Kent State University’s accounting
program has earned endorsement by IMA.
The endorsement recognizes programs
that meet high educational standards,
enabling students to pursue and earn the
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
credential.

Kent State University’s College of Business Administration is proud to announce that its accounting program has earned endorsement by IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession.

IMA’s Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, enabling students to pursue and earn the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential.

“Endorsement by IMA is a great achievement that will help our undergraduate accounting students better prepare for a rewarding career in management accounting,” says Deborah F. Spake, dean of Kent State’s College of Business Administration. “This is a testament to the quality of our faculty and the curriculum that will benefit the careers of our students and ultimately their future employers.”

To qualify for endorsement by IMA, schools must meet the following criteria:

• The program must substantially cover the CMA exam content.
• The program must have adequate faculty resources to deliver this content.
• The program must be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization (e.g., AACSB, ACBSP, EQUIS, etc.)
• A faculty member must be designated as an IMA Campus Advocate.
  

“The IMA Endorsement of our BBA program highlights the strength of our curriculum in management accounting,” says Wendy Tietz, accounting professor at Kent State and designated IMA campus advocate for the College of Business Administration. “Our curriculum aligns strongly with the content of the Certified Management Accountant exam, which, for a student choosing a career in managerial accounting, is a great credential.”

The program offers two tiers of endorsement: full endorsement for those university programs that meet all endorsement criteria; and provisional endorsement for programs with minor to moderate shortcomings in meeting the criteria for full endorsement. Kent State’s College of Business Administration was awarded full endorsement.

“It is an honor to be one of the only 23 accounting programs worldwide to receive IMA’s full endorsement,” says Linda Zucca, Ph.D., CPA, chair of Kent State’s Department of Accounting in the College of Business Administration. “This is evidence of Kent State University’s commitment to top-notch accounting education, which aligns with the initiatives by IMA to support young accountants in the classroom and the workplace.”

IMA’s globally recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in four areas: financial planning, analysis, control and decision support – each of which is increasingly critical in meeting the changing needs of business, and therefore, essential learning for students of accounting and finance.

“IMA is pleased to welcome Kent State’s College of Business Administration to the growing list of colleges that support the CMA exam program and have achieved a consistent standard of excellence,” says Raef Lawson, Ph.D., CMA, CPA, CFP, CFA, IMA vice president of research and professor-in-residence. “High-quality, up-to-date educational programs that support the current needs of business will help future professional management accountants accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers.”

For more information about the IMA Endorsement of Higher Education program, visit www.imanet.org/educator_resources/index.aspx.

For more information about the Kent State’s Department of Accounting in the College of Business Administration, visit http://business.kent.edu/departments/accounting.