How important is ABET accreditation?

phaneuf1

I'm studying at WGU and I'm doing a BSIT in Networking. wgu diesn't have the ABET accreditation. How important is ABET accreditation for Information technology degrees? Do employers check that? I know it's really important when it comes to Engineer programs but for IT I just don't know.

cyberguypr

Being doing this for almost 14 years and this is the first time I hear about ABET. Looked on their site and it seems there are only 18 universities accredited for IT programs and around 35 for IS. Didn't see any big names in those lists.

Slowhand

The accredation that employers and other educational institutions are going to care about when looking at your WGU degree or transcript is going to be the regional accredation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. It's the same commission that gives University of Oregon, University of Montana, and University of Washington their accredation, so it's got some serious clout.

CiscoKidd

I was under the impression ABET was more so for engineering programs, but I could be wrong. I am not saying they don't exist, but when I was researching grad schools, most of the ABET accreditations were for the engineering programs and not the IT programs. My previous employer required the schools to have the ABET or AACSB in order to reimburse me for my classes. The school or any program at the school had to hold the accredidation, not the IT programs itself. I didn't find any IT programs that held that credential. With that being said...if it does apply to IT, I don't think its very important. Hope this helps. [h=1]Accredited[/h]

BMO

CiscoKidd wrote: »

I was under the impression ABET was more so for engineering programs...

^This. A lot of it has to do with the math. That's why Computer Science programs require a bunch of calculus and IT programs don't, as a general rule. I am in WGU's IT software program and almost didn't apply because of it.