Business co-op program renews national accreditation

By Susan White | Sept. 2, 2014

Memorial’s co-operative commerce program has successfully renewed its accreditation with a national certifying body.

The accreditation was granted by the Accreditation Council of the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) for the bachelor of commerce (co-op) degree, offered at the Faculty of Business Administration, and is valid for six years.

“I think it adds legitimacy to the program in that we know that certain standards are being achieved … and it gives us some credibility among other universities, too,” said Leroy Murphy, co-operative education co-ordinator at the business faculty.

The co-operative commerce program was first accredited in 1980 and was the first business degree in Canada to earn this distinction. It was also the first business degree in Canada to include a mandatory co-operative component as part of its curriculum.

Mr. Murphy says the accreditation review team, which included representatives from Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University and the University of Manitoba, were impressed by the overall quality of Memorial’s program, particularly its 100 per cent placement rate for students in work terms.

About 130 students are successfully placed in work terms each semester.

Mr. Murphy attributes this success to the relationships that have been built over the years with businesses and employers in the community.

“We’ve been here for a long time. I think we have good relationships with a lot of employers and many of them come back year after year, semester after semester. And we have co-op students now who are out in their careers and call us up looking for students,” he said. “We have a good reputation too because the students generally are really good. Nearly every employer tells us they are happy with their student.”

Dr. Wilfred Zerbe, dean of the business faculty, says that the co-op program’s accreditation renewal is indicative of the high standard of excellence maintained by all of the business faculty’s programs.

“Our co-operative commerce degree has been one of our flagship programs since its inception and we are committed to continually improving its quality for the benefit of our students and the employers who participate in the co-op program,” he says.

“All of our programs are also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, so this is one more indication that we are offering a top quality education that puts us among the best business schools in the world.”


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