The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is a type of program-specific accreditation that recognizes the quality of university-level technology, engineering, and applied science programs. ABET, Inc., formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, provides these educational accreditation services. Although ABET, Inc. is based in the United States, it provides accreditation services to both domestic and international schools. Individuals who wish to work in the fields of study that ABET accredits, particularly professional engineering, may find that graduation from an ABET accredited program is an important, if not essential, credential. In fact, some licensing boards, especially those for professional engineers, will refuse to license applicants who have not completed an ABET-accredited degree program.
ABET accreditation is obtained contacting ABET, Inc. and completing a self-evaluation process. Once the school has determined that it can meet ABET criteria, a lengthy process of ongoing evaluation begins, which includes the completion of forms, the submission of documentation, and field visits from ABET, Inc. representatives. Following ABET accreditation, a program must go through a renewal process at regular intervals to ensure that the school’s standards are maintained.
While accreditation is generally a voluntary process, especially in the United States, non-accredited schools and programs are typically at a competitive disadvantage when compared to accredited institutions. Institutional accreditation is a process that assesses a school’s overall quality, including its educational offerings and long-term stability. This type of general accreditation, on the other hand, may not be specific enough to guarantee the quality of certain educational programs in highly specialized fields. As a result, some academic, industrial, and professional organizations provide specialized accreditation services to ensure the quality and standardization of education in a given field. The engineering and applied sciences fields benefit from ABET accreditation because it ensures that graduates of accredited programs have completed a curriculum that meets industry standards.
It is possible for schools to offer engineering or computer science programs without ABET accreditation. It’s possible that their graduates will have a hard time finding work or getting accepted into graduate programs. This is because non-ABET accredited educational programs are not recognized many schools, employers, or government agencies. Graduates of non-ABET-accredited programs may be forced to take lower-status jobs with organizations that do not require graduation from an ABET-accredited program, find alternative ways to practice their profession that do not require licensure, or simply return to school to complete an accredited program.