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University of Phoenix ACBSP business accreditation

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accredits the following programs offered by the College of Business and Information Technology or the College of Doctoral Studies.

  • Associate of Arts with a concentration in Business Fundamentals

  • Bachelor of Science in Accounting

  • Bachelor of Science in Business

  • Master of Business Administration

  • Master of Management

  • Doctor of Business Administration

  • Doctor of Management

For additional information, visit acbsp.org or call (913) 339-9356.

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

8101 College Blvd #100

Overland Park, KS 66210

ACBSP Accredited Program seal
This is a programmatic accreditation record that is separate from, and in addition to, the HLC institutional accreditation that covers the university as a whole. Both records should be checked when evaluating University of Phoenix business program credentials. Verifying only the institutional HLC record without checking ACBSP gives an incomplete picture for business-specific credential questions.

What ACBSP is and what it covers

ACBSP is a programmatic accreditor for business education at associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. It evaluates business programs against discipline-specific standards covering curriculum quality, faculty qualifications, student outcomes, and continuous improvement processes. ACBSP accreditation represents an additional layer of quality assurance specific to business education, beyond what institutional accreditation from HLC addresses. ACBSP is one of two widely recognized programmatic accreditors for business education; the other is AACSB International.

ACBSP’s standards emphasize teaching quality and student learning outcomes. The evaluation process examines program curriculum, faculty qualifications relevant to the subjects taught, student performance data, and the institution’s continuous improvement processes for its business programs. An ACBSP-accredited business program has been evaluated by peer reviewers from other business schools against these standards.

How to verify University of Phoenix ACBSP accreditation

ACBSP maintains an accredited programs directory at acbsp.org. Searching for University of Phoenix in this directory shows which business programs hold current ACBSP accreditation and the scope of the accreditation. University of Phoenix also discloses its ACBSP accreditation at phoenix.edu/about/accreditation.html. Both sources should be checked when verifying current accreditation status, because the accreditor’s own directory reflects current status most accurately and in real time.

ACBSP versus AACSB: understanding both

AACSB International is the other major programmatic accreditor for business education. AACSB is particularly associated with research-intensive business schools and programs with doctoral tracks. Its standards emphasize research faculty and scholarly output alongside teaching quality. ACBSP focuses primarily on teaching quality and learning outcomes at a broader range of institutions, including those serving undergraduate and working adult students.

Some employer tuition reimbursement plans, some graduate admissions policies, and some professional certification eligibility requirements specifically name AACSB rather than accepting ACBSP on equal terms. Students targeting specific graduate programs or employers that name AACSB as a requirement should confirm whether ACBSP satisfies that requirement before enrolling. Not all graduate business programs or employers make this distinction; many accept ACBSP on equal terms. Confirming with the specific evaluating party is the most reliable approach.

The scope and limits of ACBSP accreditation

The following University of Phoenix degree programs hold programmatic accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP):

Associate of Arts with a concentration in Business Fundamentals

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Bachelor of Science in Business

Master of Business Administration

Master of Management

Doctor of Business Administration

Doctor of Management

ACBSP accreditation applies only to these specific degree programs. Other business programs, information technology programs, business certificate programs and the Master of Business Administration/Master of Health Administration (MBA/MHA) dual degree are not ACBSP accredited. Students should verify the accreditation status of the specific program they are considering by consulting the University’s official Accreditation page.

For additional information, visit acbsp.org or call (913) 339-9356.

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

8101 College Blvd #100

Overland Park, KS 66210

ACBSP Accredited Program seal

When confirming ACBSP accreditation for a specific University of Phoenix business program, search the ACBSP directory at acbsp.org by program title and verify that it appears under University of Phoenix. .

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