FAQ for Master's Level Engineering Programs Seeking Accreditation

This document provides advice with respect to certain criteria issues and the completion of the Self-Study Questionnaire for engineering programs that seek accreditation under the General Criteria for Masters Level Programs.

This document is advisory only and does not supersede or replace any part of the Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. Accreditation decisions rest solely with the Engineering Accreditation Commission relative to the Criteria.

If you have any questions, please contact the Accreditation Department.

Must a five-year master's program meet all of the criteria for baccalaureate programs?  

YES. The Masters Level Criteria require "fulfillment of the baccalaureate level general criteria."

In what ways, if any, must the program educational objectives and the student outcomes required for a master's program be different than those for a baccalaureate program? 

1. Criterion 2 requires program educational objectives to be consistent with the mission of the program, the needs of the program's various constituencies, and these criteria. Therefore, the objectives must be consistent with the required additional "one year of academic study beyond the baccalaureate level," and demonstration that "graduates have an ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area."
2. Criterion 3 requires the program to have documented student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the program educational objectives. Student outcomes are outcomes (a) through (k) plus any additional outcomes that may be articulated by the program. Therefore, the outcomes must be consistent with the required additional "one year of academic study beyond the baccalaureate level," and demonstration that "graduates have an ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area."
3. Criterion 4 requires programs to regularly use appropriate, documented processes for assessing and evaluating the extent to which both the program educational objectives and the student outcomes are being attained. The results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement of the program. The required processes must use measurements that relate to the curriculum used by the program. Thus, a master's level program is expected to use measurements that relate to the master's level curriculum for the applicable outcomes in addition to measurements taken from the parts of the curriculum normally associated with a baccalaureate program.

Must the "major design experience" required by Criterion 5 be separate from the demonstration of "an ability to apply master's level knowledge" required by General Criteria for Masters Level Programs? 

These are two different requirements and are normally fulfilled through two different activities. Although there is no explicit prohibition of combining the two, the program must take care to assure all related requirements of the design experience are met when combined activities are used. Experience indicates programs that use individual project activities for the master's level requirement have difficulty using this activity for the design experience.

Can a master's program that admits only students with ABET accredited undergraduate degrees demonstrate only the requirements of the Masters Level Criteria in their assessment and evaluation activities and in the Self-Study Report submitted to ABET? May we assume that all requirements of the Baccalaureate Level Criteria have been met? 

NO. Fulfillment of the Baccalaureate Level Criteria is still required and must be demonstrated as described below. All of Criterion 1 applies to the students in this type of program. In particular, the program must show evidence under Criterion 1 that they admit only students with ABET accredited undergraduate degrees. Any deviation from this restriction for this type of program would not be acceptable.

Criterion 2 requires program educational objectives to be consistent with the mission of the program, the needs of the program's various constituencies, and these criteria. Therefore, the objectives must be consistent with the required "one year of academic study beyond the baccalaureate level," and demonstration that "graduates have an ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area."

Criterion 2 also requires a documented and effective process, involving program constituencies, for the periodic review and revision of these program educational objectives. Thus, a master's program must meet this requirement relative to the constituencies of the master's program. Programs of the same discipline name that seek accreditation at both the baccalaureate and master's levels (dual level accreditation) must meet this requirement separately.

Criterion 3 requires the program to have documented student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the program educational objectives. Student outcomes are outcomes (a) through (k) plus any additional outcomes that may be articulated by the program. Therefore, the outcomes must be consistent with the required additional "one year of academic study beyond the baccalaureate level," and demonstration that "graduates have an ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area."

Criterion 4 requires programs to regularly use appropriate, documented processes for assessing and evaluating the extent to which both the program educational objectives and the student outcomes are being attained. The results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement of the program. The required processes must use measurements that relate to all program educational objectives and to the student outcomes that relate to the curriculum used by the program. Thus, a master's level program that admits only students with ABET accredited degrees must assess and evaluate all program educational objectives and only those outcomes that apply to the master's level curriculum.

Criterion 4 also requires that the results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement. Evidence of such actions for the master's program must be provided.

Criterion 5 requires a curriculum with components that are "appropriate to the discipline" and "appropriate to the student's field of study." The Masters Level Criteria require demonstration of an "ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area." Thus, students that pursue a master level program in a "program area" different than their undergraduate degrees are expected to take baccalaureate level courses as needed for the master's level program.

Criteria 6, 7, 8 and 9 must be demonstrated relative to the "specialized area of engineering related to the program area."

How does a master's program that admits students with non-accredited undergraduate engineering and/or non-engineering degrees address the requirement to fulfill the baccalaureate level general criteria?  

All of the requirements described above for programs that admit only students with ABET accredited undergraduate degrees also apply to this case.

In addition, provisions must be made for students with non-accredited undergraduate engineering and non-engineering degrees to take baccalaureate level courses as needed to fulfill all of the baccalaureate level general criteria and be adequately prepared to demonstrate an "ability to apply master's level knowledge in a specialized area of engineering related to the program area."

How do we use the Self-Study Questionnaire Template for a Masters Level accreditation? 

1. The cover page should clearly show accreditation is sought relative to the General Criteria for Masters Level Programs. A section should be added at the outset of the Background Information section that informs the Program Evaluator that the program seeks Masters Level accreditation and whether the program is a five-year program or a one-year program. The admission requirements should be briefly described for a one-year program.
2. Information must be provided for all nine General Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs. The questions answered and tables provided should be altered to provide the information required as described in the FAQs above.
3. Information must be provided for the section titled General Criteria for Masters Level Programs.
4. Information must be provided for all Appendixes. The questions answered and tables provided should be altered to provide information relative to the program.