Northwestern College business department earns reaccreditation

The Northwestern College business department has been formally granted reaccreditation by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

In order to receive accreditation, the business department was required to complete a rigorous self-study, undergo a comprehensive peer review via on-site evaluation, and demonstrate compliance with the following accreditation principles of the IACBE: outcomes assessment, strategic planning, curriculum, faculty, scholarly and professional activities, resources, internal and external relationships, international business education, and educational innovation.

In addition, the department demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and advancing academic quality in its business programs and operations.

“We are very pleased to receive this recognition,” says Dr. Eric Elder, chairperson of the business department. “Accreditation helps confirm the high quality of our department for prospective students and prospective employers.”

Northwestern’s business department is comprised of six full-time faculty members and four adjunct faculty. The department offers majors in accounting, business administration (with concentrations in agri-business, finance, international business, management and marketing), business education and economics. During the 2015–16 academic year, 225 students (17.6 percent of the entire student body population) majored in at least one of the department’s programs.

The IACBE is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education as the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation in business and management education for student-centered colleges and universities throughout the world. Accreditation by the IACBE ensures the programs are sufficiently strong to be considered as high-quality, and that the department is functioning effectively by producing excellent student learning outcomes.

The business department first earned IACBE accreditation in 2006. The next on-site reaccreditation visit is scheduled for 2026.