The Michael F. Price College of Business and the John T. Steed School of Accounting at the University of Oklahoma have maintained their business and accounting accreditation for another five years by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
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. Since 1926, OU’s business college and its programs have maintained accreditation.
“I am thrilled to receive the news that, once again, the Price College of Business and the Steed School of Accounting have been recommended for a five-year extension of accreditation,” said Wayne Thomas, interim dean, W.K. Newton Chair of Accounting and George Lynn Cross Research Professor at Price College. “Since our last re-accreditation five years ago, we have made some of the most significant strides of any university in the country in terms of program offerings, student and faculty growth, and national rankings. I am grateful to work alongside such talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and I am deeply grateful for the support of our alumni, board of advisors, and other key stakeholders that was necessary to make this happen.”
According to a report provided by AACSB auditors, the Price College of Business “has a very distinctive strategic plan that has focused attention on key industries, including aerospace and defense, energy, entrepreneurship and economic development, globalization and health, creating value added research and preparing leaders through innovative curricular and co-curricular activities. There has been a great deal of innovation especially in providing degree programs with an industry focus and on adding value to students through professional development opportunities managed by the Center for Student Success, such as the Price College Service Day, Price Passport, JCPenney Leadership Program, Study Abroad.”
Over the past year, the College has seen significant rankings increases. In the 2020 U.S. News and World Report Best Online Programs rankings, the Price College of Business jumped 15 spots to No. 55 in the nation for its online master’s business program (non-MBA) after debuting in 2019.
In late December, Poets&Quants announced another double-digit jump for Price College in its Best of 2020 ranking, to No. 57, up nearly 20 spots from last year. In September, the College announced a historic jump in rankings for its undergraduate programs by U.S. News and World Report.
In its 2020 Best Colleges Rankings, the College’s undergraduate business program is ranked 50th in the nation, up 12 spots from last year. The full-time MBA program, housed at the Gene Rainbolt Graduate School of Business in Oklahoma City, jumped 15 spots from last year to 64th in the nation in Bloomberg Businessweek’s ranking of the 2019-20 best MBA programs.
Additional information about AACSB International accreditation is available online at aacsb.edu/accreditation.
The Michael F. Price College of Business has experienced significant growth over the past five years in the number of faculty, staff and students and has become OU’s second-largest college, with more than 4,900 students. The College offers undergraduate, master’s, executive and doctoral programs across six academic divisions in Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, Finance, Management and International Business, Management Information Systems, and Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
