Engineering Management and Software Engineering degree programs accredited by ABET
Software Engineering Program Chair and Professor Timothy Lindquist teaches classes in the Software Engineering program, one of two programs recently accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Photographer: Jessica Hochreiter/ASU
Two programs offered by Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering in both full immersion on-campus and digital immersion online formats recently earned approval for accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology: Engineering Management (BSE) and Software Engineering (BS).
To be considered by ABET, an accredited degree program must demonstrate that graduates are ready to enter the profession in their degree program. Both programs’ accreditation is retroactive to October 2014. Graduates from the Engineering Management and Software Engineering programs since that date are considered to have graduated from an accredited program.
“Accreditation of new programs is an 18-month process involving the submission of a comprehensive self-study report followed up by a two-day visit of the accreditation team,” says James Collofello, vice dean for Academic and Student Affairs and computer systems engineering professor.
The Engineering Management program was first offered in spring 2011 and began offering the online format in 2012. It has since grown to 550 students with approximately 65 percent online students. Software Engineering began in fall 2011 and offered an online format in 2013. Of the nearly 1,000 students in the program, 70 percent are online students.
ABET-accredited programs ensure students meet the quality standards of their related profession through a solid educational foundation that reflects current and future needs of the industry.
Enrollment in an ABET-accredited program also opens up eligibility for many federal student loans, grants and scholarships that are otherwise unavailable to students.
Students also gain access to licenses, registration and certifications that require accredited program completion as a minimum qualification.
After graduation, students of these programs will gain more employment opportunities from the U.S. government and multinational corporations who require graduation from accredited programs.
The online Engineering Management and Software Engineering degrees join the Fulton Schools’ first online program accredited by ABET, Electrical Engineering (BSE), which is currently the only fully online ABET-accredited EE program. ASU is one of only 16 universities that have online engineering and technology ABET-accredited degree programs.
The two programs also join the Fulton Schools’ 18 on-campus programs already accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET and its Computer Science program accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
