Rockhurst Engineering Programs Celebrate Accreditation

Rockhurst University’s civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs are now fully accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

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.

Doug Dunham, Ph.D., University provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, said in an email to campus that full accreditation has been the goal since Rockhurst announced a partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City to offer engineering degrees in 2012. He also recognized the faculty and administrators from both institutions for their work in achieving that goal. Deb O'Bannon, Ph.D., P.E., engineering program director, said the moment is cause for celebration for students past, present and future.

“Achieving accreditation is a watershed moment for the program and enables Rockhurst engineering alumni to easily attain professional licensure,” she said.

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 is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that currently accredits 4,361 programs at 850 colleges and universities in 41 countries and areas.