WSCUC and AACSB Accreditation

Graziadio School Programs

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

The Graziadio School is accredited by the prestigious AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education. AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools.

To maintain accreditation, a business program must undergo a rigorous internal review in which the program demonstrates its continued commitment to the 9 quality standards relating to Strategic Management and Innovation, Learner Success, and Thought Leadership, Engagement, and Societal Impact.  

In addition to ensuring quality standards, AACSB accreditation also compels the Graziadio School to actively engage with our communities and networks and to continuously innovate in our programs so that we can achieve global distinction for developing values-centered leaders who positively impact business and society.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WSCUC)

Pepperdine University is committed to providing students with an outstanding education. As such, Pepperdine is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges—Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC),  one of six official academic bodies in the United States. WSCUC is a regional accrediting agency serving a diverse membership of public and private higher education institutions throughout California, Hawaii, and the Pacific as well as a limited number of institutions outside the U.S. Through its work of peer review, based on standards agreed to by the membership, the commission encourages continuous institutional improvement and assures the membership and its constituencies, including the public, that accredited institutions are fulfilling their missions in service to their students and the public good.

The WSCUC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid. Accreditation enables the University to show how it develops and utilizes indicators of institutional performance and educational effectiveness. Participation in accreditation also provides Pepperdine the opportunity to demonstrate its culture of evidence, where indicators of performance are regularly developed and data are collected to inform institutional planning, decision making, and engagement in student learning. 

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness manages the WSCUC processes for the University under the leadership of Assistant Provost, Seta Kharjarian, as the WSCUC Accreditation Liaison Officer.