Penn State Behrend computer science program earns ABET accreditation

ERIE, Pa. — The computer science program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, the recognized accreditor of university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. The designation is retroactive to 2015.

The Behrend program is the only accredited computer science program at Penn State.

ABET accreditation demonstrates a program’s commitment to providing its students with a quality education. Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process that evaluates program curricula, faculty expertise, facilities, institutional support and other factors.

Many employers, including the federal government, require a diploma from an ABET-accredited program for employment in certain technical fields. Industry licensing and certification groups also use ABET standards to screen applicants.

All academic programs in the School of Engineering at Penn State Behrend are now accredited by ABET, which monitors programs at more than 750 colleges and universities in 30 countries.

Graduates of the school’s computer science program enter a favorable job market: The median annual salary for a computer scientist is nearly $112,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment of computer and information research scientists is expected to grow 11 percent by 2024, outpacing growth in most other occupations.

“ABET accreditation is an affirmation of the commitment by our faculty and staff to deliver quality programs that are recognized by industry and graduate institutions,” said Ed Evans, interim director of the School of Engineering at Penn State Behrend. “Our students succeed because we teach to the standards that will be expected of them by even the most rigorous technical employers.”