ENGR002-INTRODUCTION TO

ENGINEERING
DR. AHMAD EL HAJJ

Engineering education and the

ABET accreditation
ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Engineering education can be defined as the activities

involved in teaching and learning the principles and
practices related to engineering profession. Engineering
education is required to become an engineer and
offered by institutions around the world

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ACCREDITATION: WHY?

 Asstudents’ professional success depends on their

educational foundation, the quality of the education can
make a significant difference. Earning a degree from an ABET-
accredited program verifies that the quality of the
educational experience you’ve received meets the standards
of the profession, increases and enhances employment
opportunities, permits and eases entry to a technical
profession through licensure, registration, and certification,
establishes eligibility for many federal student loans, grants,
and/or scholarship

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ACCREDITATION: WHAT?

 Formal recognition of an educational program by an external body on the basis of an

assessment of quality

 An evaluation process in which an objective group (accrediting body) examines an

educational program to ensure that it is meeting minimum standards established by
experts in the field
 The outcome of the process is binary: program is either accredited or not accredited

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ABET ?
 Formerly, “American Board of Engineering and Technology” but
 official name is now “ABET, Inc”
 Private, not-for-profit (NGO)
 Accreditation is therefore voluntary
 Everybody does it!
 Started by consortium of professional engineering organizations as quality control
 Today, 35 technical societies
 Supported by fees paid by universities
 Has permanent paid staff, but most evaluators are volunteers from industry and
universities
 Accredits engineering, technology, computer science, applied science
 ABET accredits programs reviewed by four different commissions:
 Applied Science Accreditation Commissions (ASAC)
 Computing Accreditation Commissions (CAC)
 Engineering Accreditation Commissions (EAC)
 Engineering Technology Accreditation Commissions (ETAC) 5
SOME STATISTICS

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ABET MEMBER SOCIETIES

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 ACCREDITATION VALUE
For Students and Parents
 Helps students select quality
programs
 Shows institution is committed to
improving the educational
experience
 Helps students prepare to enter “the
profession”
 Enhances employment
opportunities
 Establishes eligibility for financial aid
and scholarships
Industry
 Ensures educational requirements
Institutions to enter “the profession” are met
 “Third-party” confirmation of quality  Aids industry in recruiting
of programs  Enhances mobility
 Prestige, recognition by “the  Opportunity to help guide the
profession” educational process
 Attract the strongest students  Program’s industrial advisory
groups
Faculty
 Professional, technical societies
 Institution is serious and committed
to improving quality Society
 Facilities, financial resources,  Helps ensure public safety
training, etc.
 Supports professional licensure,
 Encourages “best practices” in certification
education
 Provides a high-leverage means
for development of a country’s
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economy.
ABET CRITERION 1: STUDENTS

 Student performance must be evaluated.

 Student progress must be monitored to foster success in attaining student outcomes.
 Program must have and enforce policies for accepting both new and transfer students,
awarding appropriate academic credit for courses taken at the institution and other
institutions.
 Program must have and enforce procedures to ensure and document that students
who graduate meet all graduation requirements.

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ABET CRITERION 2: PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL
OBJECTIVES

 The program must have published program educational objectives

 Example: Communications and Electronics Program- BAU
(http://www.bau.edu.lb/Program/Engineering/Bachelor/Communications-and-
Electronics-Engineering)
1. Design, optimize and maintain communication systems in tune with community needs and
environmental concerns
2. Be able to develop and integrate new technologies as they emerge
3. Engage in a technical/managerial role in diverse teams
4. Pursue entrepreneurial initiatives and launch startup companies
5. Communicate effectively and use resources skillfully in projects development

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ABET CRITERION 3: STUDENT OUTCOMES
 The program must have documented student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the program
educational objectives:
a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
b. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
c. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints
such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and
sustainability
d. An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
e. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
f. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
g. An ability to communicate effectively
h. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global,
economic, environmental, and societal context
i. A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning
j. Knowledge of contemporary issues
k. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary
for engineering practice 11
ABET CRITERION 4: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

 The program must regularly use appropriate, documented processes for assessing and
evaluating the extent to which the student outcomes are being attained

 The results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the
continuous improvement of the program. Other available information may also be used
to assist in the continuous improvement of the program.

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ABET CRITERION 5: CURRICULUM

 The curriculum must effectively develop subject areas in support of student outcomes
and program educational objectives.
 One year of a combination of college-level mathematics and basic sciences (some with
experimental experience) appropriate to the discipline
 One and one-half years of engineering topics, consisting of engineering sciences and
engineering design appropriate to the student’s field of study
 A general education component that complements the technical content of the curriculum
and is consistent with the program and institution objectives.

 ABET has three additional criteria related to Faculty, Facilities and Institutional Support

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EXAMPLE: BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CONTRACT SHEET
General Education (20 Credits) Biomedical Engineering Major courses (78 Credits)
Course ID Course Title Cr. Semester Grade Course ID Course Title Cr. Semester Grade
BLAW001 Human Rights 1 ENGR 002 Introduction to Engineering 2
ARAB001 Arabic Language 2 POWE 212 Electric Circuits I 3
ENGL001 English Language 2 POWE 271 Electromagnetic Fundamentals 3
ENGL211 Advanced Writing 2 COME 214 Electric Circuits II 3
ENGL300 Speech Communications 2 COME 212L Electric Circuits Lab 1
ENGR001 Engineering Ethics 1 COME 221 Electronic Circuits I 3
MGMT002 Entrepreneurship 2 COME 222 Electronic Circuits II 3
Gen. Elec. 2 COME 222L Electronic Circuits Lab 1
Gen. Elec. 2 COME 381 Signals and Systems 3
Gen. Elec. 2 COME 384 Digital Signal Processing 3
Gen. Elec. 2 COMP 225 Digital Systems I 3
COMP 226 Digital Systems II 3
Math and Basic Sciences (26 Credits) COMP 335 Microprocessors for Biomedical Engineering 3
MATH281 Linear Algebra 3 COMP 534 Pattern Recognition 3
MATH282 Calculus 3 COMP 535 Digital Image Processing 3
PHYS281 Electricity & Magnetism 3 HESC 201 Human Anatomy & Physiology 3
MATH283 Differential Equations 3 HESC 202 Health Care Profession & Bio Ethics 1
PHYS282 Material Properties & Heat 3 BIOL 231 Biology I 3
CHEM241 Principles of Chemistry 3 PHYS 352 Biophysics 3
MATH381 Probability and Statitics 3 CHEM 234 Organic Chemistry 3
MATH284 Numerical Analysis 3 INME423 Project Planning and Management 3
CHEM405 Solid State Chemistry 2 BIME 310 Biomedical Instrumentation I 3
BIME 411 Biomedical Instrumentation II 3
Required General Engineering Courses (9 Credits) BIME 441 Biomedical Sensors 3
MCHE213 Dynamics 3 BIME 411L Biomedical Instrumentation Lab 1
COMP208 Programming I 3 BIME 421 Biomedical Imaging I 3
INME221 Engineering Economy 3 BIME 422 Biomedical Imaging II 3
BIME 422L Biomedical Imaging Lab 1
Biomedical Engineering Technical Electives (12 Credits) BIME 432 Biological Materials 3
Tech. Elec. 3 BIME 500 Research Methodology 2
Tech. Elec. 3
Tech. Elec. 3
Tech. Elec. 3 Final Year Project and Internship (5 Credits)
BIME499
BIME501
Internship
Final Year Project I
1
1
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BIME502 Final Year Project II 3
CURRICULUM MAPPING

 Curriculum mapping is the process of displaying a curriculum to identify and address

academic gaps, redundancies, and misalignments for purposes of improving the
overall coherence of a degree program to meet student learning outcomes.

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CURRICULUM MAPPING: EXAMPLE

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