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Engineering Programs Receive ABET Accreditation

A reception was held Friday to celebrate the recent accreditation of The University of Texas at Tyler’s engineering programs. “The ABET accreditation is another outstanding development for the university. The engineering faculty have put a great deal of work into this, and they are to be congratulated,” President Rodney H. Mabry said.

Dr. Troy Henson (second from left), dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, visits with (from left) Dr. Leonard Hale, founding dean of the UT Tyler School of Engineering; Dr. Rodney Mabry, UT Tyler president; and Brooks Nolan, Engineering Fellow, L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, during the celebration reception.

UT Tyler offers the only public university engineering program in East Texas. The need for a public engineering program in the East Texas region was identified in a 1994 study commissioned by the 14 public colleges and universities in 36 Northeast Texas counties.

The university offers bachelor’s degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering. Plans are underway to add civil and environmental engineering to the curriculum. Applicants are being sought to hold the position of the Ronald D. Brazzel professor of engineering and serve as the founding chair of the department of civil and environmental engineering.

“For engineering graduates it is extremely important to be a graduate of an ABET Engineering accredited program, primarily because of employment, licensure, graduate school admission, and just general reputation,” Dr. Troy Henson, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said.

The accreditation will help attract excellent students and faculty, grow enrollment, research, external funding and support the regional embracing of technology and economic development, with the resulting influx to the region of high paying job opportunities and cash input for accompanying services, he added.
“The Tyler Economic Development Council feels that the accreditation of UT Tyler engineering programs will further enhance Tyler’s growing reputation as a technology center,” Tom Mullins, president of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the Tyler Economic Development Council said.

The city of Tyler was ranked No. 2 on a list of “Best Performing Cities” by the Milken Institute for its creation of technology jobs.

“Having an accredited engineering program in the city is a huge advantage to continue being ranked at that level,” Mullins said.

“Many organizations, particularly large corporations or government organizations will not consider engineering graduates unless their degrees are from ABET Engineering accredited programs,” Dr. Henson said.

Graduation from an ABET Engineering accredited program also is a requirement in most states to become licensed as a professional engineer. Selective universities won’t admit students into an engineering graduate program unless their undergraduate degree is from an ABET Engineering accredited program.

“The overall reputation that comes with ABET Engineering accreditation is important, even when not an absolute requirement, in order to recruit top students and outstanding faculty, acquire grants and gifts and acquire external research funding,” Dr. Henson explained.

UT Tyler’s engineering program was established in 1995 after then Gov. George W. Bush signed legislation approving the development. The legislation, House Bill 2187, was sponsored by Sen. Bill Ratliff (R-Mount Pleasant) and former Rep. Ted Kamel.

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