Last year, Tarleton’s Mechanical Engineering program submitted an application to become an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) approved program.

ABET is the standard for a quality education across the globe. This past week the results came back and Tarleton’s mechanical engineering program is ABET approved. This approval is a huge step in Tarleton’s growth as it gives new students confidence in the curriculum. Mechanical now joins the Civil, Electrical and Environmental Engineering degrees in ABET approval. All four of the degree programs will join together in a re-accreditation cycle with the next being in the 2023-2024 school year. Tarleton must uphold ABET’s Student Outcomes to remain accredited.

This approval is retroactive back to Oct. of 2017, so every person that has graduated from the program has an ABET approved degree. Having graduated from an ABET approved program gives Tarleton graduates a leg up on other graduates. This includes having an easier time finding jobs, getting into graduate schools and passing the Professional Engineering Evaluation.

The Student Outcomes for the Mechanical Engineering program are defined as the ABET Criterion 3.1-7 Outcomes. Graduates of the Mechanical Engineering program will have demonstrated the ability to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.With Tarleton’s growth the current number of instructors will soon need to be increased. The Mechanical Engineering program has around 150 students enrolled this year and the number is predicted to increase as Tarleton grows