FIT awarded accreditation of its business programs

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
May 24, 2018

THe Fashion Institute of Technology's programs specializing in industry-relevant marketing and business have received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The programs receiving accreditation are offered by FIT's Baker School of Business and Technology. The specific programs cover 7 different specializations, including Advertising and Marketing Communications, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing, Fashion Business Management, Home Products Development, International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries, Production Management: Fashion and Related Industries, and Textile Development and Marketing.

"The accreditation of these programs recognizes the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology's ability to provide its students with the most current knowledge and skills for the global marketplace and to serve its external industry partners," said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT in a statement.

FIT was the first school in the US to offer a program in Fashion Business Management. The Baker school is the largest school within FIT, accounting for 55% of total enrollments at FIT. There were 4,500 students enrolled at Baker in fall 2017.

Brown explained that accreditation will help FIT recruit and develop high quality faculty and ensure its continued improvement. ACBSP only offers accreditation to 50% of the schools that apply and accreditation is a guarantee that the education on offer at a given institution meets a certain academic standard.

Notable Baker alumni include BareMinerals founder Leslie Blodgett, Nike senior materials developer Bridget Foley, and Essie founder Essie Weingarten.

Steven Frumkin, dean of the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology said in a statement that the accreditation shows FIT is committed "to continuous improvement that ensures [its] business programs will give students the skills employers want."

FIT's ACBSP certification will be celebrated when the institution receives an official Certificate of Accreditation at the ACBSP Conference 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 10.