SOM maintains prestigious AACSB business and accounting accreditations

The School of Management (SOM) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has maintained its business and accounting accreditations by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.

AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business and accounting education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programs. The additional specialized accounting accreditation is extremely rare, and is held by just 181 business schools in the world (1.4%); UAF is the only school in Alaska to have achieved this specialized accounting accreditation.



The School of Management received news that its dual School and Accounting accreditations had been extended for another five years, after a fall 2014 visit to the school by four Business Deans and Accounting Program Directors from around the nation. In their follow-up report, the visiting review team noted: “SOM provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning both in and out of the classroom.  Through activities such as company-based projects, community initiatives, and student organizations, students gain hands-on experience that helps bridge the transition from student to professional.”

As the highest level of recognition a business school can achieve, this continued validation of quality has paid off for UAF students, with the School of Management now reaching all-time high numbers of students and graduates. In less than a decade, SOM has seen a 60% increase in majors and a 150% increase in graduates. Upon graduation, SOM students will be recognized by potential employers as graduates from a top-quality business school, as validated by the AACSB International body, whose membership represents Deans from the most prestigious business schools in the world.

To learn more about the UAF School of Management visit www.uaf.edu/som. Or to learn more about AACSB International accreditation, visit the accreditation section of the AACSB International Web site at: www.aacsb.edu/accreditation.

About AACSB International
AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), founded in 1916, is an association of more than 716 educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations in 48 countries and territories. (For the most recent information visit, http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/accreditedmembers.asp ). AACSB's mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation, thought leadership, and value-added services. As the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master's, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at locations throughout the world. AACSB's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA and its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore. For more information, please visit: www.aacsb.edu