Mechanical Engineering Curricula: A Baseline Study for the Future Effects of ABET EC2000

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is recognized by the US Department of Education as the sole agency responsible for accreditation of educational programs leading to degrees in engineering, engineering technology, and related engineering areas. Starting in 2001, engineering programs are being accredited under the new Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000). The philosophy of Engineering Criteria 2000 is to allow institutions and programs to define their mission and objectives to meet the needs of their constituents and enable program differentiation. Emphasis is placed on continuous improvement of programs based on the input of constituents and a process that links outcomes and assessment to program objectives. This paper is a preliminary study of selected mechanical engineering programs to discern the impact of EC2000 on curriculum development. Data on the layout and composition of mechanical engineering curricula for nine schools in the United States with PhD programs and nine schools without PhD programs are presented. This research establishes a baseline for these mechanical engineering programs at the beginning of EC2000 implementation. A follow-on study in two to three years in envisioned. This follow-on study will compare results and identify any significant changes in curricula as the EC2000 assessment process matures.