The University of Lethbridge's Bachelor of Management (Accounting) Program has been given the stamp of approval from the Canadian Management Accountants Society. And while CMA accreditation indicates a certain level of quality, it also grants students a fast track opportunity to hit the ground running after graduation.

"To pass CMA Canada's rigorous requirements speaks highly of the quality of our program, faculty and students," says Dr. Murray Lindsay, FCMA, Dean of the Faculty of Management. "Our students clearly benefit from our program's accreditation. Having more people trained in strategic management accounting also benefits the business community."

Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Management (Accounting) Program with a minimum grade point average of 75 per cent are exempt from writing the CMA Entrance Examination.

This select group of students will enter directly into the Strategic Leadership Program, the final step required to obtain the CMA designation.

"The accreditation relationship between academic institutions and CMA Canada is based on a co-operative process that provides an opportunity to meet the expectations of all stakeholders: students, employers, the management accounting profession and the government," says David Shaw, CMA, President and Chief Executive Officer of CMA Alberta.

"In addition, the CMA accreditation program enhances the stature and recognition of academic institutions, thus making them attractive to students with many competitive choices."

The CMA accreditation is for a five-year period. Thomas emphasized that CMA Canada accreditation of programs at leading academic institutions sets the standard for quality education in business and accounting in Canada.

"The University of Lethbridge exemplifies this standard and is to be commended for the outstanding quality of its instruction and its graduates," Thomas says.