be followed, and all relevant IACBE templates be used. Incomplete, inaccurate, or poorly organized information may jeopardize a program’s ability to achieve specialized accreditation. The IACBE headquarters is available to answer questions throughout the process. Additionally, each member is assigned an IACBE Liaison who will serve as a mentor to assist through the accreditation process.

Institutions may choose to seek an additional level of specialized accounting accreditation for accounting programs either concurrently with, or subsequent to the business program accreditation process. The specialized accounting accreditation has a pre-requisite that the program(s) must concurrently achieve, or have previously achieved, specialized business accreditation. All materials for seeking IACBE specialized accreditation are available on the IACBE website at www.iacbe.org under Resources > Member Resources.