With international accreditation, SDSU business programs earn seal of approval

This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota State University.

The Ness School of Management and Economics at South Dakota State University has joined the fewer than 6 percent of the world’s business schools that are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.

In February, SDSU earned business accreditation from AACSB International for the Ness School, now one of 1,044 institutions across 67 countries and territories to hold the prestigious distinction.

AACSB International, established in 1916, is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators and businesses worldwide.

“This accreditation is a significant milestone for South Dakota State University and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” said Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

“The Ness School of Management and Economics offers students and faculty unique opportunities in business-related industries. AACSB accreditation reflects a commitment to excellence in business education at SDSU and reinforces the quality of our programs.”

Association accreditation recognizes institutions “that have demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curriculum development and student learning,” said Stephanie Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB.

“We congratulate South Dakota State University and its Ness School of Management and Economics on earning accreditation and applaud the entire team — including the administration, faculty, staff and students — for their roles in earning this respected honor.”

The foundation for accreditation has been laid over several years, said Joe Santos, who directs the Ness School.

“AACSB accreditation signals to our students and stakeholders that the Ness School is meeting the highest standards in business education and preparing the next generation of leaders at SDSU to succeed in today’s dynamic business environment,” Santos said. “The achievement highlights our dedication to continuous improvement and underscores our commitment to the land-grant mission of providing access to higher education and creating benefits that impact our communities and society as a whole.”

In the final stage of the initial accreditation process, an AACSB peer-review team of deans from accredited institutions visited campus in October 2024 to ensure that SDSU, through its Ness School, met performance measures around nine standards required for accreditation:

• Strategic planning
• Physical, virtual and financial resources
• Faculty and professional staff resources
• Curriculum
• Assurance of learning
• Learner progression
• Teaching effectiveness and impact
• Impact of scholarship
• Engagement and societal impact

In February, the AACSB initial accreditation committee and the association’s board of directors voted separately to accept the peer-review team’s recommendation to accredit the Ness School. “Working through the initial-accreditation process made us better,” Santos said.

SDSU’s commitment to earning accreditation “is a true reflection of its dedication — not only to its students, alumni network and greater business community, but to the higher education industry as a whole,” Bryant said. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s business leaders, and the addition of South Dakota State University to the network of AACSB-accredited business schools will have a lasting positive impact for the institution, both locally and globally.”

Santos expects AACSB accreditation to reinforce the school’s well-established pattern of recruiting and retaining top-tier faculty, professional staff and students. Moreover, “graduating from an AACSB-accredited Ness School will more efficiently communicate to potential employers a well-established fact: Ness School students are highly trained, analytical, lifelong learners prepared to exceed expectations and positively impact society while doing so,” Santos said.

The school embodies an intellectual philosophy that economics and quantitative analysis are foundational to thriving in and critically assessing a modern global economy.

“Our vision is to advance decision-making informed by business and economic analysis,” Santos said.

“As such, we approach business curricula from an analytical perspective informed in part by mathematics, statistics and economic theory. Students complete courses in calculus, statistics, accounting, economics, operations research, finance, law and strategic management, for example. The coursework is rigorous and rightly so. Not surprisingly, employers and internship supervisors consistently report that Ness School students set themselves apart in the labor market.”

The Ness School includes approximately 35 full-time faculty members, a team of professional academic advisers and critical support staff. Consistent with its land-grant mission, the school, a principal source for business and economics intelligence in the region, executes its vision through teaching, research and outreach.

To learn more about the Ness School of Management and Economics, click here.