Accredited Online MBAs Provide a Quality Education
Accredited online MBA programs must meet rigorous educational standards. Learn how you can earn a top-quality business degree.
If you're considering enrolling in an online business school, it's worth doing the research to find an accredited online MBA program. Accreditation ensures that the education provided by an institution of higher learning adheres to the current standards of quality and professionalism advocated by the U.S. Department of Education. Regular reviews by DOE-approved accreditation agencies also ensure that schools continue to meet students' evolving needs over time, maintaining an ongoing commitment to providing a quality education.
This is a critical issue for those seeking to earn their MBA online. Not only is a degree from an accredited online MBA program more marketable to potential employers, you can count on your coursework from accredited programs being recognized by other institutions should you choose to pursue a PhD degree. Also, accredited schools can offer more financial aid, because they are eligible for federal and state funded financial aid programs.
Benefits of Attending an Accredited Online MBA Program
Employers in today's competitive marketplace are looking for MBA graduates with superior academic records and a solid business background. A degree from an accredited program assures employers that their potential employees have a quality educational foundation, and that the school they attended meets the "best practices" standards outlined by the accrediting agency. Among the benefits of accredited online MBA programs are:
- Relevant, up-to-date curriculum taught by qualified and knowledgeable faculty
- Top-notch equipment, resources and software for students
- Technical support and training in the technology utilized by the program
- Access to business honor societies
- Transferability of articulated courses to other accredited business programs
Most of all, with an accredited online MBA program you can be confident you're getting a cutting-edge and marketable business education—one that can be flexibly scheduled around your existing work or family commitments without compromising quality.
Who Accredits Online MBA Programs?
Though the U.S. Department of Education keeps close track of accredited programs and authoritative sources of accreditation, it does not itself perform accreditation. Instead, private educational associations known as accrediting agencies evaluate institutions or specific programs and grant national, regional, or even specialized discipline-specific accreditation. This applies to online schools as well as brick-and-mortar campuses.
National accreditation may be granted to online MBA programs anywhere in the United States or abroad, through general accreditation bodies such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the Distance Education and Training Council as well as organizations specific to business education, such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
There are also six regional accreditation organizations in the U.S.: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Within their respective regions, these groups grant accreditation to educational institutions that meet nationwide standards for rigor and quality.
How to Find Out if An Online MBA Program is Accredited
Although a program without accreditation may still meet your academic needs, it could be risky to attend a non–accredited online MBA program—degrees from diploma mills or other schools not accredited by an approved organization often do not have the same value in the workplace, do not adhere to the same high-quality educational standards and do not provide the same opportunities for financial aid. But don't worry; you can find top–notch, fully accredited MBA programs online, just as you can in a traditional institution—in fact, many traditional campuses are making their MBA programs available online, such as California State University, Monterey Bay and George Washington University.
All of the online MBA programs listed on My MBA Career are accredited online MBAs. If you are ever in doubt about a school's accreditation status, the most direct route is to ask the school. You can also find lists of accredited schools and detailed accreditation information by visiting the websites of the national or regional accreditation organizations, or on the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
