ABET is Coming!ABET is Coming!

What I need to know about What I need to know about ABET, but was afraid to ABET, but was afraid to

ask.ask.

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What is ABET?What is ABET?

ABET is an organization that provides ABET is an organization that provides world leadership to ensure quality world leadership to ensure quality and stimulate innovation in applied and stimulate innovation in applied science, computing, engineering and science, computing, engineering and technology education. ABET is the technology education. ABET is the primary organization responsible for primary organization responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and certifying monitoring, evaluating, and certifying the quality of education in these the quality of education in these areas in the U.S.areas in the U.S.

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The Accreditation Timeline: The Accreditation Timeline: Year 1Year 1

January: Institution requests January: Institution requests accreditation for programsaccreditation for programs

February-March: Institution prepares February-March: Institution prepares self-evaluation (Program Self-Study self-evaluation (Program Self-Study Report)Report)

March-June: Team chair assigned, visit March-June: Team chair assigned, visit dates set, team members chosendates set, team members chosen

September-December: Visit takes place, September-December: Visit takes place, draft statements written and finalized draft statements written and finalized following 14-day response periodfollowing 14-day response period

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The Accreditation Timeline: The Accreditation Timeline: Year 2Year 2

January-February: Draft statements edited January-February: Draft statements edited and preliminary statements sent to and preliminary statements sent to institutioninstitution

March – April: Institution responds to draft March – April: Institution responds to draft statement and return to ABETstatement and return to ABET

May-June: Necessary changes to May-June: Necessary changes to statement, if any, are madestatement, if any, are made

July: Commission meets to take final actionJuly: Commission meets to take final action August: Institution notified of this actionAugust: Institution notified of this action

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Program Evaluator Program Evaluator ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Conduct pre-visit analysis to identify Conduct pre-visit analysis to identify areas for further investigation during areas for further investigation during the visitthe visit

During visit, complete review of During visit, complete review of materials, tour facilities, interview materials, tour facilities, interview faculty, staff, and students, verify and faculty, staff, and students, verify and document findings, participate in team document findings, participate in team meetings, recommend accreditation meetings, recommend accreditation actions, and provide institution with a actions, and provide institution with a preliminary assessment of strengths and preliminary assessment of strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

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ABET Evaluates ABET Evaluates ProgramsPrograms

ABET accredits programs that lead to ABET accredits programs that lead to degrees, and not institutions. All paths degrees, and not institutions. All paths of study leading to a degree must meet of study leading to a degree must meet the ABET requirements for a program to the ABET requirements for a program to be accredited.be accredited.

A program is typically described by a A program is typically described by a unique set of objectives and outcomes unique set of objectives and outcomes achieved by an unique course of study – achieved by an unique course of study – curriculum and related co- and extra-curriculum and related co- and extra-curricular activitiescurricular activities

A student transcript is the primary A student transcript is the primary evidence of degree completionevidence of degree completion

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Terms Used by ABETTerms Used by ABET

ObjectivesObjectivesOutcomesOutcomesPerformance CriteriaPerformance CriteriaAssessmentAssessmentEvaluationEvaluation

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ObjectivesObjectives

Statements that describe the Statements that describe the expected accomplishments of expected accomplishments of graduates during the first few years graduates during the first few years after graduationafter graduation

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OutcomesOutcomes

Statements that describe what Statements that describe what students are expected to know and students are expected to know and able to do by the time of graduation.able to do by the time of graduation.

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Performance CriteriaPerformance Criteria

Specific, measurable statements Specific, measurable statements identifying the performance(s) identifying the performance(s) required to meet the outcomes; required to meet the outcomes; confirmable through evidence confirmable through evidence (standards, rubrics, specification, (standards, rubrics, specification, metrics, etc.)metrics, etc.)

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AssessmentAssessment

Processes that identify, collect, use Processes that identify, collect, use and prepare data that can be used to and prepare data that can be used to evaluate achievement (knowledge, evaluate achievement (knowledge, skills, attitude and values, behavior). skills, attitude and values, behavior).

Can be group or individual, Can be group or individual, formative or summative.formative or summative.

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EvaluationEvaluation

Process of reviewing the results of Process of reviewing the results of data collection and analysis and data collection and analysis and making a determination of the value making a determination of the value of findings and action to be taken.of findings and action to be taken.

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Self-Study ReportSelf-Study Report A good program self-study should A good program self-study should

include:include: A complete description of how and the A complete description of how and the

extent to which the program satisfies extent to which the program satisfies each of the criteria requirements:each of the criteria requirements: StudentsStudents Program Educational ObjectivesProgram Educational Objectives Program Outcomes and AssessmentProgram Outcomes and Assessment Professional or Technical ComponentProfessional or Technical Component FacultyFaculty FacilitiesFacilities Institutional Support and Financial ResourcesInstitutional Support and Financial Resources Program CriteriaProgram Criteria

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Criterion 1 - StudentsCriterion 1 - Students The program must evaluate student performanceThe program must evaluate student performance Advise students regarding curricular and career Advise students regarding curricular and career

mattersmatters Monitor student progress to foster their success Monitor student progress to foster their success

in achieving outcomesin achieving outcomes The institution must have and enforce policies The institution must have and enforce policies

for transfer students and validation of courses for transfer students and validation of courses taken for credit elsewheretaken for credit elsewhere

The institution must have and enforce The institution must have and enforce procedures to assure that all students meet procedures to assure that all students meet program requirementsprogram requirements

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Criterion 2 – Program Criterion 2 – Program Educational ObjectivesEducational Objectives

Each program must have:Each program must have: Detailed published education objectives Detailed published education objectives

consistent with the mission of the institutionconsistent with the mission of the institution Process based on needs of constituents in Process based on needs of constituents in

which objectives are determined and which objectives are determined and periodically evaluatedperiodically evaluated

An educational program, including a An educational program, including a curriculum that prepares students to attain curriculum that prepares students to attain program outcomesprogram outcomes

A process of on-going evaluation of the A process of on-going evaluation of the extent and uses results to develop and extent and uses results to develop and improve the program outcomesimprove the program outcomes

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Criterion 3 – Program Criterion 3 – Program Outcomes and AssessmentOutcomes and Assessment

Programs must demonstrate their Programs must demonstrate their graduates have outcomes “a to k”graduates have outcomes “a to k”

Program must have an assessment Program must have an assessment process with documented results that process with documented results that indicate the degree to which outcomes indicate the degree to which outcomes are attainedare attained

Evidence that the results of the Evidence that the results of the assessment process are applied to the assessment process are applied to the further development and improvement of further development and improvement of the programthe program

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Assessment Tools and Assessment Tools and MeasuresMeasures

The primary outcomes assessment The primary outcomes assessment should be based on direct measures of should be based on direct measures of student learningstudent learning

Senior exit surveys, alumni surveys, and Senior exit surveys, alumni surveys, and employer surveys as means of outcomes employer surveys as means of outcomes assessment are indirect measures.assessment are indirect measures.

A system must be in place to ensure that A system must be in place to ensure that all graduates have, to some extent, all graduates have, to some extent, attained the prescribed outcomes and attained the prescribed outcomes and all elements of the Professional all elements of the Professional ComponentComponent

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ABET Criteria 2000ABET Criteria 2000 (a) an (a) an abilityability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and

engineeringengineering (b) an(b) an abilityability to design, conduct experiments,as well as analyze and to design, conduct experiments,as well as analyze and

interpret datainterpret data (c) an (c) an abilityability to design a system,component or process to meet desired to design a system,component or process to meet desired

needsneeds (d) an (d) an abilityability to function on multidisciplinary teams to function on multidisciplinary teams (e) an (e) an abilityability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problemsto identify, formulate and solve engineering problems (f) an (f) an understandingunderstanding of professional and ethical responsibility of professional and ethical responsibility (g) an (g) an abilityability to communicate effectively to communicate effectively (h) the broad education necessary to(h) the broad education necessary to understand understand the impact of the impact of

engineering solutions in a global and social contextengineering solutions in a global and social context (i) a recognition of the need for, and an (i) a recognition of the need for, and an abilityability to engage in lifelong to engage in lifelong

learninglearning (j) a (j) a knowledgeknowledge of contemporary issues of contemporary issues (k) an (k) an abilityability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools

necessary for engineering practicenecessary for engineering practice

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Accepted Direct Accepted Direct AssessmentAssessment

Student portfoliosStudent portfolios Subject content examinationsSubject content examinations Performance observationsPerformance observations Performance evaluations of Performance evaluations of

internships and/or co-opsinternships and/or co-ops

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Criterion 4 – Professional Criterion 4 – Professional ComponentComponent

Faculty must ensure that the Faculty must ensure that the curriculum devotes adequate attention curriculum devotes adequate attention and time to each component, consistent and time to each component, consistent with the outcomes and objectives of the with the outcomes and objectives of the program and institutionprogram and institution

Preparation for engineering practicePreparation for engineering practice Major design experienceMajor design experience

Subject areas appropriate to Subject areas appropriate to engineeringengineering

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Subject AreasSubject Areas One year of a combination of college-level One year of a combination of college-level

mathematics and basic sciences mathematics and basic sciences appropriate to the disciplineappropriate to the discipline

One and one-half years of engineering One and one-half years of engineering topics, consisting of engineering sciences topics, consisting of engineering sciences and engineering design appropriate to the and engineering design appropriate to the student’s field of studystudent’s field of study

A general education component that A general education component that complements the technical content of the complements the technical content of the curriculum and is consistent with the curriculum and is consistent with the program and institution objectivesprogram and institution objectives

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Criterion 5 - FacultyCriterion 5 - Faculty Sufficient in number and competencies to Sufficient in number and competencies to

cover all curricular areascover all curricular areas Sufficient in number to accommodate Sufficient in number to accommodate

adequate levels of student-faculty adequate levels of student-faculty interaction, advising and counseling, interaction, advising and counseling, service, professional development, and service, professional development, and interactions with industrial and interactions with industrial and professional practitioners and employersprofessional practitioners and employers

Ensure proper guidance of the program Ensure proper guidance of the program and its evaluation, development, and and its evaluation, development, and improvement.improvement.

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Criterion 6 - FacilitiesCriterion 6 - Facilities

Classrooms, laboratories, and associated Classrooms, laboratories, and associated equipment must be adequate to equipment must be adequate to accomplish program objectives and accomplish program objectives and provide an atmosphere conducive to provide an atmosphere conducive to learninglearning Opportunities to learn the use of modern Opportunities to learn the use of modern

engineering toolsengineering tools Computing/information infrastructure to Computing/information infrastructure to

support scholarly activities of the students support scholarly activities of the students and faculty and the educational objectives of and faculty and the educational objectives of the institutionthe institution

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Criterion 7 - Institutional Criterion 7 - Institutional Support and Financial Support and Financial

ResourcesResources Institutional support, financial Institutional support, financial

resources, and constructive leadership resources, and constructive leadership must be adequate to assure quality and must be adequate to assure quality and continuity of the programcontinuity of the program Attract, retain, and provide for professional Attract, retain, and provide for professional

development of a well-qualified facultydevelopment of a well-qualified faculty Resources to acquire, maintain, and operate Resources to acquire, maintain, and operate

equipment and facilitiesequipment and facilities Adequate support personnelAdequate support personnel Support of quality-improvement effortsSupport of quality-improvement efforts

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Program CriteriaProgram Criteria

Each program must satisfy Each program must satisfy applicable Program Criteriaapplicable Program Criteria Curricular topicsCurricular topics Faculty qualificationsFaculty qualifications

Current Program Criteria unique to Current Program Criteria unique to Agricultural EngineeringAgricultural Engineering

Must satisfy all Program Criteria Must satisfy all Program Criteria Implied by title of programImplied by title of program

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Accreditation DefinitionsAccreditation Definitions

DeficiencyDeficiency WeaknessWeakness ConcernConcern ObservationObservation

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DeficiencyDeficiency

Indicates that a criterion, policy, or Indicates that a criterion, policy, or procedure is not satisfied. Therefore, procedure is not satisfied. Therefore, the program is not in compliance the program is not in compliance with the criteria.with the criteria.

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WeaknessWeakness

Indicates that a program lacks the Indicates that a program lacks the strength of compliance with a strength of compliance with a criterion, policy, or procedure to criterion, policy, or procedure to ensure that the quality of the ensure that the quality of the program will not be compromised program will not be compromised Therefore, remedial action is required Therefore, remedial action is required to strengthen compliance with the to strengthen compliance with the criterion, policy, or procedure prior to criterion, policy, or procedure prior to the next evaluation.the next evaluation.

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ConcernConcern

Indicates that a program currently Indicates that a program currently satisfies a criterion, policy, or satisfies a criterion, policy, or procedure; however, the potential procedure; however, the potential exists for the situation to change exists for the situation to change such that the criterion, policy, or such that the criterion, policy, or procedure may not be satisfied.procedure may not be satisfied.

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ObservationObservation

Is a comment or suggestion which Is a comment or suggestion which does not relate directly to the does not relate directly to the accreditation action but is offered to accreditation action but is offered to assist the institution in its continuing assist the institution in its continuing efforts to improve its programs.efforts to improve its programs.

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Any Questions?Any Questions?