The Department of Materials Science and Engineering's undergraduate engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET, a nonprofit, non-governmental agency that accredits college and university programs in the desciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
What is ABET accreditation?
ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates. 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 postsecondary 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?
Graduating from an ABET–accredited program gives graduates' degrees nationwide recognition that is highly valued by employers. Employers and professional societies play a significant role in developing the criteria used by ABET to accredit programs.
Also, state licensing boards and certification programs may require graduation from an ABET accredited program during the registration or certification process for professional practice. Some states require that your degree program be ABET accredited in order to obtain a Professional Engineers License. Entry into some military jobs or programs require that you graduate from an ABET accredited program.