Academic Assessment
Assessment and continuous improvement are central to ABET’s accreditation criteria. ABET-accredited programs directly involve faculty and staff in self-assessment of the program’s learning outcomes and continuous quality improvement processes.
All programs within the School of Engineering are engaged in regular, periodic assessment of Program Learning Outcomes. This periodic assessment occurs on an annual basis, with program faculty assessing two to three outcomes per year. Program Learning Outcomes are assessed through various means, including direct evidence (student work) and indirect evidence (surveys), and the results of these evaluation processes are used as input toward continuous improvement of the programs.
Direct evidence used in assessment has included samples of the following: senior design projects, course design projects, papers, poster and Power Point presentations, lab reports, exam questions, homework problems and quiz problems.
Indirect evidence for assessment has included the following: institutional surveys, program-specific questions on alumni surveys and graduating senior surveys, course-specific surveys, focus groups administered by SATAL and peer assessments.
Additionally, assessment results are a key component of institutional program review, which occurs on a seven-year cycle. The undergraduate review cycle and policies can be found on the here (Academic Senate site).
Institutional assessment principles, policies and procedures can be found on the UC Merced assessment website.
Program Data
Program enrollment and graduation data are available on the Institutional Planning and Analysis website at the following links: (enrollment table) (graduation table)
Program Learning Outcomes
All programs in the School of Engineering have stated Program Learning Outcomes, which are the accomplishments that students graduating from the program will have attained.
Programs with an asterisk* use the ABET student outcomes.
Computer Science and Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering*
Program Educational Objectives
The three programs* participating in ABET review have Program Educational Objectives, which are career and professional accomplishments that graduates will attain within a few years of graduation.
Program Educational Objectives are established and revised in consultation with three key constituencies, the Engineering Advisory Board, current students and alumni. Objectives are designed to meet the needs of the three constituencies. Assessment of the objectives is conducted through alumni surveys.
The Program Educational Objectives are linked below:
