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Finding Appropriate Data for ABET Self Study Sections B2&3 for Engineering Programs

Abstract ABET accreditation is an established benchmark for undergraduate engineering programs in the United States and ensures the quality of education college engineering students receive. As such, ABET is the recognized U.S. accreditor of engineering college and university programs. ABET outlines the criteria for each engineering program and the key elements of what is required in each engineering program’s Self Study. However, ABET leaves up to the interpretation of each engineering program the details of how to present the findings of its hopefully successful defense of its own program. This apparent paradox results from the many elements, characteristics and factors that can contribute to successful accreditation. This paper gives a summary of types of data that can be used in the ABET accreditation process. Specifically the data presented was used in the 2004 ABET accreditation of the Engineering Management program at Stevens Institute of Technology. Examples of types of data leading toward accreditation and recommendations of how colleges and universities can implement similar data assessment processes are discussed.

Introduction ABET accreditation provides endorsement of curricula, facilitates university and external funding and, in general, adds credibility to an engineering program. However, achieving ABET accreditation can be a daunting task. This paper provides guidance to engineering programs considering accreditation or undergoing re-accreditation, by examining the experiences and data processes at an accredited Engineering Management Program at Stevens Institute of Technology.

The paper first provides background on the EM programs at Stevens. This is followed by a description of ABET and the accreditation process. The experiences of data discovery and assessment by the Stevens Engineering Management program are next discussed. The paper concludes with suggestions for successfully accrediting an engineering program.

Population Stevens Institute of Technology is a private university located across the Hudson River from Manhattan in Hoboken, New Jersey. Stevens Institute of Technology has a relatively large, well established Engineering Management (EM) Program. Its success is evidenced by the size of its faculty (15 full time faculty) and external recognition (four awards from the American Society of Engineering Management, ASEM, over the past 15 years). The EM Program at Stevens was first ABET accredited in 1992, and successfully re-accredited in 1998 and 2004. There are currently 15 faculty in the EM department, of which 10 teach in the undergraduate program. Several of the faculty have been members of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) for over 5 to 15 years.

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Abel, K. (2007, June), Finding Appropriate Data For Abet Self Study Sections B2 And B3 For Engineering Programs Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--1527