Should I switch majors? UCSD Computer Engineering is not ABER accredited...

Corbett
Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:54:34 +0000

Fields like civil, chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering are subject to state regulation and licensing laws. State engineering boards always prefer or require ABET degrees. So as a general rule, engineering departments in such fields get ABET accredited, even in cases (like electrical) where only a small fraction of graduates will be affected by licensure requirements.

Other fields, like biomedical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science, are completely unregulated. Since there is no such thing as a professional license in these fields, an ABET degree has no legal advantage over a non-ABET degree. So ABET accreditation is basically voluntary. Many top schools don’t bother.