Department of Business Receives IACBE Re-Accreditation

Pacific Union College business and economics students returned in September to find their department newly recognized as a dedicated provider of scholastic excellence. The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) Board of Commissioners reaffirmed the accreditation of the business programs offered by Pacific Union College in April 2013. The department of business and economics, which has been accredited by the IACBE since 2002, will maintain its member status through its next review in 2018.

The mission of the IACBE is to recognize and promote excellence in business education, and the organization sets high standards for reaffirmation of accreditation. To achieve reaffirmation, the PUC department of business and economics underwent a thorough test of quality and dedication: self-evaluation, a peer review process, and a demonstration of compliance with the IACBE accreditation principles. In its report, the IACBE noted the department’s commitment to improvement, education excellence, and the continuing advancement of academic quality.

“Before selecting a college, every business student should check the accreditation status of the school’s business program,” says Rodney Hardcastle, chair of the PUC department of business administration and economics. “Accreditation by a reputable agency helps to ensure that the school’s business majors will be receiving a first rate education as the result of a quality curriculum taught by qualified faculty. The IACBE requires its members to go through a very rigorous process to receive its accreditation, which assures PUC students that they will receive a quality business education.”

The Pacific Union College department of business and economics is the only IACBE accredited business program among the Adventist institutions of higher education in the West. The department emphasizes involvement in the local community by supporting philanthropic, for-profit, and non-profit organizations and service-learning projects. Bachelors of business administration graduates take a professional degree with an emphasis in accounting, finance, international business, information systems, management, or marketing.