Transcript What is ABET Accreditation and Why Should I Care?

What is ABET Accreditation and
Why Should I Care?
W. J. Wilson
Dept of Engineering and Physics
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK 73034 USA
Website: www.physics.uco.edu/wwilson
Email: [email protected]
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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UCO’s 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 program’s 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 ABETaccredited 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 ABETaccredited 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
TAC
ASAC
CAC
Engineering
Accreditation
Commission
Technology
Accreditation
Commission
Applied Science
Accreditation
Commission
Computing
Accreditation
Commission
1787 programs
at 364 schools
670 programs at
226 schools
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71 programs at
54 schools
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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Students
Program Educational Objectives
Program Outcomes and Assessment
Professional Component
Faculty
Facilities
Institutional Support
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
a.Apply mathematics, science, and
engineering
b.Design and conduct experiments (analyze
data)
c.Design with realistic constraints
d.Function on multidisciplinary teams
e.Identify, formulate, and solve engineering
problems
f. Professional and Ethical Responsibility
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Program Outcomes (Continued)
g. Communicate effectively
h. Impact of engineering solutions in a
Global, economic, environmental, and
societal context
i. Life-long learning
j. contemporary issues
k. 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:
1. Have the ability to apply knowledge retained from a
fundamental education in engineering and physics to solve
engineering and technical problems.
2. Be able to learn and adapt new technologies that arise during
their professional careers to solve engineering and technical
problems.
3. Function as a productive engineering professional or
successfully enter and complete graduate programs in
engineering or physics.
4. 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:
1. Be able to apply the fundamental principles of physics and
mathematics and to adopt appropriate engineering tools to
solve engineering problems.
2. Understand the broad social, ethical, economic and
environmental consequences of their work.
3. Understand the importance of life-long learning and
professional development.
4. Have a background that allows and encourages those who are
qualified to pursue advanced technical and professional
degrees.
5. 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.
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