MARQUETTE, Mich.—Northern Michigan University’s electronic engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology bachelor's degree programs have been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. ABET Inc. has set the higher-education standards in the fields of applied science, computing, engineering and technology for nearly 75 years.

“ABET accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing students with a quality education and ensures that our programs remain current,” said Mike Rudisill, head of the engineering technology department at NMU. “It also provides an added value to our alumni, who can assure potential employers that they are graduates from one of the premier engineering technology programs in the country.”

Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process that requires programs to undergo comprehensive, periodic evaluations. The evaluations are conducted by teams of volunteer professionals working in industry, government, academe and private practice within the ABET disciplines. They focus on curricula, faculty, facilities, institutional support and other areas.  

One of the key elements of ABET accreditation is the requirement that programs continuously improve the quality of education provided. As part of this continuous improvement requirement, programs set specific, measurable goals for their students and graduates, assess their success at reaching those goals and improve their programs based on the results of their assessment. 

Accreditation helps students and their parents choose quality college programs, enables employers and graduate schools to recruit individuals they know are well-prepared and allows registration, licensure and certification boards to screen applicants.

ABET is a not-for-profit organization, owned and operated by its more than 25 professional and technical member societies. For more information about NMU’s baccalaureate programs in engineering technology, visit www.nmu.edu/engineering.