DETC Engineering Degrees

Many employers in the United States consider ABET as the only accreditation applicable for engineers.

If you get a non-ABET degree from a DETC accredited school how will it be interpreted by employers?

Can you be employed as an engineer or are you just considered to be an engineer want-a-be forever?

 

It depends on the field that you are in, and what you do. If you are a civil field engineer it may not be necessary, but if you are going to design, and need to stamp drawings then a PE is necessary. Same in electrical, mechanical, etc. If you are going to work in a manufacturing facility it may not be necessary, but if you are going to work in a firm it most likely will be.

Just my opinion.

 

Alternative Route

Their is a chance that the British Engineering Council would allow you to register with them as a Royal Engineer. The British system is consider to be equal to the American ABET engineer via the Washington Accord.

 

It is generally possible to become a professional engineer with a non-ABET degree but it usually requires additional work experience. Normally with an ABET degree four years of work experience is required before you qualify as a professional engineer, with a non-ABET degree it normally requires 8 years. The work experience can be reduced for non-ABET grads by getting a masters degree from a school that has ABET accredited undergraduate degrees, the exact requirements vary by state but I think all of them do have alternate routes to becoming qualified as a professional engineer.

 

It is generally possible to become a professional engineer with a non-ABET degree but it usually requires additional work experience. Normally with an ABET degree four years of work experience is required before you qualify as a professional engineer, with a non-ABET degree it normally requires 8 years. The work experience can be reduced for non-ABET grads by getting a masters degree from a school that has ABET accredited undergraduate degrees, the exact requirements vary by state but I think all of them do have alternate routes to becoming qualified as a professional engineer.

 

I worked for a large computer and semiconductor manufacturer as an electronics engineer. I met people with ABET degrees, people with science degrees rather than engineering degrees, and people with foreign degrees, but I never met anyone with a non-ABET US engineering degree.

In some fields, employers want someone with any bachelor's degree. I suspect these are the kind of employers that don't check the accreditation status of a degree. In a field like engineering, the employer probably has a clear idea of what degree is required, what the coursework should emphasize, and what kind of accreditation is required.

Some other posters mentioned that a professional engineering license might be obtained with a non-ABET degree and a longer period of professional experience. Keep in mind that many of the people who follow this approach have a regionally accredited degree in a related field, such as chemistry or physics. Whether a DETC degree would be regarded favorably I don't know.

Gerry Ashton PE (Vermont)

 

Greetings.

My two cents, no change given: <g>

a) I'm tempted to say that the title of this thread is slightly misleading since, despite what the DETC says at http://www.detc.org/SubjectsTaught.html#e under "Engineering", there is AFAIK only one DETC accredited school that teaches engineering: California National "University" for Advanced Studies, www.cnuas.edu. Of course, were I to say such a thing, you could checkmate me by stating that CNA offers several engineering degrees. Shucks, I almost had you. <g>
b) My state PE board (NY) does not consider a DETC degree a degree at all! I do NOT know if they would ever issue you a PE license without a degree that they would recognize. I *do* know that some states would, eventually.
c) Particularly during the few decades that Grantham College (now "University" too!) offered BSEEs, I suspect that many found employment and happiness with DETC engineering degrees. I suspect, however, that they were able to do so because, at the time, competence was more important than accreditation. I also suspect that "the time" has long passed.
d) Previously in this thread, it was suggested that any employer that will not, without exception, hire ONLY engineers with an ABET-accredited genuine engineering degree is very likely a blundering buffoon who knows no better (exaggeration mine <g>). This suggestion is probably correct, if for no other reason than that most employers are blundering buffoons who know no better, so that any theory that concludes that they are is likely to be empirically proven correct. <g> Still, were an ABET-accredited genuine engineering degree holder other than a cherished DI cohort to suggest such a theory, I might wonder if he were not just a tad pompous and self serving. Since the comment was made by a DI cohort, the previous thoughts did not occur to me (crimestop).

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek

 

"Many employers in the United States consider ABET as the only accreditation applicable for engineers."

This may be true but the only corporate rule I have ever found is that the degree must be accreditated.

"If you get a non-ABET degree from a DETC accredited school how will it be interpreted by employers?"

Your capabilities are more important than your degree.

"Can you be employed as an engineer or are you just considered to be an engineer want-a-be forever? "

Yes you can be employed as an engineer. I work with engineers who range from those having no degree to those having advanced degrees.

(Note: above comments based on 30+ years in aerospace engineering)

 

Well, it's always best to be a grad from one of the top ten ABET accredited engineering schools. It's also great to be healthy, wealthy, young and good-looking, too.

In the past, where I worked many people without degrees, or various non-ABET accredited degrees, non-engineering degrees, even no degree (with experience) were hired as engineers of various sorts. Of course, there was a better job market at that time. Warm bodies with skills were in demand. (These were positions that did not require a PE.)

Right now the job market where I'm at (near Chicago, IL) is pretty tight, and many talented people with very good skill sets and ABET-accredited degrees are unemployed. I think that right now a DETC degree would get you screened out pretty quick. If the job market changes so that there are shortages again, a DETC degree might be good enough for some positions.

 

DI????

 

I'm not sure, but perhaps I am the ABET-accredited degree holder who is only saved from pomposity and being self-serving by being a member of the DI cohort (whatever that is). If so, I was trying to suggest that employers who place classified ads for positions for jobs such as auto salesperson, civil service administrator, or the like, and who require any bachelor's degree to qualify for the positon, may be rather lax in checking the accreditation of the degree, since the employer may have had no clear idea of why a degree was required to begin with (other than to reduce the number of resumes to be processed).

On the other hand, an employer advertising for a technical position such as engineering (or chemist, accountant, etc.) where there is a clear link between the posession of the degree and the ability to do the job, is more apt to check the accreditation and other details related to the degree. I know that when a new engineer joined the team where I used to work, where the new person earned his or her degree was usually a topic of conversation amongst the team.

 

Greetings again!

In reply to some of the recent posts:
a) DI = (www.)DegreeInfo(.com)

b) Yes, Mr. Ashton, it is just possible that my previous lighthearted jab might have been directed to you, had you not been a DI cohort (see above), and had my doublethink skills been less than plusgood. <g>

Of course, I was just being whimsical. Mostly. <g> The essence of your original post, i.e. if you want to be a cog in a bureaucratic machine, it's best to be identical to the cog you're replacing and the cog that will eventually replace you, is quite sound. Still, I don't think it is/was totally unheard of for people with engineering'ish degrees (e.g. physics) to fill jobs that might ordinarily be filled by ABET BSEE(T) holders. Indeed, as if to prove my point, just recently a new DI poster was looking for BSEET classes to complete his BSEET degree, so that he could get his PE license (not EIT, PE). This would imply that he was employed, for some time, doing "engineering"[SM] level work without anything close to a degree! http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10977

BTW, although I realize my concern is somewhat belated, I hope my nitpicking ("precision") or (attempted) humor did not cause offense!


Cordially,
Richard Kanarek, CET

 

Indeed it is not unheard of for people to be very successful engineers even though they did not follow the traditional education route. An engineer comes to mind who had no degree at all, but a stack of patents that could choke a horse, and who reached an engineering job title which put him in the top 1% of the engineers at a large computer company. However, I would not suggest that a person with little technical achievement or education in his or her background deliberately seek out a degree that will not be universally accepted.

As for taking offense, I was dealing with lightharted jabs in electronic forums before the original IBM PC was placed on the market.

 

Non-ABET degree

My current program at Indiana State University is NAIT accredited.
I really don't know how this will be considered by employers either.

Richard Kanarek I noticed you are a CET. I'm an Associates CET with ISCET, and a Journeyman CET with ETA. Which program are you involved with?

Paul Clark
ASCET,CET,GROL,CBRE,CEA,CBT

 

Laser,

Are you going to continue with ISU's MSECT when your finished the BSET?

Bill

 

ISU

I will probably continue ISU to get a Masters after a small break.
The Bachelors level will take time to achieve. I need to cross that road first.

Paul

 

Dear Paul/Laser100,

I'm not sure it's fair to say that I'm "involved" with any of the CET programs as my never-ending "continuing education" keeps me well occupied.

Still, in the interest of full disclosure, my three certifications are as follows:
ISCET (www.iscet.org): Computer & Industrial Electronics (i.e. two certifications).
ETA (www.eta-sda.com): Industrial Electronics (issued on the basis of my score on the corresponding ISCET exam, and in compliance with ETA's various rules.)

I'm also a member of the American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians (www.ascet.org).

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


Distance Education Content: The ISCET exams are ACE reviewed for credit.

 

Society of Broadcast Engineers

RKanarek,

You should look into the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE). If you passed the Journeyman CET it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to study for a Broadcast Engineering Certification. I believe the engineering reference looks good on the resume.
The price of the exam is reasonable too.

Paul

 

position

This board is a joke!! I'm employed as network engineer with a major corporation. I don't hold a degree of any sort but have the skill set via military and some college level course work. In my opinion and employer is looking for someone who can perform the task required. DETC degree is accredit and would surely get you in the door for interview. Yes there are some anal HR people who will weed you out if you don’t have a degree or hold a degree with less prestige (DETC). As far professional recognition from a state board more than likely you’ll need a regionally accredit degree. I say if persue your goals if and a School accredit by DETC will help you achieve them goals go for it

Currently enrolled in:

Education Direct

A.S.B. Degree in Applied Computer Science
Completed 2 out 4 semesters

Completed:

Cleveland Institute of Electronics

Diploma’s

Electronics Communications
Electronics Technology with Digital & Microprocessor Lab

 

It should be noted that ABET accredites programs, not schools. There is no reason that a DETC accredited school could not have an ABET accredited program.

Also just because a school is listed as ABET accredited it does not mean that all the programs are. Cas in point Univeristy of California - Berkeley, the Materials Science department in the school of engineering is NOT ABET accredited, while all the other programs are. So it is possible to get an engineering degree from Berkely that is not ABET accredited.