April 17, 2020

The Charles D. Close School is delighted to announce its new AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation.

“This is truly a monumental accomplishment as The Charles D. Close School is the nation's first independent school of entrepreneurship to offer degrees and is now accredited by AACSB under its university wide scope of accreditation” said Donna De Carolis, founding Dean of the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship. “The AACSB is the golden standard for business colleges and universities.”

“The Close School is proud to deliver students the highest level of quality education. Here, we believe that entrepreneurship is not just a technical process of launching new companies. Rather, it is a set of personal and professional skills that foster the pursuit of innovation in business, personal and career contexts.”

“Obtaining our accreditation proves our commitment to entrepreneurial engagement, innovation, and impact - the three areas the AACSB judges most rigorously,” Dean De Carolis said. Only about five percent of business colleges and universities worldwide earn AACSB accreditation.

Today’s employers are looking for graduates who will perform, starting on their first day on the job. Only the best universities in the world are qualified to earn AACSB Accreditation, and the programs and curriculum offered by these schools ensure that graduates are not only knowledgeable in the foundations of business but that they also are collaborative, effective leaders ready to make an impact.

“The Charles D. Close School students are introduced to innovative programs such as the Entrepreneurship Coop – in which students receive a salary to run their own business - and the Launch It! Course in which students are provided with cash to start their businesses. Furthermore, our students participate in our quarterly “Proving Ground” events in which students, faculty, and alumni are able to test their product, receive feedback and look for teammates and mentors. This experiential learning track helps prepare students for our rigorous entrepreneurial competitions and future employment/endeavors”.

The reason accreditation is so valuable for Drexel students is because the AACSB requires its colleges to be constantly innovating and improving. The accreditation requires its schools to not only provide quality education but to continuously innovate and impact change in their communities. Drexel University’s students Alumni and community benefit from these ever-higher standards.