MBA accreditation is a formal recognition that a university’s MBA program meets international standards of business education. Whether it’s a traditional or online MBA accreditation, students should understand these quality benchmarks.
According to AACSB estimates, there are more than 16,000 schools offering business degree programs worldwide. Looking at the accreditations that business schools hold, students can identify the ones that offer education of the best international standard.
What Is MBA Accreditation and Why It Matters?
The Association of MBAs (AMBA) defines it as follows: “Accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement in postgraduate business education.”
Accreditation results from an outside, independent evaluation of the quality of education provided by educational institutions and/or their programs. International accreditation agencies conduct this process. The evaluation is based on a thorough analysis of the education that a university/business school provides.
Accreditation is valid for a certain period (for example, five years) and before it expires a new evaluation has to be conducted in order to assess the quality of the program again. This process ensures that business schools constantly strive to maintain quality.
Types of MBA Accreditation
In the world of business education, there are three major MBA accreditation types. Each evaluates a program based on factors like faculty, curriculum, and graduate outcomes. They include the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), based in Tampa, FL, USA; the Association of MBAs (AMBA), based in London; the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), based in Brussels.
Educational institutions are not obliged to apply for international accreditations. It is voluntary. However, accreditation gives business schools international credibility and status. There are thousands of MBA programs worldwide, but only a small percentage are accredited, which makes them stand out easily among the multitude of other offerings.
|
Accreditation |
Main Criteria |
Ideal for |
Duration |
|
AACSB |
Strategic Management and Innovation; Learner Success; Thought Leadership, Engagement, and Societal Impact |
Both online and on-campus programs |
5 years |
|
AMBA |
Institution; Student Cohort Experience; MBA Design, Curriculum, and Assessment; Impact |
Primarily on-campus, some online programs |
5 years |
|
EQUIS |
Context, Governance and Strategy; Programs; Students; Faculty; Research; Executive Education; Resources and Administration; Internationalization; Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability; Connections with Practice |
Both online and on-campus programs |
5 years |
What Is Triple Accreditation?
One institution/program may be accredited by several accreditation agencies. The golden standard is the so-called “Triple Crown” denoting that a business school is accredited by all three major agencies – AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. There are about 60 business schools in the world that hold the Triple Crown, many of which are European.
It is interesting to note that some of the top US business schools are not in this elite group. The reason is that AMBA only accredits MBAs which admit students with at least three years of full-time professional work experience after the Bachelor’s degree. Some of the top US schools do not meet this requirement, so they are not eligible for AMBA accreditation.
What Accreditation Should an MBA Program Have?
Unsure what accreditation your MBA program should have? Focus on globally respected agencies like AACSB. Knowing which MBA accreditation is important can impact your future career.
While Triple Crown accreditation represents the gold standard, MBA programs with accreditation from just one or two of the major agencies are still highly reputable. AACSB accreditation alone signals rigorous academic standards and is widely recognized by employers globally. AMBA accreditation specifically focuses on MBA quality and requires students to have professional work experience, making it particularly valuable for career advancement.
EQUIS accreditation emphasizes international perspective and corporate connections, which can be beneficial for students seeking global opportunities. Even single accreditation from these respected agencies demonstrates that a program meets high educational standards. The key is ensuring your chosen program holds accreditation from at least one of these three major bodies rather than lesser-known accrediting organizations.
Online MBA Accreditation: What to Look For
Before applying to a virtual program, verify that your online MBA accreditation is recognized by top agencies. Online MBA programs face the same rigorous evaluation process as traditional campus-based programs. The key is ensuring that the accreditation applies to the online format specifically, not just the institution’s on-campus offerings. Some schools hold separate accreditations for their distance learning programs.
When researching online MBA accreditation, confirm that the program meets the same standards as its traditional counterpart. Look for explicit mention of online or distance learning in the accreditation documentation. The three major accreditation bodies – AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS – evaluate online programs using similar criteria: faculty qualifications, curriculum rigor, student support services, and learning outcomes.
MBA Accreditations vs. MBA Rankings
While MBA accreditations reflect academic quality, school rankings often emphasize factors like salary or job placement.
Accreditations evaluate whether programs meet established educational standards. They focus on curriculum design, faculty qualifications, learning resources, and assessment methods. The evaluation process is thorough, independent, and renewed periodically to maintain standards. Rankings, conversely, compare schools using various metrics that may include graduate salaries, employment rates, selectivity, and peer reputation. These methodologies can vary significantly between ranking organizations, which may lead to different results for the same institutions.
Of course, rankings provide useful data for prospective students to compare their dream schools; however, they don’t necessarily indicate educational quality in the same systematic way that accreditations do.
But there is one piece of good news – most rankings list only accredited programs. For students, accreditation should be the first filter, while rankings provide an additional perspective on program outcomes and reputation.
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