Abet program criteria training

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TRAINING
Program Criteria For Electrical,
Computer, Communications,
Telecommunication(s), and Similarly
Named Engineering Programs
CEAA Training Committee

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Overview
 Program Criteria For Electrical, Computer, Communications,
Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs
 Not covered by ABET training
 For both new and existing CEAA PEVs
 This presentation is distributed to all Mentors and PEVs
 Self-study and self-evaluation by PEVs
 Vehicle for Interaction With Your Mentors
 Contents of This Package
 The Current Criteria and Definitions of Shortcomings
 Case studies (with somewhat clear answers)
 Case statement and options to choose
 Answer and related notes
 Statistics and Metrics
 General Guidance to PEVs

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Programs & Program Criteria
 The primary programs and associated
program criteria for which IEEE has
responsibility are:
 ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, COMMUNICATIONS,
TELECOMMUNICATION(S), AND SIMILARLY NAMED
ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
 For reference the program criteria for the
above are shown in the next four slides

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CURRENT PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR
ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, COMMUNICATIONS, TELECOMMUNICATION(S) AND
SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
(1 / 3)
PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, COMMUNICATIONS,
TELECOMMUNICATION(S) AND SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
Lead Society: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Cooperating Society for Computer Engineering Programs: CSAB
 These program criteria apply to engineering programs that include “electrical,”
“electronic(s),” “computer,” “communication(s),” telecommunication(s), or
similar modifiers in their titles.
 1. Curriculum
 The structure of the curriculum must provide both breadth and depth across
the range of engineering topics implied by the title of the program.
 The curriculum must include probability and statistics, including applications
appropriate to the program name; mathematics through differential and
integral calculus; sciences (defined as biological, chemical, or physical
science); and engineering topics (including computing science) necessary to
analyze and design complex electrical and electronic devices, software, and
systems containing hardware and software components. .
Curriculum Description Continued on Next Slide

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CURRENT PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR
ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, COMMUNICATIONS, TELECOMMUNICATION(S) AND
SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
(2/ 3)
The curriculum for programs containing the modifier “electrical,”
“electronic(s),” “communication(s),” or “telecommunication(s)” in the title
must include advanced mathematics, such as differential equations,
linear algebra, complex variables, and discrete mathematics.
The curriculum for programs containing the modifier “computer” in the
title must include discrete mathematics.
The curriculum for programs containing the modifier
“communication(s)” or “telecommunication(s)” in the title must
include topics in communication theory and systems.
The curriculum for programs containing the modifier
“telecommunication(s)” must include design and operation of
telecommunication networks for services such as voice, data, image,
and video transport.

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Other Program Criteria
 IEEE is a co-lead society for two other program
criteria:
 Optical, Photonic and Similarly Named Engineering
Programs
 Systems and Similarly Named Engineering Programs
 As a IEEE PEV you may be assigned to evaluate
one of the above programs
 For reference, the two slides immediately
following this slide contain the program criteria for
the above programs

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Current Program Criteria for Optical, Photonic,
and Similarly Named Engineering Programs:
 PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR OPTICAL, PHOTONIC AND SIMILARLY NAMED
ENGINEERING PROGRAMS:
 These program criteria apply to all engineering programs that include "optical,"
"photonic,” or similar modifiers in their titles.
1. Curriculum
 The structure of the curriculum must provide both breadth and depth across the
range of engineering topics implied by the title of the program. The curriculum
must prepare students to have knowledge of and appropriate laboratory
experience in: geometrical optics, physical optics, optical materials, and optical
and/or photonic devices and systems.
 The curriculum must prepare students to apply principles of engineering, basic
sciences, mathematics (such as multivariable calculus, differential equations,
linear algebra, complex variables, and probability and statistics) to modeling,
analyzing, designing, and realizing optical and/or photonic devices and systems.
2. Faculty
 Faculty members who teach courses with significant design content must be
qualified by virtue of design experience as well as subject matter knowledge.

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Current Program Criteria for Systems and
Similarly Named Engineering Programs
PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR SYSTEMS AND SIMILARLY
NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
These program criteria apply to engineering
programs that include “systems (without other
modifiers)” in their title.
There are no program- specific criteria beyond
the General Criteria.

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Information only
 IEEE is a cooperating society for these
program criteria:
 Bioengineering
 Biological engineering
 Engineering management
 Ocean engineering
 Software engineering
 Although IEEE does not have responsibility for
assigning PEVs to the above programs you
may work closely with PEVs from other
societies who are evaluating them.

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Key Terms
 The Next Two Slides Contain the
 Terminology and Definitions of Shortcomings
 Working Definitions of Key Terms
 Many Experienced PEVs and Team Chairs Have Found
the Working Definitions Very Useful on Actual Visits-
They are included here because they may be helpful
when you are analyzing the case studies

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Terminology
 Deficiency – criterion, policy, or procedure is
NOT satisfied.
 Weakness – lacks the strength of compliance
with a criterion, policy, or procedure to ensure
that the quality of the program will not be
compromised.
 Concern – criterion policy, or procedure is
satisfied; however, the potential exists for the
situation to change such that the criterion,
policy, or procedure may not be satisfied.

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Working Definition of Key Terms
 Deficiency: assigned to any criterion, policy, or
procedure that is totally or largely unmet
 Weakness: criterion, policy, or procedure is met to
some meaningful extent, but compliance is
insufficient to fully satisfy requirements
 Concern: criterion, policy, or procedure is fully met,
but there is potential for non-compliance in the near
future
 Observation: general commentary possibly, but not
related to criteria

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Shortcoming Areas from Previous
Visits (2011 to 2014)
 From Fall 2011 through Fall 2014, before Due
Process, there were 30 shortcomings in the
Program Criteria.
 The shortcomings were in the following areas:
 No application of Probability and Statistics in the
program
 Lack of breadth across the range of engineering topics
 No computing hardware in the program
 No discrete math in Computer Engineering Program

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Case Studies
 List of Case Studies
 Case Study 1- Which Program Criteria?
 Case Study 2- Meeting Program Requirements
 Case Study 3- Discrete Math
 Case Study 4- Probability and Statistics
 Case Study 5- This isn’t really a case study- it is notes and initial
guidance for programs having the terms “Communications” or
“Telecommunication(s)” in their title
 These are new program criteria (for relatively new subject areas) so
we have no case studies. The information here is presented as
guidance only for understanding the typical contents of and
differences between each type of program- THIS INFORMATION IS
NOT AN ABET REQUIREMENT- THE REQUIREMENT(S) ARE IN
THE PROGRAM CRITERIA STATEMENT- SEE EARLIER)
 If questions arise for these programs PLEASE do not hesitate to
contact your mentor(s)

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Case study 1:Which Program Criteria?
An IEEE PEV visits a program at University X. The program is officially listed in the self-study and university
catalog as Computer and Software Engineering. The program is headed by a department chair who is
responsible for both options. Most of the faculty teach courses in both options with some assigned only to topics
associated with software engineering while a couple of faculty are assigned only to the hardware-centric
computer engineering option. In your initial telephone contact with the program head, she indicated that the
program had originally been named Computer Engineering, but since the last visit the curriculum had been
reorganized to offer software engineering with the new name Computer and Software Engineering. She
suggested that the applicable program criteria would be “Program Criteria For Electrical, Computer,
Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs” since the program
had been evaluated against this program criteria during previous visits. Graduates who took both the computer
engineering and the software engineering option graduated in the year prior to the upcoming visit.
Which program criteria should be used in the evaluation?
(1) CpE Program Criteria. The department head is right. The PEV should use Program Criteria For
Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering
Programs.
(2 CpE Program Criteria. Since Software Engineering and Computer Engineering are similar, Program
Criteria For Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named
Engineering Programs can be used.
(3) CpE Program as well as SE Criteria. The PEV must use both sets of Program Criteria: Program Criteria
For Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering
Programs as well as PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR SOFTWARE AND SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING
PROGRAMS. The PEV must be qualified to evaluate both Computer Engineering and Software Engineering
program. Otherwise, ABET must send two PEVs: one for Computer Engineering and one for Software
Engineering.

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Case study 1: Answer
 Choice (3) is correct. ABET EAC Criteria
document states that, “The applicable
Program Criteria are determined by the
technical specialties indicated by the title of
the program.”
 Since the program name is Computer and
Software Engineering, both sets of criteria
must be used, regardless of options.

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Current ABET criteria statement
 The applicable Program Criteria are
determined by the technical specialties
indicated by the title of the program.
Overlapping requirements need to be
satisfied only once. [Opening statements
following the Definitions section]

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Case study 2: Meeting Program
Requirements
An IEEE PEV is evaluating the Computer and Software Engineering department at University Y.
In reviewing curricular requirements, the PEV has noted different outcomes for Junior and Senior
level courses for Computer Engineering and Software Engineering options. Computer
engineering students take a microprocessor design course and a hardware design course prior
to taking a two-semester senior design project course. Some software topics are covered;
however the primary emphasis is hardware design. Software engineering students do not take
these courses. Instead they take a two-semester course in software design. Students from both
options are assigned equally to four person teams while taking their senior design course. The
computer engineering students are assigned responsibility for hardware design and the software
students are responsible for software design. The software team is involved with design,
verification, validation, implementation, application, and maintenance of the sophisticated
software with very little involvement with hardware aspects of the design. The computer
engineering team is only minimally involved with software aspects. Their involvement is typically
writing and debugging code for a stepper-motor controller that is used in the system. Faculty
members who are responsible for the senior design course require each team to conduct several
project reviews.
Does the program meet the requirements stated by the appropriate Program Criteria?
(1) No shortcoming. Program requirements are met for both options.
(2) Concern. Although the computer engineering option students are getting some exposure to
software design, it is possible that this situation will change due to change in faculty or other
reasons.
(3) Weakness. Computer engineers need to be more knowledgeable in software design. The
program should require students in the computer design option to take the same software design
course required for software engineering students.
(4) Deficiency. Computer engineers are not prepared in software topics.

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Case study 2: Answer
Choice (1) is the correct choice, assuming that the Computer and
Software Engineering department offers separate degree programs in
Computer Engineering and Software Engineering. Computer engineering
students are obviously knowledgeable in software topics while software
engineers have the ability to analyze, design, verify, validate, implement,
apply, and maintain software systems as required in the Software
Engineering program criteria.
Notes:
1. Emphasis of software vs. hardware varies from one computer
engineering program to another.
2. Note the distinction between a department name and a program
name.
3. If there is only one degree program with 2 options, University Y must
specify the degree program name, which then will be used to determine
which program criteria will apply. This degree program name must
appear on the official transcripts.

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Reference for Case Study 2
Current ABET Criteria Statements
Note Differences Between the EE… and SW… Criteria
 PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, COMMUNICATIONS,
TELECOMMUNICATION(S) AND SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS:
 1. Curriculum: […]. The curriculum must include probability and statistics, including
applications appropriate to the program name; mathematics through differential
and integral calculus; sciences (defined as biological, chemical, or physical
science); and engineering topics (including computing science) necessary to
analyze and design complex electrical and electronic devices, software, and
systems containing hardware and software components. […]
 PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR SOFTWARE AND SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING
PROGRAMS:
 1. Curriculum. The curriculum must provide both breadth and depth across the
range of engineering and computer science topics implied by the title and
objectives of the program. The curriculum must prepare graduates to analyze,
design, verify, validate, implement, apply, and maintain software systems; to
appropriately apply discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, and relevant
topics in computer science and supporting disciplines to complex software
systems; to work in one or more significant application domains; and to manage
the development of software systems.

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Case study 3: Discrete Math
An IEEE PEV is evaluating the electrical engineering program at Michael
Faraday University. The PEV verified that the program name is Electrical
Engineering. He asked the department head if discrete mathematics was
included in advanced mathematics topics taught to students in the program. The
department head indicated that the program had been very successful without
teaching discrete mathematics topics. He stated, “we are currently considering
the addition of a module on discrete mathematics to our digital design course.”
Do Electrical Engineering programs need to demonstrate knowledge of discrete
mathematics?
(1) No shortcoming. Discrete mathematics is not a requirement for this
program.
(2) Concern. Since the program is considering the addition of discrete
mathematics topics, the PEV should be ‘lenient.’
(3) Weakness. The program is not teaching an important topic and should
immediately add discrete mathematics as one of the topics being taught in its
digital design course.
(4) Deficiency. The program needs a sharp reminder. Neglecting to teach a
topic as important as discrete mathematics is unforgivable.

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Case study 3: Answer
Choice (1) No shortcoming is the correct choice. The program criteria
for electrical, computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s), and
similarly named programs does not require knowledge of discrete
mathematics for programs having the modifier “electrical” only in their
title as in this case.
Notes:
a. Programs with “computer” in program name must have discrete
math.
b. A “computer and electrical engineering” program must have discrete
math.
c. In a related topic for EE, Communications, or Telecommunications
programs, the math requirement in the list “such as...” does not mean
the program has to include all these topics or requires specific courses
in any of them.

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Case study 4: Probability & Statistics
An IEEE PEV is evaluating an Electrical Engineering program. She noted that the program does not require
students to take a course in probability and statistics. The electrical engineering program head has indicated
that probability and statistics is introduced in a number of ways:
•Students are introduced to Microsoft Excel and MathCAD in the freshman Introduction to Engineering Course.
They are required to analyze data using statistical functions using these tools.
•Students are briefly introduced to Fermi-Dirac statistics when taking a required course in semiconductor
devices.
•Faculty requires students to analyze the effect of component tolerances in circuit design problems taught in the
two-semester electronics sequence during their junior year.
•Students receive a short introduction to reliability engineering that is taught as part of the first semester senior
design course.
The PEV was able to confirm that students used probability and statistics concepts in their student work. She
also noted that over 60% of EE students go on to complete their MSEE degree.
Does the program meet the requirements stated by the appropriate Program Criteria?
(1) No shortcoming. Program criterion requires the curriculum to include probability and statistics.
(2) Concern. Although current students are taught some probability and statistics concepts, there is a possibility
that this could change when faculty move or are reassigned.
(3) Weakness. This approach is not sufficiently rigorous, particularly since most of the students go on to
graduate school where knowledge of probability and statistics is even more important.
(4) Deficiency. An in-depth understanding of probability and statistics is very important. Students are obviously
not acquiring this knowledge. The program should add a probability and statistics immediately.

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Case study 4: Answer
Choice (1) is the best choice. The curriculum
does include probability and statistics, and
this requirement can be met without the need
for a specific course dedicated to probably
and statistics. It does appear that students
have knowledge of probability and statistics.

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“Communications” vs.
“Telecommunications”
 There could be problems if programs use the terms
communications and telecommunications
interchangeably. Our limited experience suggests
that this may be a problem for international
programs whose definition and use of the above
terms may not be consistent with those in the US
 Our current recommendation to you as a PEV is to
use good judgment and treat the program criteria
holistically. Do not hesitate to contact your mentor if
issues arise

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Communications
 The curriculum for programs containing the modifier
“communication(s)” or “telecommunication(s)” in the title must
include topics in communication theory and systems.
 Important Note- The topics listed below are not required in the
criteria- they are examples of topics that might be included.
 topics in communications theory may include
 data encoding methods on the physical media, i.e., various physical techniques (AM, FM,
PCM, differential encoding, etc.) for representing information in digital or analog forms
 communication protocols, i.e. Ethernet, Wifi, Frame Relay, ATM, IP, TCP, Voice over IP, which
are used to convey the information over the physical media
 categories of communications protocols or methods, i.e., circuit switched, packet switched,
digital, analog, LAN, WANs
 topics in communications systems may include
 exposure to various types of communications systems, i.e., Radio, sonic, light, satellite,
traditional phone (circuit switched), etc.
 physical characteristics of communication systems, i.e., interference, jitter, latency, thruput,
signal to noise ratio
 logical attributes of communication systems, i.e., redundancy, monitoring, problem
determination

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Telecommunications
 The curriculum for programs containing the modifier
“telecommunication(s)” must include design and
operation of telecommunication networks for services
such as voice, data, image, and video transport.
 Important Note- The topics listed below are not required in
the criteria- they are examples of topics that might be
included.
 design and operation of telecommunication networks may include
 consideration of various common or typical design requirements,
such as signal propagation limits, monitoring, redundancy, fault
detection/identification and remediation, number of users, loading,
other constraints
 consideration of various operational considerations, such as
monitoring, shutdown and startup, problem determination,

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Guidance to PEVs (1)
 Category 1: Applications of Probability &
Statistics
 “It is the responsibility of the institution seeking
accreditation of an engineering program to
demonstrate clearly that the program meets
the following criteria.” [page 2, ABET EAC
Criteria document]
 Institution / program must provide information to
demonstrate applications of probability & statistics
 Discussions with faculty and students
 No criteria statement on how much is required

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Guidance to PEV (1) - continued
 Places in the Curriculum Where Probability and
Statistics Might be Included
 Subsequent analysis and design courses
 Documentation of design projects / major design
 Design parameters (e.g. manufacturing process
variations, component tolerances, network statistics,
cost statistics, etc.)
 Communication and Computer Network Courses
(quantization noise, white noise, queuing models for
determining server being busy and blocking
probability)

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Guidance to PEVs (2)
 Category 2: How many topics in Discrete
Math need to be covered
 No fixed number of topics required to be
covered
 No single specific course required
 “... necessary to analyze and design complex
electrical and electronic devices, software, and
systems containing hardware and software
components.”

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Guidance to PEVs (3)
 Category 3: How much hardware vs.
software content
 No fixed number of topics required to be
covered
 No requirement on which area to emphasize
(hardware or software)
 “... necessary to analyze and design complex
electrical and electronic devices, software, and
systems containing hardware and software
components.”

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General Guidance
 Discuss with other IEEE PEV(s) on the same team if
available
 Consult with CEAA Mentors as early and as
frequently as possible Consistency among ABET
team members
 Team decisions on specific accreditation actions
 Necessary to ensure consistency
 Other ABET PEVs might have similar issues with their
program criteria
 Consult with Team Chair
 Corrections/Suggestions to This Training Material
 Please send any corrections/suggestions to Vance
McCollough at vance_marge@cox.net