March 25 was a proud day for the Faculty of Business Administration as CMA Canada officially recognized the accreditation of Memorial University’s bachelor of commerce in accounting.

Students, faculty, staff and local CMAs filled the RBC Atrium in the Faculty of Business to celebrate the accomplishment. Steve Vieweg, president and CEO of CMA Canada, was on hand to present the accreditation certificate to Memorial University. He confirmed that Memorial is the first university in Atlantic Canada to be accredited by CMA Canada.

This accreditation will allow Memorial students with a minimum GPA of 75 per cent in the B.Comm. (accounting) program to pursue their CMA designation without writing the CMA Entrance Exam. This select group of students will enter directly into the Strategic Leadership Program, the final step in acquiring the prestigious CMA designation.

“The success of Memorial University’s B.Comm. program in meeting the demanding accreditation requirements set out by CMA Canada is a testament to the quality of the Faculty of Business Administration,” Mr. Vieweg said. “The program offers innovative approaches to course design and delivery, supported by outstanding faculty resources, effective evaluation of student performance and a commitment to continuing quality education.”

Dr. Gary Gorman, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, said that the CMA accreditation is an important signal to students and the business community about the quality of programming in the Faculty of Business.

“The accreditation of our B.Comm. (accounting) program is a significant external validation to our faculty,” he said. “Most importantly, this accreditation makes it easier for our students to pursue their CMA designation. Many of our graduates have earned their CMA designation and I am confident that this accreditation will encourage even more of our students to become CMAs.”

In his remarks, Dr. Gorman also alluded to future collaborations with the Society of Management Accountants. “Stay tuned,” he promised. “We are working together on exciting new projects and hopefully we’ll be able to announce them soon.”

The CMA accreditation is in place until 2012.