Engineering perceptions of ABET accreditation criteria

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has recommended a revised set of accreditation criteria that is designed to assure that graduates of accredited programs are prepared to enter the practice of engineering. The proposal also specifies that engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates possess 11 educational attributes. Undergraduate and graduate engineering students as well as practitioners consider three of the 11 attributes to be particularly important. These include: (I) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering; (2) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data; and (3) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems. In contrast, two attributes received low ratings from all three groups. They include: (1) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, lifelong learning; and (2) a knowledge of contemporary issues. This suggests that not all ABET educational attributes are considered by students and practitioners to have the same level of significance and perhaps should not be stressed to the same degree in an engineering curriculum.