Shippensburg University’s computer and software engineering programs have received certification from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), a signifier of SU’s quality of education, according to administrators.

SU is the only school in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to have three bachelor degree programs in the field. A fourth program, electrical engineering, was added in 2015 and has been designed to meet national accreditation standards that will further propel the future of the school's department, according to an SU press release.

“It is indicative of the high quality of Shippensburg University’s engineering programs that the Computer Engineering and Software Engineering programs were recently accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), thus becoming the first ABET accredited engineering degree programs among the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education,” SU Provost Barbara Lyman said. “This is even more important to us than being the first institution in the state system to offer bachelor’s degrees in engineering — we had initiated three before any of the other institutions had created their first engineering programs.”

James Mike, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the engineering programs are a complement to the strong math and science faculty that are already present at the school.

“The addition of a program such as engineering is a testament to the resources that have been present for some time. The presence of such a program at a state university allows students to obtain a quality bachelor’s degree for a fraction of the price, when compared to schools such as Penn State. Slippery Rock University has recently approved industrial and petroleum engineering programs, but unlike the SU programs, they lack the ABET accreditation," Mike said.

Mike said the engineering department invites organizations to come in and evaluate the program based on worldwide standards set by ABET.

“They evaluate our facilities, our faculty’s qualifications and how we provide opportunities for our students to engage internally and externally within the business community. These standards are developed over time by professionals in the field and, in turn, they let us know where we stand when compared with their standards,” Mike said.

More than 250 undergraduate students are currently enrolled, showing continued growth of the program, according to an SU press release

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