Program Outcomes and Assessment

Program outcomes are statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire in their matriculation through the program. Each program must formulate program outcomes that foster attainment of the program objectives articulated in satisfaction of these criteria. There must be processes to produce these outcomes and an assessment process, with documented results that demonstrates that these program outcomes are being measured and indicates the degree to which the outcomes are achieved.  There must be evidence that the results of this assessment process are applied to the further development of the program.

Engineering programs must demonstrate that their students attain the following:

1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
3. An ability to design a system component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
4. An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
5. An ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems.
6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
7. An ability to communicate effectively.
8. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global economic and environmental and societal context.
9. A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
10. A knowledge of contemporary issues.
11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

In addition, an engineering program must demonstrate that its students attain any additional outcomes articulated by the program to foster achievement of its education objectives. Additional information on the meaning of outcomes (a) to (k) can be found in the Foundation Coalition (FC), one of eight engineering coalitions funded by the National Science Foundation, which was established as an agent of systemic renewal for the engineering educational community.