Augustana’s engineering program earns accreditation

Augustana College’s Bachelor of Science degree program in Engineering has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, a nonprofit, ISO 9001-certified quality assurance organization, a news release says.

Through the accreditation of academic programs, recognition of credentials and assessment of student learning, ABET supports excellence in education worldwide.

“ABET accreditation gives students confidence in the rigor of our engineering program while preserving what makes an Augustana education distinctive: close faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary learning and opportunities to apply what they know," said Nathan Frank, professor of physics and chair of physics, engineering and astronomy

This marks the first ABET accreditation for Augustana’s Engineering (Bachelor of Science) program and reflects the continued growth of engineering within the college’s liberal arts and sciences tradition, says the release.

ABET accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.

Nathan Frank, professor of physics and chair of physics, engineering and astronomy, said the accreditation reflects both the strength of Augustana’s engineering program and the broader educational experience it provides students.

“ABET accreditation gives students confidence in the rigor of our engineering program while preserving what makes an Augustana education distinctive: close faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary learning and opportunities to apply what they know,” Frank said. “Our engineering program is unique given we train engineers to solve real-world problems with all of the perspectives informed from a deep rooted liberal arts tradition.”

Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision and safety are of the utmost importance.

Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities and institutional support and are conducted by teams of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia and government, with expertise in the ABET disciplines.

ABET currently accredits 4,773 programs at 930 colleges and universities in 41 countries and areas as of Oct. 1, 2024.

More information about ABET, its member societies and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found here.

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