<p>
[quote]
A small engineering school might not offer a specific major in mechanical engineering.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, but does that really matter? As a case in point, Caltech didn't even start offering a specific undergrad major in mechanical engineering until 2003. You can "study" mechanical engineering, but the actual bachelor's degree you got was in "Engineering and Applied Sciences (EAS)". 2003 was the year that Caltech decided to finally get ABET certification for ME as an individual major (as opposed to using the ABET certification for EAS)</p>
<p>Take a look at the commencement data from Caltech prior to 2003. Notice how those who studied ME actually got EAS degrees instead.</p>
<p><a href="http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/02/bs.html%5B/url%5D">http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/02/bs.html</a>
<a href="http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/01/bs.html%5B/url%5D">http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/01/bs.html</a>
<a href="http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/00/bs.html%5B/url%5D">http://pr.caltech.edu/commencement/00/bs.html</a></p>
<p>As another example, Caltech is reputed to have the best aeronautical/aerospace engineering program in the country. Yet, Caltech doesn't even OFFER it as an individual major. Instead, it is grouped into the EAS major. So are Civil E, BioE, Materials Science, Environmental E, and several other E's. In fact, the only individual engineering degrees you can get at Caltech are ChemE, EE, and (now) ME. </p>
<p>I would also point out that Harvey Mudd only offers general Engineering degrees, not degrees in specific engineering majors. But to that, I would again say, so what? Nobody is going to seriously dispute the strength of Harvey Mudd's engineerig program. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, one can use this ABET search engine to locate specific engineering programs (e.g., mechanical) in various regions or states that are ABET certified (program certificatiion is an important selection criterion):
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I would actually argue that ABET certification is a very minor consideration. Plenty of highly prestigious and rigorous programs are not certified, and plenty of no-name programs are certified. For example, the bioengineering programs at MIT and Berkeley are not certified. Materials Science at both Berkeley and Stanford are not certified. Yet I think very few people would dispute that these some of the top programs in the country, certification or not. I think very few employers would reject a guy with a bioengineering degree from MIT just because his degree isn't certified.</p>