The Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering is the latest undergraduate program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science to earn accreditation from ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
ABET is a global nonprofit, non-governmental agency that sets standards for programs in the applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering technology. To date, more than 4,500 programs around the world have received ABET accreditation, and the MSE bachelor’s degree joins the list – along with the rest of the CECS undergraduate programs that are already accredited.
“It is very gratifying that, with the accreditation of our new undergraduate program in materials science and engineering, all of our programs are now fully accredited,” says Manoj Chopra, the associate dean for undergraduate affairs. “This was the culmination of some great groundwork by the faculty, the accomplishments of the initial class of students, and a successful defense of the application by the leadership, faculty and staff in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. I see a very exciting future for students wanting to study materials science engineering at UCF.”
Currently, 119 students are enrolled in the program, which launched in 2021. An additional 17 students have already graduated from the program, including Meryl Wiratmo ’23, who earned her degree this past spring. Wiratmo, who is now pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of Maryland, credits UCF with her success in graduate school.
“I am flourishing in graduate school because UCF’s materials science and engineering program provided me with a solid understanding of foundational materials science concepts and ample hands-on experience with laboratory techniques used in the real world,” Wiratmo says.
The Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering is the third degree to be offered by the MSE department, and it’s the second undergraduate materials science and engineering degree offered in the State of Florida. With the addition of the ABET accreditation, Associate Professor Parag Banerjee, who led the charge for accreditation, says the program’s reputation is enhanced.
“Students and employers can feel confident that our bachelor’s degree program meets the global standards for technical education,” Banerjee says. “The accreditation also supports students’ entry to a technical profession licensure, registration and certification; and students who are part of an ABET degree program are also eligible for many federal scholarships and grants.”
After many months of hard work, Banerjee says the faculty and staff are pleased to see their hard work pay off.
“The materials science and engineering faculty are very excited to add their ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree to the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s portfolio of world-class engineering programs,” he says. “Several years of planning and effort of many dedicated individuals at UCF went behind this and we are happy that we can now provide students an option to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering at UCF.”
Written by Marisa Ramiccio