By Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities
RICHLAND, Wash. – Two computer science and two engineering degree programs at Washington State University Tri-Cities are independently accredited respectively by the Computing Accreditation Commission and the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Until this year, the programs were accredited by the appropriate commissions of ABET under the umbrella of the corresponding programs on the WSU Pullman campus. The bachelor of arts and bachelor of science in computer science and bachelors of science in electrical and mechanical engineering at WSU Tri-Cities have now received their own accreditations, relying on the courses and catalog sections of the corresponding Pullman programs under the “one degree” principle.
“ABET is an organization that comprises engineering and computer science experts who are highly acclaimed in the United States and represent industry, academia and government,” said Joseph Iannelli, executive director of the WSU Tri-Cities computer science and engineering programs. “ABET determined that WSU Tri-Cities’ engineering and computer science programs meet the quality standards that produce graduates prepared to enter a global workforce.”
Chancellor Keith Moo-Young agreed: “Students at WSU Tri-Cities receive a polytechnic education that is rooted in hands-on, project-based programming connecting directly to the professional sector,” he said. “This is just another validation of the rigor and academic excellence at WSU Tri-Cities.”
Iannelli said WSU Tri-Cities will also seek independent accreditation for the civil engineering program on its campus. It was not necessary to do so this year because current accreditation is still active, under the corresponding program through WSU Pullman.
WSU Tri-Cities joins the Pullman and Vancouver campuses in holding independent accreditations for computer science and engineering programs through ABET. All WSU engineering and computer science programs, nevertheless, remain integral components of the WSU Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, Iannelli said.
“We are one college, one faculty that is geographically distributed,” he said.
Contacts:
Joseph Iannelli, WSU Tri-Cities engineering and computer science, 509-372-7420, joseph.iannelli@tricity.wsu.edu
Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities public relations, 509-372-7333, Maegan.murray@tricity.wsu.edu