ABET
If you are considering becoming a licensed professional engineer, you may have noticed one of the prerequisites is an engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution. So what is an ABET-accredited institution? What is ABET?
ABET, Inc., formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, is a non-profit organization that serves the public by accrediting United States postsecondary degree programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. Accreditation is intended to certify the quality of these programs.
Currently, ABET accredits some 2,700 programs at more than 550 colleges and universities nationwide. Each year, over 1,500 volunteers from its now 28 member societies actively contribute to ABET’s goals of leadership and quality assurance in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology education, serving as program evaluators, committee and council members, commissioners, and Board representatives.
ABET Vision
ABET will provide world leadership in assuring quality and in stimulating innovation in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology education.
ABET Mission
ABET serves the public through the promotion and advancement of education in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. ABET will:
- Accredit educational programs.
- Promote quality and innovation in education.
- Consult and assist in the development and advancement of education worldwide in a financially self-sustaining manner.
- Communicate with our constituencies and the public regarding activities and accomplishments.
- Anticipate and prepare for the changing environment and the future needs of constituencies.
- Manage the operations and resources to be effective and fiscally responsible.
Note that it is not the college or university that is “ABET accredited” but it is specific programs offered by the school. Thus an institution may have an accredited electrical engineering program, but not an accredited civil engineering program. You can check to see which programs are accredited by using the search capabilities on this ABET web site: http://www.abet.org/accredited_programs.shtml
Certainly there are benefits for the perspective professional engineer in choosing an ABET-accredited program. Accreditation assures that a program has met quality standards set by the profession. In states where non-ABET graduates are permitted to be licensed, an additional four to eight years of work experience may be required.
