USD Beacom School of Business Marks 76 Years of AACSB Accreditation
The University of South Dakota’s Beacom School of Business has successfully completed their reaccreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This milestone marks 76 years of continuous accreditation for South Dakota’s flagship business school.
AACSB accreditation is recognized as the gold standard for business schools, ensuring institutions deliver a challenging and relevant education that prepares students for success in the business world. Only about 6% of business schools globally earn this distinction.
The Beacom School of Business was recognized for its achievements over the past five years in several key areas, including:
- Societal Impact: The curriculum reaffirms the business school’s mission by preparing students for professional success through a focus on essential skills, ethical decision-making and societal impact. Research at the Beacom School of Business centers on sustainable business practices, leadership and social responsibility, contributing to economic growth both locally and globally. Engagement activities connect classroom learning with real-world applications through a variety of outreach and research initiatives. Outreach centers such as the Small Business Development Center and Prairie Family Business Association and programs like Coyote Business Consulting offer students hands-on opportunities to apply their knowledge — fostering innovation and problem-solving while also helping South Dakota businesses flourish.
- Assurance of Learning: Over the past five years, the Beacom School of Business has evolved its assurance of learning processes to better support student success. New assessment strategies have been implemented, specifically by realigning standing committees’ roles dedicated to assessment, streamlined data collection and improved accessibility of assessment exams at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Faculty Mentoring and Support: The Beacom School of Business places a strong emphasis on faculty development to ensure continued excellence in teaching, research and service. New faculty are intentionally supported and mentored from the beginning, fostering successful integration, knowledge transfer and long-term success within the institution. The school promotes a culture of continuous improvement and encourages faculty to engage in professional development opportunities that enhance their teaching effectiveness and research productivity. The Beacom School of Business’ established evaluation processes are strategically aligned with its priorities to strengthen faculty-student engagement. These efforts are reflected in faculty-led initiatives such as Coyote Business Consulting projects and student groups that have earned recognition in regional and national competitions. Faculty members are deeply committed to providing high-quality learning experiences and maintaining strong connections with students both inside and outside the classroom.
“A business school with AACSB accreditation has shown that it meets the highest standards for providing quality education to its students,” said Klaus Beckmann, Ph.D., interim dean of the Beacom School of Business. “Our faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to make tremendous advancements in developing programs that ensure a high degree of societal impact and support our students in becoming successful future leaders. The AACSB Peer Review Team praised the school’s efforts in assurance of student learning, faculty mentoring and support, and the development of programs that positively impact the state and our communities.”
This reaccreditation reflects the business school’s continued commitment to excellence in business education and its growing impact on students, communities and the profession. In addition to maintaining continuous AACSB accreditation since 1949, the Beacom School of Business has also earned national recognition from The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.
“The USD Beacom School of Business has a legacy of providing a quality business education and responding to the needs of our state,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “We are proud to continue this tradition of building South Dakota’s workforce and preparing the business leaders of tomorrow.”
