The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) announced the six-year extension of ACU’s business accreditation for Abilene Christian University’s College of Business Administration (COBA), which has been continuously accredited by the organization since 2004.

The mission of AACSB is to elevate the quality and impact of business schools globally, accrediting more than 1,000 business schools worldwide and almost 50 in Texas. 

“AACSB congratulates each institution on achieving AACSB accreditation,” said Stephanie Bryant, executive vice president and global chief accreditation officer at AACSB. “The commitment to earning accreditation is a true reflection of each school’s dedication — not only to its students, alumni network and greater business community — but to society as a whole.”

The extension of ACU’s business accreditation reflects COBA’s long-standing commitment to quality residential business programs, including substantial recent updates to the Bachelor of Business Administration majors. It also affirms COBA’s partnership with ACU Dallas to deliver high-quality online business programs for adult learners, including business management and marketing programs that were reviewed for the first time. Other featured accomplishments in this review period include a $9 million renovation to the Mabee Business Building and a $50 million increase in college endowments led by a $29 million Dukes estate gift.

As part of the accreditation extension process, AACSB sends deans from comparable accredited business schools to review the institution’s business programs, and the peer review team evaluates the school’s continuous improvement activities in support of the school’s unique mission. 

“ACU’s College of Business Administration is striving to be among the top 10 business schools in Texas and top five nationally in Christian higher education,” said Dr. Brad Crisp, dean of the College of Business Administration at ACU. “AACSB accreditation is both a process and a metric that shows we are moving in this direction.”

The College of Business Administration includes the Department of Accounting, Department of Management Sciences, Dukes School of Finance, the School of Information Technology and Computing, as well as the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy and the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership. COBA’s mission is to educate business and technology professionals for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

— July 8, 2024