What is ABET Accreditation and Why Should I Care?

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What is ABET Accreditation and Why Should I Care?

• W. J. Wilson
• Dept of Engineering and PhysicsUniversity of
  Central Oklahoma
• Edmond, OK 73034 USA
• Website www.physics.uco.edu/wwilson
• Email wwilson_at_uco.edu

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ABET REVIEW (FALL 2007)

• The Engineering Physics and Biomedical
  Engineering Programs were reviewed by ABET during
  Fall 2007 and received accreditation for 6 years.
  

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UCOs ABET Accredited Programs

• Accredited under Engineering Physics Program
  Criteria
• Engineering Physics Physics
• Engineering Physics Mechanical Systems
• Engineering Physics Electrical Systems

• Accredited under Biomedical Engineering Criteria
• Biomedical Engineering
• Instrumentation Option
• Premedical Option

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ABET Accreditation

• The UCO Department of Engineering and Physics has
  two programs that have been accredited by ABET
  Engineering Physics and Biomedical Engineering.
• Once every six (6) years, ABET sends a team of
  evaluators and observers led by a Team Chair, to
  UCO to evaluate the programs for which UCO
  applies for accreditation.
• In Fall 2007, the engineering programs at UCO
  were reviewed by ABET and accredited for the
  first time in Engineering Physics and Biomedical
  The next accreditation visit is scheduled for
  2013-2014
• During the visit, the evaluators and observers
  for the Engineering Physics and Biomedical
  Engineering programs met with faculty and
  students, toured teaching laboratories, visited
  classes, and reviewed course materials and
  assessment data that the faculty had prepared for
  the visitors to show how the Department helps
  students acquire specific outcomes to achieve the
  respective program objectives, and how the
  Department assesses the achievement of the
  respective program outcomes and objectives.
• Program outcomes are abilities that students
  should possess by the time they graduate.
• Program objectives are what graduates are
  expected to have achieved within a few years
  (say, five years) after graduation.

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Importance of Accreditation

• In the United States, accreditation is used to
  assure quality in educational institutions and
  programs. Accreditation is a voluntary,
  non-governmental process of peer review. It
  requires an educational institution or program to
  meet certain defined standards or criteria.
  Accreditation is sometimes confused with
  certification. In general, institutions and
  programs are accredited, and individuals are
  certified.
• The Accreditation Board for Engineering and
  Technology (ABET) is a professional accrediting
  organization that accredits programs, not
  institutions.
• Accreditation serves to notify
• parents and prospective students that a program
  has met professional standards
• faculty, deans and administrators of a programs
  strengths and weaknesses and of ways to improve
  the program
• employers that graduates are prepared to begin
  professional practice
• taxpayers that their funds are spent well and
• the public that graduates are aware of public
  health and safety considerations.
• State licensing boards and certification programs
  may require graduation from an ABET-accredited
  program as the first step in the registration or
  certification process for professional practice.
  In some instances, ABET accreditation may permit
  students to receive federal funds in the form of
  scholarships, loans and grants.
• Source www.abet.org

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Why do I care about ABET accreditation?

• ABET audits engineering programs on a regular
  basis to assure that the program maintains high
  standards.
• In many states, having an engineering degree from
  an ABET-accredited engineering program is
  required to become a registered professional
  engineer.
• For some jobs and companies, having an
  engineering degree from an ABET-accredited
  engineering program is required just to be
  considered for employment.

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Why is ABET accreditation important?

• The accreditation criteria help to define what
  your degree should provide you
• The accreditation criteria help to define what
  you may market yourself as.
• The accreditation process helps your department
  to continually analyze and improve its courses
  and curriculum
• The accreditation process requires that your
  voice be heard in evaluating the program
• To apply for a position, most companies require
  graduation from an ABET accredited program

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What is ABET ?

• Accreditation Board for Engineering and
  Technology
• Organization responsible for monitoring,
  evaluating, and certifying the quality of
  engineering, engineering technology, computing,
  and applied science education in the United
  States.
• A federation of 31 professional and technical
  societies representing over 1.8 million
  practicing professionals these fields

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Member Societies (These are the lead
organizations) ASEE American Society of
Engineering Educations (General Engineering,
Engineering Physics) ASME American Society of
Mechanical Engineering (Mechanical
Engineering) IEEE Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering (Electrical and Computer
Engineering) BMES Biomedical Engineering
Society (Biomedical Engineering)
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ABET ORGANIZATION
EAC Engineering Accreditation Commission 1787
programs at 364 schools
TAC Technology Accreditation Commission 670
programs at 226 schools
ASAC Applied Science Accreditation
Commission 71 programs at 54 schools
CAC Computing Accreditation Commission 261
programs at 220 schools
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Objectives of Accreditation

• Assure that graduates of an accredited program
  are adequately prepared to enter and continue the
  practice of the engineering profession.
• Stimulate the improvement of engineering
  education.
• Encourage new and innovative approaches to
  engineering education and its assessment.
• Identify accredited programs to the public.

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ABET PHILOSOPHY

• Each Institution and Program define their own
  mission and objectives to meet the needs of their
  constituents.
• Emphasizes outcomes that prepare graduates from
  the program for entry into professional practice.
• Programs must demonstrate how their criteria and
  educational objectives are being met.
• Programs must design processes leading to
  continuous program improvement.
• Programmatic diversity is a strength of
  engineering education for the U.S.
• ABET accredits programs It does not certify
  individuals.

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Current EAC Criteria

1. Students
2. Program Educational Objectives
3. Program Outcomes and Assessment
4. Professional Component
5. Faculty
6. Facilities
7. Institutional Support
8. Program Criteria

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Criterion 1 - Students

• Institutions must evaluate, advise, and monitor
  students.
• Institutions must have policies for acceptance of
  transfer students and validation of transfer
  courses.
• Institutions must have procedures to assure all
  students meet all program requirements prior to
  graduation

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Criteria 2 Program Educational Objectives

• Each program must have
• Detailed published educational objectives
• Process based on needs of constituencies in which
  objectives are determined and periodically
  evaluated
• A curriculum and process that assure achievement
  of the objectives
• A system of on-going evaluation that demonstrates
  achievement of the objectives
• Use evaluation results to improve the
  effectiveness of the program

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Criterion 3 Program Outcomes

• Programs must demonstrate their graduates have
  outcomes a to k
• Programs must have an assessment process with
  documented results
• Evidence that the outcomes are being measured
• Evidence that the results of the assessment
  process are applied to the further development
  and improvement of the program

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Criterion 4 Professional Component

• Prepare students for professional practice
  through curriculum culminating in a major design
  experience
• Base on knowledge/skills from earlier work
• Incorporating engineering standards and multiple
  realistic constraints
• Two semesters (32 hours) of math and basic
  sciences
• Three semesters (48 hours) of engineering topics
• General education component

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Criterion 5 - Faculty

• Sufficient number and competency to cover all
  curriculum
• Sufficient in number to accommodate adequate
  levels of student-faculty interaction, advising
  and counseling, service, professional
  development, and interactions with industrial and
  professional practitioners and employers.
• Ensure proper guidance of the program and its
  evaluation, development and improvement

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Criterion 6 - Facilities

• Classrooms, laboratories, and associated
  equipment must be adequate to accomplish program
  objectives and provide an atmosphere conducive to
  learning
• Provide opportunities to learn the use of modern
  engineering tools
• Infrastructure to support scholarly activities of
  the students and faculty and the educational
  objectives of the program

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Criterion 7 Institutional Support

• Institutional support, financial resources and
  constructive leadership must be adequate to
  assure quality and continuity of the program
• Attract, retain, and provide for professional
  development of a well-qualified faculty
• Resource to acquire, maintain and operate
  equipment and facilities
• Adequate support personnel
• Support of quality improvement efforts

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Criterions 8 Program Criteria

• Depending on the Program it may also have
• Special program criteria
• Special program educational objectives
• Special program outcomes

NOTE Engineering Physics Mechanical
Engineering Electrical Engineering Biomedical
Engineering Program Civil Engineering Industrial
Engineering Computer Engineering Aerospace
Engineering . . . May have additional program
criteria and outcomes in addition to a to k
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How does a degree program get accredited?

• A panel of ABET experts evaluates the program
  courses, curriculum, people, and facilities
• The degree program must meet General Criteria
  that apply to all engineering degrees
• The program must also meet Program Criteria,
  which are specific to BME Engineering
• The department must demonstrate that it uses a
  continual process of evaluating the courses and
  curriculum, and makes changes when needed
• The department must even show that it examines
  and improves its own evaluation process

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OBJECTIVES vs. OUTCOMES

• Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) are broad
  
• statements that describe the career and
  professional accomplishments that the program is
  preparing its graduates to achieve. (3 to 5
  Years after graduation)
• Program Outcomes are narrower statements that
  describe what students are expected to know and
  be able to do by the time of graduation. These
  relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors
  that students acquire in their matriculation
  through the program. (At graduation)

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Program Outcomes

1. Apply mathematics, science, and engineering
2. Design and conduct experiments (analyze data)
3. Design with realistic constraints
4. Function on multidisciplinary teams
5. Identify, formulate, and solve engineering
   problems
6. Professional and Ethical Responsibility

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Program Outcomes (Continued)

• Communicate effectively
• Impact of engineering solutions in a Global,
  economic, environmental, and societal context
• Life-long learning
• contemporary issues
• Techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
  necessary for engineering practice.

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OBJECTIVES vs. OUTCOMES

• Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) are broad
  
• statements that describe the career and
  professional accomplishments that the program is
  preparing its graduates to achieve. (3 to 5
  Years after graduation)
• Program Outcomes are narrower statements that
  describe what students are expected to know and
  be able to do by the time of graduation. These
  relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors
  that students acquire in their matriculation
  through the program. (At graduation)

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Engineering Physics Program Objectives

• A graduate of the UCO Engineering Physics Program
  should
• Have the ability to apply knowledge retained from
  a fundamental education in engineering and
  physics to solve engineering and technical
  problems.
• Be able to learn and adapt new technologies that
  arise during their professional careers to solve
  engineering and technical problems.
• Function as a productive engineering professional
  or successfully enter and complete graduate
  programs in engineering or physics.
• Be prepared to assume a role of technical
  leadership in which they can set objectives and
  organize resources to accomplish assigned tasks
  in the workplace.

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Biomedical Engineering Program Objectives

• A graduate of the UCO Biomedical Engineering
  Program should
• Be able to apply the fundamental principles of
  physics and mathematics and to adopt appropriate
  engineering tools to solve engineering problems.
• Understand the broad social, ethical, economic
  and environmental consequences of their work.
• Understand the importance of life-long learning
  and professional development.
• Have a background that allows and encourages
  those who are qualified to pursue advanced
  technical and professional degrees.
• Possess effective communication and team skills.

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We need your help!

• We need your assessment of how much you learn in
  each course, in specific topic and ability areas.
• We ask you to participate in frequent evaluations
  and surveys. These include course evaluation,
  focus group, exit survey, and alumni survey.
• We need your suggestions for improvement !

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Mechanical Systems and Electrical Systems Majors

• Beginning in the 2010-2011 Catalog , these
  degrees at UCO will have the required curriculum
  that should allow ABET accreditation under the
  Mechanical Engineering and an Electrical
  Engineering Program Criteria.
• Follow the 2010-2011 Catalog degree requirements
  to graduate under these degree requirements.
• In the next general review by ABET at UCO
  (2013-2014) our plans are to apply for
  accreditation of these programs as Mechanical and
  Electrical Engineering.