Engineering Accreditation
Accredited Programs at Texas A&M
Within the Look College of Engineering, the undergraduate
programs in aerospace, agricultural, biological systems, biomedical,
chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical,
nuclear, ocean, petroleum and radiological health engineering
are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission
of ABET, Inc. (formerly the Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology).
The electronics, manufacturing, mechanical, and telecommunications
engineering technology programs are accredited by the Technology
Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. The manufacturing
and mechanical engineering technology program, a meld of the
manufacturing engineering technology and mechanical engineering
technology programs, will be submitted for accreditation review
at the next general review of the engineering technology programs
in 2006-2007.
The Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing
Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.
Accreditation Assures Quality
In the United States, accreditation is a non-governmental,
peer review process that ensures educational quality. Educational
institutions or programs volunteer to periodically undergo
this review in order to determine if certain criteria are
being met. It is important to understand, however, that accreditation
is not a ranking system. It is simply assurance that a program
or institution meets established quality standards.
What Is ABET Accreditation?
ABET accreditation is assurance that a college or university
program meets the quality standards established by the profession
for which it prepares its students. For example, an accredited
engineering program must meet the quality standards set by
the engineering profession. An accredited computer science
program must meet the quality standards set by the computing
profession.
ABET accredits post secondary degree-granting programs housed
within regionally accredited institutions. ABET accredits
programs only, not degrees, departments, colleges, or institutions.
Who Sets the ABET Quality Standards?
The quality standards programs must meet to be ABET-accredited
are set by the ABET professions themselves. This is made possible
by the collaborative efforts of many different professional
and technical societies. These societies and their members
work together through ABET to develop the standards, and they
provide the professionals who evaluate the programs to make
sure they meet those standards.
Why Is ABET Accreditation Important?
- Accreditation helps students and their parents choose
quality college programs.
- Accreditation enables employers to recruit graduates they
know are well-prepared.
- Accreditation is used by registration, licensure, and
certification boards to screen applicants.
- Accreditation gives colleges and universities a structured
mechanism to assess, valuate, and improve the quality of
their programs.
For more information on ABET accreditation, visit:
|
