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Preparing the Future Civil Engineer: ASCE's Proposed Revision of the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria – Implementation Tools

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

ASCE Liasion Committee Presents: All Things ASCE

Tagged Division

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--43956

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/43956

Download Count

308

Paper Authors

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David A. Dzombak, P.E. Carnegie Mellon University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-9906-9889

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David Dzombak is Hamerschlag University Professor Emeritus in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon. His professional focus is on water quality engineering, environmental restoration, and energy-environment issues.

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Wayne R. Bergstrom

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Dr. Bergstrom is a Principal Engineer and Fellow at Bechtel Infrastructure and Power Corporation.

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Jay A. Puckett, P.E. University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Stephen J. Ressler, P.E. United States Military Academy, West Point

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Stephen Ressler, P.E. Ph.D., Dist.M.ASCE, F.ASEE is Professor Emeritus from the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point. He earned a B.S. degree from USMA in 1979, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University in 1989, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University in 1991.

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Leslie Nolen, C.A.E. American Society of Civil Engineers

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Leslie Nolen, CAE, serves as director, educational activities for the American Society of Civil Engineers. She brings over 25 years of association management experience to her work with ASCE's Committee on Education on issues of importance to the undergraduate education of civil engineers.

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Abstract

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) employs a systematic approach to aligning the civil engineering profession's needs with its education and practice standards. The primary tools involved in this approach are the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBOK) and the program criteria for ABET-accredited civil engineering programs, which are developed with substantial community review and input. Both the CEBOK and the program criteria are reviewed by ASCE committees and revised, if deemed necessary, on an eight-year cycle.

In May 2019, ASCE published the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge, 3rd Edition (CEBOK3). ASCE then convened a Civil Engineering Program Criteria Task Committee (CEPCTC) in January 2020 to review the current ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria and propose revisions, if needed, based on (1) the publication of the CEBOK3, (2) a major revision to the EAC/ABET General Criteria which became effective for reviews during the 2019-2020 accreditation cycle, and (3) compliance with guidance from EAC/ABET on curricular topics and faculty qualifications.

This paper is the third in a series to describe the efforts by ASCE and the CEPCTC in reviewing and revising the Civil Engineering Program Criteria. The first paper, presented at the 2021 ASEE National Conference, documented the formation of CEPCTC and its development of an initial draft of proposed Criteria revisions. The second paper, presented at the 2022 ASEE National Conference, focused on a) the solicitation and collection of feedback from a broad community of stakeholders regarding the initial 2021 draft of proposed Criteria changes, and b) further revisions to the proposed Criteria in response to that feedback. This third paper describes the changes to the Criteria resulting from the first phase of the ongoing ABET review and approval process and focuses on the development of commentary and training materials to support the proposed Program Criteria implementation and use. These materials support programs and program evaluators (PEVs). Although not officially part of the ABET Program Criteria, these supplementary materials help outline the intent of the Criteria and offer best practices, references to literature, PEV training, and other helpful resources.

This paper will aid in understanding and implementing the Civil Engineering Program Criteria by the education and professional communities. It is also hoped that ABET's Member Societies might be encouraged by this series of papers to share their approaches to program criteria development, thereby fostering a "best practices" dialogue for the betterment of the engineering profession.

COORDINATING NOTE: This abstract is submitted at the specific invitation and request of the co-chairs of the ASCE Liaison Committee of the Civil Engineering Division of ASEE. It should be considered for inclusion in the session(s) on "Educational & Professional Issues of Strategic Importance to the Civil Engineering Profession – and ASCE" that Leslie Nolen and Scott Hamilton are organizing for the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (June 25-28, 2023; Baltimore, MD).

Dzombak,, D. A., & Bergstrom, W. R., & Puckett,, J. A., & Ressler,, S. J., & Nolen,, L. (2023, June), Preparing the Future Civil Engineer: ASCE's Proposed Revision of the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria – Implementation Tools Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43956

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