Accreditation

In the United States, accreditation is a non-governmental, peer review process that ensures educational quality. Educational institutions or programs volunteer to periodically undergo this review to determine if minimum criteria are being met. Accreditation verifies that an institution or program meets the criteria, ensuring a quality educational experience.

There are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation evaluates overall institutional quality. Regional accreditation of institutions is one form of this. Specialized accreditation, however, examines specific programs of study to determine if graduates are prepared to enter the profession. This type of accreditation is granted to specific programs at specific levels. Programs of architecture, nursing, law, medicine and engineering are often evaluated through this type of accreditation.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

The Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (COCNASC) provides institutional accreditation for Oregon State University. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) provides specialized accreditation for

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science (Computer Systems Option)
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Forest Engineering
• Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering
• Radiation Health Physics

• The American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) provides specialized accreditation for Construction Management.

ABET (http://www.abet.org/)
ACCE (http://acce-hq.org/)
COCNASC (http://www.cocnasc.org/)