Assessing Student Learning: Are Business Schools Making the Grade?

In April 2003, some standards regarding accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International changed. Under the 2003 standards, students had to demonstrate learning achievement; thus, the focus shifted from what teachers taught to what students learned. Survey data indicates that although progress has been made in meeting the new assurance of learning (AoL) standards, many schools still fall short. In particular, schools are lagging in master of business administration (MBA) assessment and in using assessment data to close the loop. In this article, the author draws on recent survey data to describe the current state of assessment practice in business schools. She provides examples on how assessment results can be used to improve curricula. She also provides insight to problems some schools have in meeting the AoL standards.