First in the Nation: UMD B.S. Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering Receives ABET Accreditation

Originally published by MocoShow.com (10/14/24)

In October 2024, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (or ABET), granted accreditation to the University of Maryland’s Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering (CPSE) program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG); making it the first cyber-physical systems engineering program to be ABET-accredited at the undergraduate level. Cyber-physical systems programs were previously graduate-level academic or professional degrees or specializations in other disciplines.

About ABET Accreditation
ABET is a nonprofit organization that peer reviews individual educational programs based on eight specific criteria: students, program education objectives, student outcomes, continuous improvement, curriculum, faculty, facilities, and institutional support. Ultimately, an ABET accreditation indicates that the quality and standards of the CPSE program adequately prepare students for the global workforce.

“ABET is an internationally recognized and respected leader in assuring quality engineering education, and receiving its seal of approval is an important milestone for a brand new program like the Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering.”

– Dr. R. D. Gomez, CPSE Program Director

The accreditation was granted as part of the ABET accreditation of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland in 2024, for which 11 programs are fully accredited. This recognition opens many doors for UMD’s CPSE community. For one, most national and international companies and academic institutions only hire graduates from ABET-accredited programs. ABET accreditation is also necessary for obtaining professional licenses and paves the way for graduates to work internationally since ABET is recognized worldwide.

UMD CPSE’s Journey to ABET Accreditation
The CPSE major, whose initial student cohort began in the Fall of 2020, became eligible for ABET accreditation in Spring 2022. The process required a detailed data-driven Self-Study Report which addressed each criterion set by ABET. The self-study report was a team effort that involved the UMD Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty and administration. The assessment included a site visit by representatives from the technical organizations comprising ABET, who interviewed all constituents – students, faculty, staff, alumni, and employers – and then evaluated and made recommendations to the University of Maryland. The findings were communicated to the CPSE Director, Dr. Romel Gomez, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair, Dr. Sennur Ulukus, and the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, Dr. Donald Yeung. They found zero deficiencies or weaknesses in the CPSE program and granted full accreditation until the year 2030 when another ABET accreditation cycle will occur.

The CPSE program continues demonstrating its ability to create an innovative curriculum that grounds students in fundamental engineering principles, circuits, mathematics, and algorithms. And beyond the basics, it offers specialized topics in hardware-software codesign, advanced operating systems, embedded systems, and Internet of Things (IoT) that are core to the student’s ability to enter the workforce. By combining elements of computer science, electrical engineering, control systems, and mechanical engineering, the CPSE program develops students who can design, optimize, and deploy systems that interact with the physical world.

CPSE expects to be part of future ABET accreditation on “new frontiers in engineering” because this major heavily focuses on cutting-edge technologies, workforce development, and innovation while emphasizing design skills.

Interested in getting involved or learning more about the UMD Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering (CPSE) program offered at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) Rockville campus?

Please email them at es-sg@umd.edu or visit their website: https://shadygrove.ece.umd.edu/

Published October 22, 2024