UMass Lowell Joins Babson College as Only Schools in New England to be Endorsed
Image by Ed Brennen
04/11/2018
By Ed Brennen
The Manning School of Business’ accounting program has earned the endorsement of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), making UMass Lowell the first public school in New England — and just the second institution in the region — to receive the recognition.
Dedicated to advancing the management accountant profession, IMA is a global association of more than 100,000 accountants and financial professionals. It has over 300 professional and student chapters in more than 140 countries around the world.
IMA's Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, preparing students to enter into the profession of management accounting.
The Manning School’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in accounting programs both received endorsement by the IMA. Babson College is the only other institution in New England to be endorsed.
Accounting Department Chair Khondkar Karim, who submitted the school’s application, says the endorsement reflects the Manning School’s commitment to equipping students with the necessary professional skills for the job market.
“Manning accounting programs provide high-quality academic and applied education that is relevant to the profession,” Karim says. “We are honored to be recognized.”
Earlier this semester, the accounting program was accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
“Achieving ACCA certification and IMA endorsement are great examples of how we elevate and build the value of our degree programs,” says Manning School Dean Sandy Richtermeyer. “Thanks to Karim’s leadership and the support of faculty teaching in the content areas of accounting, finance, information systems and ethics, we are now in good company with other IMA-endorsed universities.”
More than 50 universities around the world are endorsed by the IMA, including Michigan State University, Temple University, Baylor University and Penn State University.
Richtermeyer has been an IMA member for nearly 25 years, serving as IMA’s Global Chair in 2010-11. Several Manning School students attended the IMA Global Student Leadership Conference the past two years, while many other students and faculty have joined the organization.
To qualify for IMA endorsement, schools must show that they “substantially cover” the content of the organization’s Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam, which assesses advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in four areas: financial planning, analysis, control and decision support.
“IMA is pleased to welcome UMass Lowell to the growing list of schools that support the CMA exam program and have achieved a consistent standard of excellence,” says Raef Lawson, IMA vice president of research. “High-quality, up-to-date educational programs that support the current needs of businesses will help future professional management accountants accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers.”