Wilkes-Barre, Pa., September 30, 2022 - King’s College’s civil engineering and mechanical engineering programs have successfully attained accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, the global accrediting body for college and university engineering programs.
King’s College launched its Bachelor of Science programs in civil engineering and mechanical engineering in the 2017-18 academic year. The new programs complemented the existing “3+2” dual degree program in which students can complete three years of pre-engineering studies at King’s College and two years of specialized engineering studies with the University of Notre Dame or Washington University in St. Louis.
ABET accreditation ensures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.
“Receiving our ABET accreditation is the next meaningful step in the process of building our new engineering programs and signals that what we’ve built is not only successful but also has longevity,” said Paul Lamore, Ph.D., Chair of the Engineering Department.
The College’s civil engineering program prepares students to plan, design, and oversee the construction and maintenance of the built environment, such as buildings, bridges, and airports while the mechanical engineering program teaches students how to put machines to work for people through science, design, and fabrication.
In addition to traditional learning, both four-year programs provide practical experience through construction site visits, networking events, attendance at local and regional professional engineering meetings, internships, and undergraduate research. The programs are also supported by the College’s core liberal arts curriculum, which enhances technical skills with transferable professional skills desired by all employers.
“Our engineering program has rapidly grown since its introduction in 2017, and we expect it will continue to grow with this accreditation,” added Rev. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C., Ph.D., president of King’s College. “I am so grateful to Fr. Jack Ryan, my predecessor, for his vision and bold initiative in starting an engineering program at King’s. It has been a significant addition to our academic offerings and supports our vision of forming graduates who will mobilize their talents for the common good.”
Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance. Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities, and institutional support and are conducted by teams of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia, and government, with expertise in the ABET disciplines.
Accreditation for the College’s program extends retroactively from October 1, 2018, through to September 30, 2028, when the institution will seek re-accreditation. With this achievement, King’s College becomes one of only three Catholic institutions in Pennsylvania to have multiple engineering programs accredited through ABET, an AACSB accredited business school, and nationally accredited health science programs.
Prospective students interested in learning more about the College’s civil, mechanical, or dual degree engineering programs should visit kings.edu/engineering or email Paul Lamore at paullamore@kings.edu.
