ERIE, Pa. -- Four engineering programs at Penn State Behrend have been reaccredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the recognized accreditor of university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. Penn State Behrend's engineering technology programs also hold accreditation by ABET.
ABET accreditation is a voluntary peer-review process that evaluates program curricula, faculty expertise, facilities, institutional support and other factors.
Many employers, including the federal government, require a diploma from an ABET-accredited program for employment in certain technical fields. Industry licensing and certification groups also use ABET standards to screen applicants.
For this reaccreditation cycle, ABET reviewed the Penn State Behrend's electrical, computer, mechanical and software engineering programs.
“This reaccreditation is a result of our faculty and staff working together to consistently provide our students with a high-quality education,” said Russ Warley, interim director of the School of Engineering. “An important component of that education is the significant involvement of industry in the development of our students, which is viewed as a particular strength of the school.”
More than 1,600 students are currently enrolled in the School of Engineering at Penn State Behrend, which U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks among the best undergraduate engineering programs in the United States.