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A more liberal approach to engineering education
January 31, 2008
Even engineering programs have to “keep up with the Joneses.”
In order to make engineering students well-rounded when they enter the workforce, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has taken steps to encourage more liberal arts schools to have engineering programs.
Beginning in 2001, engineering programs had to follow the ABET’s new standards, which are less technical and more compatible with a liberal arts curriculum.
Companies that have experience with engineers new to the work force, such as Boeing and Texas Instruments, were influential in bringing about the change in standards, because of their observations of new workers lacking experience and perspective.
Changing the standards was also intended to encourage more women and minorities to get into the field by offering them a less intimidating environment where they aren’t as outnumbered as they would be at large engineering schools.
Liberal arts schools around the country have since added engineering programs, but perhaps most notable have been women’s schools. Wellesley College and Smith College (see a speech on the topic given by RPI President, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson), two of the top women’s schools in the country, had new engineering programs introduced in the past eight years.
According to National Science Foundation statistics, eleven percent of professional engineers are women. With only a small percentage of engineers being female, programs available only to women could potentially be very influential and encouraging for women interested in the industry.
Other sources point to more simple reasons this expansion will benefit engineering students. One blogger makes the case that students will have the chance to learn in a more diverse environment, surrounded by different fields of study at liberal arts schools with new programs, as opposed to big engineering schools. These so-called “real universities” will offer students a better example of the real world that awaits them, both socially and professionally.
While career preparation is of vital importance, these social advantages can’t be overlooked, especially with the stresses and pressures of the academic experience.
According to statistics on the ABET Web site, in the five years following the implementation of the new standards in 2001, institutions offering accredited engineering programs increased from 332 to 364 and engineering programs increased from 1,618 to 1,787. Visit the ABET Web site for a list of accredited programs.
Posted by Jessica MacNeil on January 31, 2008 | Comments (0)
