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UCM BS in Software Engineering is First Such Program in Missouri to Earn Prestigious ABET Accreditation
By Jeff Murphy, October 4, 2021
WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥� A designation assuring students that their education meets critical
standards to prepare them for the STEM global workforce, the University of Central
Missouri鈥檚 Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering recently received ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation.
It is the first program of its kind in Missouri to receive this designation.
The B.S in Software Engineering is an academic program housed in the university鈥檚
School of Computer Science and Mathematics. ABET authorized the program鈥檚 accreditation
after an intensive review process that took 18 months. The university will seek reaccreditation
in six years, according to School Chair Xiaodong Yue, Ph.D., who also stressed the
importance of this designation.
鈥淕enerally speaking, it enhances students鈥� marketability and value of their degree,鈥�
Yue said. 鈥淪ome engineering firms and government agencies prefer students graduating
from ABET-accredited programs.鈥�
UCM previously earned ABET accreditation in two other technology areas within the
School of Computer Science and Mathematics. Having this most recent designation further
solidifies the university鈥檚 efforts to ensure the quality of its STEM-related offerings.
鈥淎s we had achieved ABET accreditation in both the Computer Science and Cybersecurity
programs in the last few years, and had witnessed the value of ABET's rigorous standards
and our own introspection on the quality of those programs, we knew from its inception
that our Software Engineering program would benefit from early engagement in the ABET
process,鈥� said Belinda Copus, Ph.D., undergraduate program coordinator for computer
science and software engineering. 鈥淭he accreditation of our program underscores the
quality of its academics, the value we are delivering to students, and the commitment
of our faculty to continuous improvement.鈥�
She added, 鈥淎ccredited programs are trusted for a reason. Software Engineering at
UCM transforms students into competent software engineers who are ready for careers
in industry or graduate studies in software engineering and related disciplines.鈥�
The ABET website notes advantages of accreditation such as:
- Providing verification that a student鈥檚 educational experience meets the global standard for technical education in their profession;
- Enhancing employment opportunities, particularly among multinational corporations that require graduation from an accredited program;
- Offering support for a graduate鈥檚 entry to a technical profession through licensure, registration and certification 鈥� all which often require as a minimum qualification graduation from an ABET-accredited program;
- Establishing a student鈥檚 eligibility for many federal loans, grants and scholarships; and
- Paving the way for students to work globally as ABET accreditation is recognized worldwide, and many countries鈥� national accrediting systems are based on the ABET model.
Yue said an academic program must meet at least eight criteria to become ABET accredited.
Theses focus areas cover students, program educational objectives, student outcomes,
continuous improvement, curriculum, faculty, facilities, and institutional support.
He noted that to be considered for ABET accreditation, the program curriculum must
include computing fundamentals, software design and construction, requirements analysis,
security, verification, and validation; software engineering processes and tools appropriate
for the development of complex software systems; and discrete mathematics, probability
and statistics, with applications appropriate to software engineering.
Yue also added, 鈥淭he program must demonstrate that faculty members teaching core software
engineering topics have an understanding of professional practice in software engineering
and are current in their areas of professional or scholarly specialization.鈥�
With a significant shortage of software engineers nationwide, the job prospects for
students pursuing a degree in software engineering 鈥� particularly from an ABET institution
鈥� are excellent. Individuals who want to learn more about UCM鈥檚 B.S. in Software Engineering
are encouraged to visit the program website . They can also contact Copus at 660-543-4354 or copus@ucmo.edu.