2017 2017: College of Engineering accreditation renewed

ABET seal of approval reaffirms excellence of undergraduate bioengineering, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering programs

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth College of Engineering has received its re-accreditation for undergraduate degree programs in civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. The accreditation for these programs is effective until September 30, 2023.

In addition, the undergraduate bioengineering program earned its initial accreditation, retroactive to 2014, the year of its first graduating class. This accreditation is also effective through September 30, 2023.

“This most recent ABET reaccreditation reaffirms the excellence of our programs, world-class faculty and highly successful students,” said Provost Mohammad Karim.

“The reaccreditation of our long-standing, highly regarded engineering programs and the accreditation of the bioengineering program reflect the unwavering commitment of the faculty, staff and administration in the development and continuous improvement of the academic programs we deliver to our students,” Interim Dean Ramprasad Balasubramanian said. “The evidence of the quality of our academic programming can really be found in the success of our graduates, both in engineering practice and in graduate studies.”

ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental accrediting agency for programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology, and is recognized as an accreditor by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

ABET accreditation requires that programs continuously improve the quality of education they provide. As part of continuous improvement, programs set specific, measurable goals for their students and graduates, assess their success at reaching those goals, and improve their programs based on the results of their assessment. The process involves a comprehensive effort by faculty, staff, students, and employers to achieve a common set of educational objectives and student learning outcomes.

ABET accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process that requires programs to undergo comprehensive, periodic evaluations. The evaluations, conducted by teams of volunteer professionals working in industry, government, academe, and private practice within the ABET disciplines, focus on assessment of program curricula, faculty, facilities, institutional support, and other important areas.

ABET accreditation also helps students and their parents evaluate quality college programs, enables employers and graduate schools to recruit graduates they know are well-prepared for professional practice, and is used by registration, licensure, and certification boards to screen applicants.

UMass Dartmouth, founded in 1895, is a tier one national research university, with nearly 400 full-time faculty and 8,600 students in five colleges and three schools, including the Commonwealth's only public law school.

For more information about the educational programs in the College of Engineering, please visit umassd.edu/engineering.

“The evidence of the quality of our academic programming can really be found in the success of our graduates, both in engineering practice and in graduate studies.”