I understand its importance for teaching, but what about for employment at X, Y, and Z companies? If it matters, would undergrad or MBA matter more? Or would an employer care more about the rep of the school regardless of AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE? Thanks
I've never heard of it being a deciding factor for employment. I've never seen anyone use it on a resume either. I think reputation is more important. However, if the school's reputation is not known, then it could add something.
They do not care directly but indirectly they care because all top-tier colleges have AACSB accreditation. Ike
I think my employer may be the exception, but they check it for potential employees, as well as for any graduate work require it for reimbursement (But we have 2 people that the above research is their full time job).
This has never been measured (to my knowledge) in a published study. Perhaps contacting AACSB might reveal unpublished or self-published information. Semi-educated guess: I agree that employers don't look for it, but having it means the school has some quality. It is more for the students and the academic community; its benefits in employment are--as it has been stated--indirect.
I will "cut to the chase" and ask this question. What job opportunities might be open to a graduate of say a M.B.A. program which is regionally accredited but not professionally accredited? Has anyone found a decent job with this type of degree? Since employers may care about professionally accredited business programs both indirectly and directly.
Teaching at an AACSB school for one. Secondly, SOME employers will only give you credit for the degree if it is AACSB. Most, probably not, but some, yes.
I graduated with an MBA from a school that is AACSB accredited, many employers have asked me what is the meaning of AACSB so therefore I just don't put it my resume anymore. AACSB schools tend to hire faculty with degrees from AACSB accredited universities, so in this case it makes a difference. However, AACSB only accredits master's programs and not doctoral programs so I wonder why an employer would ask for a PhD from AACSB accredited school.
uate seems to have no problems finding jobs and these are not your average jos either - the pay is good. Sorry. No time to edit this writing but at least you get my point. Have a good day everyone. GodwinKristie, do you mind sharing where you work? I don't doubt that your employer requires AACSB, but I doubt if it is absolute. I have written extensively about this AACSB, IACBE nonsense with no one in this forum so far being able to convince me about AACSB employment requirement. I have asked (please see the archive) questions with no single individual being able to offer one answer. The point is AACSB and the likes are purely academic that carries no substance in the employment world. I have friends who operate multi million dollar accounting practices who are graduates from non AACSB schools. I also have families members (recent graduates too) employed by the big five accounting firms. The point is if you are not good academically, graduating from AASCB and the likes won't do you any good. These accreditations do not confer credentials, therefore, they carry no weight. A candidate with CPA from non AACSB is better than a candidate from AASCB with no CPA, where both are equal employment history, experience and other factors come in. This is why I like the health care sector. None of these alphabet soup nonesense, do you have the licensure, registration, board exam etc not where you gradauted from, how and which non credential authority board accredited your program. I tell people, do what is in your comfort level. If you believe RA accreditation is not good for you, it probably may not be. I may not be able to respond further to this discussion because I am too into my first semester at Touro which I have found very rigorous. More on Touro at the end of my semester. The point here is AACSB and the likes carries little weight if any at the job place. The people around me who are non AACSB grad
Aerojet in Northern California (about 1800 people here) - I would not say that they do this for any reason than somebody about 50 years ago probably put it in a policy. I have seen your postings in the past about AACSB, wanting to know what it brings or shows for a school to be better. I can not answer that, since I do not know if (actually I don't think it does) it brings or designates any better quality. The AACSB website has many many mistakes about their schools, and they can't comment to the public on just about anything, so I have not been impressed with them and don't find a correlation. There is no logic to my employer as well - Since they accept RA for undergrad, and AACSB for MBA's. Why accept the RA for an undergrad if it is not good enoug for the undergrad? I have asked them this and there has been no logical answer, other than "That is how it has always been". The people are changing (2 people in the department) and they retire at year end), maybe someone who knows the differences will take over and restructure the policy, though that is harder to do than it sounds. I have tried to educate them, but they think I am stating these topics to them because I want to get around the current system. I am apprecitive that they paid for my undergrad, MBA, and hopefully my Doctorate (fingers crossed), but the question was asked if anybody has seen it, and I have, though as I stated in the beginning, I seem to be the exception, not the rule. I see your points, so maybe the aerospace sector is a bit behind the times (they deal with government contracts, so policies take FOREVER to change). On a side note, when I was going through my undergrad, I had a class that was not offered in the evenings at Sac State, so I found the equivelant at National University. My employer said NO ONLINE courses, if the local university offers the class. I had to take this one up to the VP, since for me the class was not offered, and though an online course, it is recognized by the unviersity. They have just this last year changed the policy to allow for distance education..... though baby steps, they seems to be getting with the 21st century.
I have worked for several large aerospace companies and with people who earned MBAs from USC, Pepperdine, UCI, CSUDH, Univ of Phoenix, Embry-Riddle, CSULB and others. All were accepted but it was really the individuals approach to work that gained promotions. I know one person with a terrific academic resume who has gone nowhere since he was hired because he rarely displays any initiative.
Oko - I can name several employers who either maintain a list of MBA programs that they recruit at (nearly always schools that are top ranked) or who say "We only recruit MBA talent from top 20 MBA programs". Either of these statements is effectively a call for frads from AACSB accredited schools. Why? Virtually every ranking list of MBA programs in the U.S. has only AACSB schools on it. There is no getting around it. The best b-schools in the U.S. are AACSB. Period. While many employers may not know how spell AACSB, their perceptions on what are the "best" business shcools, just happens to coincide with a list of AACSB schools. Is there a place for non-AACSB schools. I think so, but mainly for folks that are mid-career or who work in smaller organizations. Regards - andy
Sorry that I am just now getting to this since I responded in the middle of my semester and I never checked back. I disagree that highly ranked schools are only AACSB accredited. Northeastern University in Boston is highly ranked and I do not believe they are AACSB unless I am mistaken. The fact is rank is a perception. You can't really rank a school. Aerojet really have no basis for their decision but the decision is theirs. A look at the list of AACSB accredited schools does not convince me they are really big time schools if there is such a thing. They accredit unranked schools as well as ranked. Again, I do not believe in rankings because it does not tell anything about a school. It is like ranking hospitals by some media outlets. You cannot possibly rank hospitals unless you add some variables and even then it remains inaccurate. Therefore, using rankings is not a good idea. The answer to the main question is I have seen MBA from non AACSB schools succeed incredibly. There is no question about it at all. I have posted a study somewhere in this board in the past that shows the average earnings from the so called IVY leagu is about $86,000 vs $75,000 from non ivy league and in some cases depending on the course, the non ivy league made more. The study by a Washington think tank questioned whether ivy league education is worth its cost. The choice is indivdual. My hall way and my neigborhood is full pf people with MBA from non AACSB schools that have made it. Remember that they only accredited less than 500 schools worldwide and more than half of the schools don't even make the so called rankings. Have a good one everybody. I do not mean to resurrect an old issue.
I love jumping into threads where I have no real knowledge. This is an example. You say that rank is a perception but, when you come right down to it, everything is a perception. Lots of people thought they knew "the facts" until someone proved them wrong. The world is flat, the sun revolves around the earth, they were all facts once upon a time. We all make decisions based on perceptions every day. Sometimes these are life and death decisions like, "Should I pull out into traffic now or should I wait?" It's a judgement call based on a perception. Anyway... At the risk of sounding naive, I'd say that AACSB accreditation must mean something or the AACSB organization could not continue to exist. I'm not a business person but I have enough respect for them to say that they're not going to make big hiring decisions based on a myth. When you're deciding who to hire into your organization the distinctions can become quite fine. It's possible that AACSB accreditation is just another data point. It may not mean everything but it seems to mean more than nothing. Whatever, Jack
Not acccurate: Northeastern is AACSB accredited, link provided: http://www.aacsb.edu/General/InstLists.asp?lid=2
Thanks Kristie7, I did say I am not sure. My statement was not made as matter of fact as in my former classmate having a Harvard business degree. In response to others, life is a perception as well. I agree. Once blacks was siad to be incapable of flying, being an officer in the military or uniformed services of the United States. We all know the case now. Just because perceptions are generally held does not make them correct. Just because a few schools perpetuate an optional accreditation does not make it important. I am not against AACSB or any other specialized accreditation but they are not a means to an end unless they lead to certification. AACSB that has Harvard also has some schools which shall remain nameless becasue I don't want to get into trouble again. Someone said AACSB is baout research institutions, eccuse me? Just check the list of AACSB and you will find more teaching institutions than research. It is pure marketing. With Northeastern that makes three out four of my alma matter interested in alphabet soup. It has not done anything for me neither has any one been interested in seeing them either. Have a great day.
In a manufacturing/accounting environment I have never been asked during the interview process if my BS or MA degrees had AACSB approval. Never.
