WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks baccalaureate degree program in mechanical engineering has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. The degree program has been accredited by ABET since 2016.

ABET accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.

Penn State Berks Chancellor George Grant Jr. states, "Penn State Berks is committed to providing our students with the highest quality education in engineering. This is signified through our continuous ABET accreditation. In fact, Penn State Berks has long offered the only ABET-accredited engineering programs in Berks County. Further, Penn State Berks engineering alumni hold positions around the world as innovators, designers, and thought leaders."  

Rungun Nathan, professor and program chair for the Penn State Berks mechanical engineering degree program, adds, “Since our first accreditation in 2016, we have continued to maintain our top quality, learner-centered program and it has resulted in our graduates being sought after in both the Greater Reading area and nationwide. We have tremendous support from our partners who help bring industry-sponsored projects to our classroom through the Berks Learning Factory. Our renowned faculty and research facilities serve the needs of students and employers in our region.”

Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines where quality, precision and safety are of the utmost importance.

Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities, and institutional support and are conducted by teams of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia and government, with expertise in the ABET disciplines.

ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization with ISO 9001:2015 certification. It currently accredits 4,361 programs at 850 colleges and universities in 41 countries and areas.

More information about ABET, its member societies and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found at www.abet.org. 

About Penn State Berks
Established in 1958, Penn State Berks is set on 258 beautifully landscaped acres just outside the city of Reading in southeastern Pennsylvania. Penn State Berks offers 20 baccalaureate degrees, including the ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in electro-mechanical engineering technology and Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. In addition, the college offers four associate degrees and a Master of Business Administration program. For more information, visit berks.psu.edu.

About the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Penn State Berks is one of only five Penn State campuses to offer the Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is one of the largest and broadest engineering disciplines, involving the study of mechanics, fluid and thermal systems, and system dynamics. Built on a foundation of physics, chemistry, and mathematics, the mechanical engineering program at Penn State Berks includes both a strong design emphasis and hands-on laboratory experience.  For more information about Penn State Berks' Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, visit berks.psu.edu/academics/bs-mechanical-engineering.