CAS IT First in Ohio to Receive ABET Accreditation

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Degree offered by the Applied Science of the University of Cincinnati is now accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.

A check of the ABET website shows only ten degrees to be accredited in IT, information technology, across the country with the Applied Science as the only Ohio college with an IT bachelor of science degree accredited by ABET, Inc. Full listings and details are available on the ABET website- www.abet.org.

ABET works closely with the SIGITE interest group of ACM, Association for Computing Machinery, to set the body of knowledge that professionals in information technology are expected to master and practice. Industry and education professionals are then teamed to conduct the accreditation process. Accreditation called for extensive preparation by the department as every aspect of the curriculum and its instruction are examined and approved by the examiners.

" The accreditation team from ABET included Lois Mansfield of Raytheon Company in Plano, Texas; Stephen Itoga of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, Hawaii; and William Owen of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. As particular strengths of the CAS program the team cited:

• A well designed program with a selection from multiple tracks,
• Student pleasure with the "hands-on" instruction and access to faculty, and
• The co-op program that serves the students and employers.

In commenting on the college's latest accreditation success, Dean Richard Newrock offered, "The accreditation process validates the quality and content of our IT program. ABET holds to high standards. Degrees with their accreditation are among the best offered anywhere. We view ourselves as a leader in technical education and welcome having our programs stand to their scrutiny."

The college's technology based degrees in mechanical engineering technology, manufacturing engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, computer engineering technology, civil and construction engineering technology, and architectural engineering technology are accredited by the Technical Accreditation Commission of ABET.

The Applied Science has a student body of more than 1,750 students and is one of the fifteen colleges of the University of Cincinnati. The college provides hands-on instruction in state-of-the-art facilities for a range of technology and business oriented based degrees. Degrees tailored to the needs of 21st century organizations and employers.

ABET, Inc., the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology, is a federation of 29 professional and technical societies representing these fields. Among the most respected accreditation organizations in the U.S., ABET has provided leadership and quality assurance in higher education for over 75 years.

ABET currently accredits some 2,800 programs at more than 600 colleges and universities nationwide. Over 1,500 dedicated volunteers participate annually in ABET activities.

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