Starting in 2001, all engineering programs will be accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) under the new Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000). The philosophy of Engineering Criteria 2000 is to allow institutions and programs to define their mission and objectives to meet the needs of their constituents and enable program differentiation. Emphasis is placed on continuous improvement of programs based on the input of constituents and a process that links outcomes and assessment to program objectives. This paper is a preliminary study of selected mechanical engineering programs to discern the impact of EC2000 on curriculum development. Data on the layout and composition of mechanical engineering curricula for nine schools with Ph.D. programs and nine schools without Ph.D. programs is presented. This research establishes a baseline for these mechanical engineering programs at the beginning of EC2000 implementation. A follow-on study in two to three years is envisioned. This follow-on study will compare results and identify any significant changes in curricula as the EC2000 assessment process matures.
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