September 26, 2013

ABET accreditation team to visit College of Engineering

An 11-member accreditation team from Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) will visit campus Sunday, Sept. 29, through Tuesday, Oct. 1. Six degree programs in the College of Engineering are going up for reaccreditation and two programs are applying for initial accreditation. The programs going up for reaccreditation are aerospace, computer, electrical, industrial, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. Bioengineering, a new program, and computer science are applying for initial ABET accreditation. During the visit, team members will meet with program faculty and students, administration, and supporting departments and offices.

ABET accreditation is important to validate the quality of the degree programs, and is an assurance that program graduates have a solid educational foundation and are capable of leading the way in innovation, emerging technologies, and in anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.

Students who graduate from accredited programs have access to enhanced opportunities in employment; licensure, registration and certification; graduate education and global mobility.

ABET criteria for accreditation include sufficient student advising and monitoring; program objectives that meet the needs of constituents; student outcomes that assure graduates are able to succeed in the profession; a curriculum that devotes adequate attention to general education, math and science; a process for continuous improvement; and faculty, facilities and resources that assure a quality program.