Summary of ABET requirements related to outcomes, assessments, etc.

Key Points

1. ABET is focused on specific student outcomes that the program must enable its students to attain. Our program outcomes are listed below. These outcomes are extremely broad but these are the ones that ABET has, in effect, specified.

2. Various courses in the curriculum are intended to help students achieve the various outcomes but we cannot demonstrate this by simply presenting the contents of these courses. Instead, we are required to have a documented assessment process that we follow regularly that assesses the extent to which each outcome is achieved, analyzes the results of the assessments, and identifies any weaknesses in the program as a whole to effect changes in the program with the goal of improving the extent to which the outcomes are achieved.

3. The assessment results as well as their analysis etc. must also be regularly documented.

4. The assessments are not just for use by individual instructors of particular courses but, rather, at the level of the program.

5. These assessments are not related to the assessments that a course instructor may conduct (for purposes of assigning course grades etc). They are different in the following respects:
   • The focus is on the extent to which program outcomes are achieved (rather than specific course topics although ...).
   • The focus is not on individual students but, rather, on the overall (average?) extent to which the outcomes are achieved.
   • The focus is on using the assessment results to inform program improvements.
   • The assessment process, the assessment results, the analysis/evaluation of the results, the identified program improvements must all be regularly documented.

BS-CSE program's student outcomes

1. an ability to apply knowledge of computing, mathematics including discrete mathematics as well as probability and statistics, science, and engineering;
2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
3. an ability to design, implement, and evaluate a software or a software/hardware system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as memory, runtime efficiency, as well as appropriate constraints related to economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability considerations;
4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;
5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
6. an understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities;
7. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
8. an ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society;
9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning and continuing professional development;
10. a knowledge of contemporary issues;
11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for practice as a CSE professional;
12. an ability to analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution;
13. an ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design choices;
14. an ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity.

Our current continuous improvement processes

1. POCAT
2. Student exit-survey
3. Alumni survey

1. Discussions in UGSC of POCAT results
2. Discussions in UGSC of the results of the surveys
3. Annual student forum and discussion of forum feedback in UGSC