Non-Accredited Engineering School?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>Im trying to decide between two engineering schools. One is ABET accredited, and the other is not. In fact, the other school's engineering program is only 8 years old. The non-accredited school's website also states a lot of their classes are "distance based", professor over the video screen type thing. </p>

<p>The choice seems easy, go to the accredited school. However, the non-accredited school is in Panama City, Florida. Heh... So, Id like to go to that school, however I won't put a good location over a good education. </p>

<p>So, how can i tell if this sschool has a good engineering program?</p>

2

<p>post the link to the school</p>

<p>youre better off at the accredited school, location is overrated. Trust me, if you're an engineer its not like youre going to live at the beach</p>

3

<p>True That.</p>

<p>Here's the link: [url=<a href="http://www.pc.fsu.edu/%5DFSUPC%5B/url"&gt;http://www.pc.fsu.edu/]FSUPC[/url&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p>

4

<p>Just wondering if a program is accredited a year after your graduation does that accreditation acts retrospectively?</p>

5

<p>If you eventually want to pursue a graduate degree in engineering, or a professional engineer's license, then you may find yourself at a significant disadvantage if your BS degree is not ABET-accredited. For example, FSUPC itself [requires[/url</a>] an ABET-accredited BS degree for admission into its electrical engineering MS program.</p>

<p>FSUPC also offers civil engineering degrees. It's almost unheard of for a civil program to lack ABET accreditation; a CE typically needs a state license to practice, and state engineering boards (including Florida's) always prefer or require ABET degrees. If you plan to study civil engineering, you definitely want an ABET degree.</p>

<p>But in fact, I suspect that FSUPC degrees actually are ABET-accredited. Their [url=<a href="http://www.pc.fsu.edu/index.cfm?P1=Undergraduate&P2=819%5Dwebsite%5B/url"&gt;http://www.pc.fsu.edu/index.cfm?P1=Undergraduate&P2=819]website[/url&lt;/a&gt;] says:
[quote]
The College of Engineering is jointly managed by Florida State University and Florida A & M University. Full-time daytime courses are offered by full-time resident faculty and through interactive television and web-based distance learning.

[/quote]
So it sounds like the engineering program at FSUPC may technically represent a "satellite" program within the joint FAMU-FSU system -- which does have ABET accreditation. Note also that FSUPC [url=<a href="http://www.pc.fsu.edu/search_3_highlight.cfm?P1=AboutFSUPC&P2=136&txtToFind=accreditation%5Dsays%5B/url%5D:%5Bquote%5DFlorida"&gt;http://www.pc.fsu.edu/search_3_highlight.cfm?P1=AboutFSUPC&P2=136&txtToFind=accreditation]says](&lt;a href="http://www.fsupc.com/pdf/Sept2007ElecEngGrad.pdf%5Drequires%5B/url"&gt;http://www.fsupc.com/pdf/Sept2007ElecEngGrad.pdf):
[quote]
Florida</a> State University Panama City is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...to award bachelor's and master's degrees as well as specialized accreditation where appropriate such as business, social work and engineering.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It might be a good idea to clarify this point with FSUPC. The resident engineering profs should be able to tell you; drop them an email.</p>

6

<p>
[quote]
Just wondering if a program is accredited a year after your graduation does that accreditation acts retrospectively?

[/quote]
It can be. The engineering program at Smith College recently received ABET accreditation, and the accreditation was [url=<a href="http://www.smith.edu/newssmith/fall2005/newsbriefs.php%5Dretroactive%5B/url"&gt;http://www.smith.edu/newssmith/fall2005/newsbriefs.php]retroactive[/url&lt;/a&gt;] for not one, but two years.</p>

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<p>oo yeah that's the word...retroactive...</p>

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<p>Many Thanks Corbett! I shall drop them a line right now. </p>

<p>Also, are these "satellite" classes as good as the real thing? I took some of these in highschool and they always seemed to be missing something.</p>

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<p>Some people do ok with them but if you didn't like them in highschool you'll really not like them in college. What's the accredited school? I could see if it were something like Anchorage Polytechnic Institute of the Artic location would be a pretty big factor but the "ooohhh... the beach..." factor is going to die down pretty quick.</p>

10

<p>The other school is University of South Alabama, which is only a couple hours away from FSUPC. However, Im an avid scuba diver and Panama City has some great diving. FSU Panama City also has a pretty active dive club. Im usually in Panama City atleast twice a month anyhow, so I figure I might as well live there if the school is good. </p>

<p>Oh, and FSUPC is cheaper.</p>

<p>I just got a reply from FSUPC:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Yes, the Civil Engineering program at the FSUPC is ABET accredited. That's very important, as that's a requirement for taking FE (EIT) and then professional engineering test. Most of our students take the FE in their senior year and they have a very high rate of success.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies so far yall!</p>

11

<p>Well, since PSUPC is accredited, cheaper and at a better location it looks like you know what to do. I'm glad everything worked out for you.</p>

12

<p>"pose 163
post the link to the school</p>

<p>youre better off at the accredited school, location is overrated. Trust me, if you’re an engineer its not like youre going to live at the beach" </p>

<p>I’m an engineer and I live in Daytona Beach!</p>