The American Society of Civil Engineers partners with ABET, Inc. to offer accreditation for programs in civil engineering, architectural engineering, construction engineering, civil engineering technology, architectural engineering technology, and construction engineering technology.
To be granted accreditation status, a program must meet both the ABET minimum general criteria and the specific program criteria developed by ASCE.
Prospective students, student counselors, parents, and the general public can view accreditation as assurance of a quality education.
The accreditation process
The accreditation process involves the periodic self-study, review, and examination of all phases of a program, including:
- school's financial commitment to the program
- student projects
- course materials
During an accreditation visit, ABET program evaluators not only examine the quality of the educational program, they also provide feedback regarding the program's strengths and weaknesses and offer suggestions for improvement.
Note that ABET does not rank programs or institutions, it only grants or denies accreditation.