10-29-03
BEHREND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
RE-ACCREDITED BY EAC-ABET
Engineering students at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, are assured that their course of study is among the best in the United States following recent re-accreditation by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Engineering Technology. ABET is engineering's premier academic accrediting organization.
The electrical engineering and mechanical engineering programs at Penn State Behrend were re-accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET. At the same time, the college's computer engineering program received its initial EAC-ABET accreditation.
"The Engineering Accreditation Commission was pleased with the faculty, administrative support, facilities, and student achievement in our engineering programs," said Dr. Robert Simoneau, director of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. "With accreditation we assure our students that they are receiving the highest quality teaching and learning in the electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering programs."
Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process of peer review that requires an educational institution or program to meet defined standards. ABET is composed of four commissions that grant accreditation in the areas of applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. To apply for accreditation, schools must complete a self-study and submit it to the appropriate commission.
Evaluation teams that are thoroughly knowledgeable about accreditation procedures, policies, and standards conduct on-site visits at schools that apply for review. Over the past year the EAC visited more than 100 institutions and reviewed 373 engineering programs. As part of its recent EAC review, Penn State Behrend demonstrated the high quality of its programs by meeting new guidelines adopted in 2000, which require programs to show continuous self-assessment and improvement.
Simoneau said he welcomes the re-accreditation process, because it provides insight into each program's strengths and offers ways to meet any areas of concern. Employers are always pleased to hire graduates of an accredited program, he said, and in a state-related institution like Penn State, accreditation ensures that the taxpayers' funds are well-spent. State licensing boards and certification programs may require graduation from an ABET-accredited 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.
Penn State Behrend's electrical, mechanical and plastics engineering technology programs are also accredited by ABET, their most recent re-accreditation having occurred in 2001. The engineering and engineering technology programs work closely with the college's industrial constituents to ensure compliance to accreditation initiatives. As northwestern Pennsylvania continues to emphasize the need for economic development, the collaboration between academic programs and industry continues to grow in importance.
Contact:
Loretta Brandon
814-898-6063 (O)
E-mail: lzb6@psu.edu