AMES, Iowa -- Ten undergraduate programs in Iowa State's College of Engineering have earned reaccreditation from ABET, Inc., the recognized accreditor of university applied science, computing, engineering and technology programs.
The programs are aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, construction engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering and mechanical engineering.
"The reaccreditation process is a valuable tool that helps us to continually improve our college and assure quality programs for our students," said Mark J. Kushner, the dean of the college. "And this reaccreditation is strong evidence the college is moving toward its goal of becoming a leader in producing innovative graduates and academic programs that focus on meeting the needs of society."
As part of the reaccreditation process, college departments prepared self-studies during the 2005-2006 academic year. Program evaluators visited the departments last October.
That led to correspondence and meetings between the college and ABET and a recent accreditation decision from the organization's Engineering Accreditation Commission.
ABET considers several factors in accreditation decisions, including students, faculty, facilities and the professional components of a program. The organization says the accreditation process "is assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For example, an accredited engineering program must meet the quality standards set by the engineering profession."
Iowa State's College of Engineering enrolled 4,445 students during the fall 2006 semester.