Accreditation Questions
All degrees granted at California Baptist University are accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Universities (WASC).
In addition, all of CBU’s engineering programs are being designed with a view toward receiving secondary accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) which accredits all engineering and computer science degree programs. We will be seeking this additional accreditation at the earliest allowable date by ABET which is immediately following the first graduates in the spring of 2011. The accreditation would be retroactive to the first graduating class.
CBU’s inaugural dean is well acquainted with the ABET accreditation process. Under his leadership, his former school’s electrical engineering program went from a worst case “show cause” immediately prior to his arrival to an outstanding review and accreditation before he left. One of our new faculty hires was also in charge of his departments’ accreditation team at his former school.
Accreditation is a formative not a punitive process. One of the goals is to help in the development of quality engineering programs that have not “arrived” so to speak but have the constituent support and processes in place to ensure a continually improving quality engineering program. An ABET team visit in the Fall of 2011 is preceded by several years of ongoing planning and preparation culminating in a program review document. Following the visit they issue a report which outlines any concerns, weaknesses or deficiencies. At that point we would have the opportunity to address and correct any issues prior to their final assessment and vote the following summer. Since we fully intend on seeking accreditation, we obviously would be proactive in our response.
Essential in the accreditation process is putting together an outstanding assessment team made up of the various stakeholders: parents, students, prospective employers and CBU personnel. Since his arrival the dean has been visiting companies throughout Southern California and is gathering a very strong team of people from the engineering community. He is adding to that group daily. If you are excited about the vision for CBU’s school of engineering and are interested in being apart of the assessment team please contact him at Anthony Donaldson (adonaldson@calbaptist.edu or 951.343.4841)
ABET Accreditation Details
Program Educational Objectives – Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve.
Program Outcomes – Program outcomes are narrower statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge,
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have:
- an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
- an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
- an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
- an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
- an ability to communicate effectively
- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
- a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
- a knowledge of contemporary issues
- an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.