Seeking ABET accreditation for technical communication programs

Following up on an initial presentation at IPCC 97, this panel will discuss the progress made on the issues of accrediting academic degree programs under ABET. IEEE is one of the sponsoring agencies of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET),which accredits engineering degree programs. The Professional Communication Society plays a pivotal role in describing standards for ABET accreditation under the RAC commission (engineering-related programs). Discussion will center on the accreditation standards, showing howl the criteria have been described and holy,sample programs could meet the criteria. The panel will present the advantages of accreditation for academic programs, for graduates of these programs, and for the industries that hire technical communicators. Additionally discussion will show! hole? accreditation has the potential to affect the development of the profession.