The Association to Advance Collegiate Business Schools (AACSB) has renewed dual accreditation of UNLV’s Lee Business School and its department of accounting. The school has maintained dual accreditation from AACSB since 1991 and is one of only 189 business schools worldwide – or just 5 percent - that have earned AACSB accreditation in both accounting and business.

AACSB accreditation ensures a school is providing students a challenging, relevant education that prepares them for the business world. To earn and sustain accreditation, an institution must align with a set of 15 standards that focus on mission and strategic management; support for students, faculty, and staff; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement of students and faculty.

“AACSB accreditation is validation that our students are learning skills, knowledge, and experience that employers are looking for from our graduates; it’s also a testament to how the Lee Business School has contributed to the local and state-wide business community,” said Brent Hathaway, dean of the Lee Business School. “This is a credit to our hardworking faculty and staff who are dedicated to providing the best business education for our students.”

During the review process, AACSB commended the business school for increased internships and post-graduation employment; high-quality teaching, research, and service; faculty, staff, student, alumni, and employer satisfaction; and for its engagement with the Las Vegas business community and other UNLV units.The committee also recommended a new building in order to attract students and ensure they have a quality learning experience.

Many programs within the Lee Business School highlight its focus on ehancing the student experience, including:

• A Career and Professional Development office that is connected to more than 200 businesses locally and actively engages with students through internships, job fairs, and interview prep.
• The Global Entrepreneurship Experience, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The four-year experiential-based program features design thinking, business planning, interaction with industry leaders, and travel abroad.
• A Medallion program that rewards students for academic performance, internships and volunteer work, and for getting involved on campus and participating in school events.
• The Nevada Global Business Program, a partnership with UNR. The international study program includes courses on international business, management, leadership, and humanities through a combination of online instruction, lectures, and tours in destinations like Singapore, Sydney, New York City, and London.

AACSB accreditation gives students a competitive edge – they get a rigorous, relevant education that prepares them for successful careers. And it ensures them more opportunities, as many major companies report that they recruit exclusively at AACSB-accredited institutions for interns and employees. Earning an undergraduate degree from an AACSB-accredited institution also provides students with an advantage when applying for graduate programs.

To achieve accounting accreditation, an institution must first earn AACSB business accreditation. Then, in addition to developing and implementing a mission-driven plan to satisfy the business accreditation quality standards, accounting accreditation requires the satisfaction of a supplemental set of standards specific to the discipline and profession of accounting. Once accreditation is achieved, each institution participates in a five-year continuous improvement peer-review to maintain high quality and extend its accreditation.

About the Lee Business School

Established in 1967 as the College of Business, the Lee Business School is one of the largest schools at UNLV with approximately 3,500 undergraduate students, 500 graduate students, and 100 faculty and staff and offers the only accredited business program in Southern Nevada. The school offers ten undergraduate majors, 14 minors and seven graduate degrees, including the MBA and Executive MBA programs. In addition to its scholastic endeavors, Lee Business School is home to three centers that bring together faculty and students with business and industry. These include the Troesh Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), and Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies. With more than 20,000 graduates, the Lee Business School Alumni Chapter is one of the largest alumni chapters on campus.