Guys, Can anyone that got his MBA from an AACSB business school or who has seen an aacsb MBA certificate please tell me if the aacsb logo is on the certificate or if it is marked anywhere on the certificate (diploma) that the program is aacsb accredited ? I'm graduating this year and my school is on the brink of obtaining its aacsb accreditation (scheduled for may '10), do you guys know if I can still claim to have attended an aacsb accredited school since my school would have had it by the time I'll be searching for a new job in the labor market ? xigima
Technically, if your degree is awarded before AACSB is granted, then your degree wasn't obtained from an AACSB institution. Someone here once said that even after the accreditation is obtained, it only covers those whose whole degree program was done under AACSB acreditation and that might be technically true too. However, in actuality, the possibility of an employer knowing or caring is extremely unlikely (except in the case where you would want to be hired to teach at the college level - they might know and care). Short answer -don't let worrying about it stop you from getting that great new job!
Assuming the school receives the accreditation before you make the claim, I see no problem with stating you attended "a school that is accredited by AACSB". The statement is accurate. But it would be more accurate to state: "a school that is now accredited by AACSB" Obviously there is a time and place when the actual date of this accreditation may come in to play. As others have stated, most likely if applying for academia. For a school to obtain this accreditation the quality and standards had to have been in place for a period of time before actual granting. While we can bog down in the technicality of the date of accreditation I personally would be more concerned with the school's reputation. Do a search on the forum and you will find the AACSB (and its value) as a topic pretty much beat to death.
The Certificate will not indicate whether your MBA is accredited by RA or AACSB. It will be your transcript which shows the accreditation (RA/AACSB). If you are graduating before your University or College receives AACSB, then you are not graduated with AACSB's MBA. But from what i know, once the University or College received their AACSB accreditation, it will be displayed on all new transcript whether you are graduated before or after the university received AACSB status. So what you can do is, even if you are graduating before your school received AACSB accreditation. Request for a new transcript once they received the AACSB accreditation. I am sure or do believe even if you graduated before your university received AACSB accreditation. Future employers will be looking at the present accreditation status on the University website or from you transcript. Just my 2 cents.
To answer the poster's original question, I have business degrees (undergrad and MBA) from two different AACSB schools, and there is nothing on the diplomas to indicate that the school is AACSB-accredited. There is also nothing on the diploma indicating the schools' RA status either. The only seals are the university seal and the state seal on the diploma from the state school. Kevin's take on what the practical ramifications of your situation are is a good one. Best of luck!
Thanks a lot guys for your prompt and apt responses. I now feel much better about my situation. The truth is, I never ever knew about the AACSB / ACBSP distinction before I embarked on my MBA journey. By the time it dawned on me, I was already half way through. Couldn't quit, couldn't switch, didn't feel motivated enough to continue... At a stage I really felt I was missing out on something. But since no MBA degree ever indicates this, I guess I'll have to be content with the ACBSP & RA accreditations my school has and bank on the assumption that no one will ever realise it or ask me about it... in Europe where I intend to be based that is ! Xigy
