Accreditation & State Authorization

Top 6% of the World's Business Schools

AACSB International is the world's largest network and global standard-setting body for business education. Our accreditation is recognized worldwide as the highest standard of quality, with only 6 percent of the world’s leading business schools achieving AACSB accreditation and displaying the prestigious seal. AACSB-accredited schools are trailblazers in teaching, research, and societal impact.

Quality

The AACSB seal is your assurance of a high quality education. The AACSB periodically reviews accredited schools to assess faculty qualifications, currency of faculty research, program objectives, process of assessing student learning, and the strategic direction of the college. AACSB-accredited schools report they have higher student retention and graduation rates, faculty that have higher levels of performance, and graduates with overall better GPAs.

Rigor

AACSB-accredited schools are committed to delivering the best business education and preparing their graduates to excel from day one of their careers. AACSB accreditation means students will receive relevant knowledge, useful skills, access to employers, challenging courses, and a wealth of resources to help them succeed. While our program is rigorous, our small class sizes allow faculty members to get to know students and provide the kind of interaction that helps students succeed.

Relevance

Preparing for a career in business requires attending a business school with engaged faculty, impactful research, relevant and challenging curricula, and the highest standards of quality. AACSB accreditation ultimately improves the quality of our business programs and provides a platform for managing the school, tracking progress, and identifying areas for continuous improvement. Our faculty have high academic credentials and constantly monitor the state of the industry through research, consulting and collaboration. 

Professional Licensure Disclosures (NC-SARA)

Students in the Master of Science in Accounting program will be a part of a diverse community of financial professionals who are ready to advance their careers in accounting. Many are motivated by the goal of passing the CPA exam. The Uniform CPA Exam is required by all fifty states as well as five U.S. territories for anyone wishing to become a U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA). UCCS offers degree programs that meet the educational requirements for professional licensure in the State of Colorado and may allow graduates to be eligible for licensure in other states, subject to each state’s specific requirements.

Effective July 1, 2020, new USDOE regulations, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) and 34 CFR 668.43 (c) require disclosures by institutions regarding educational requirements for programs leading to professional licensure or certification, regardless of modality. 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) requires an institution to disclose whether programs leading to professional licensure or certification meet each state's educational requirements. See the lists below to get a general idea of how well training at UCCS fits with the educational requirements of each state.

Colorado is currently considered a Substantially Equivalent jurisdiction. The concept of Substantial Equivalency was developed to allow licensed CPAs to practice across jurisdictions more readily, meaning a CPA with a CPA license in good standing from a jurisdiction with CPA licensing requirements may be granted a privilege to practice in another jurisdiction that is not the CPA’s principal place of business.  Due to the changing nature of the education requirements, it is recommended that students review these requirements regularly. Students should understand the requirements for sitting for the CPA examination and for CPA licensure.  More information about these state requirements is available at the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy website: www.nasba.org.