USMMA Earns ABET Accreditation

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point (USMMA) said its Bachelor of Science degree programs in Marine Engineering and Shipyard Management, and Marine Engineering Systems have 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 accreditation assures the academic 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.

“We are very pleased with today’s ABET accreditation notification and congratulate the Marine Engineering Department on maintaining this qualification,” said Rear Admiral James A. Helis, Superintendent at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. “This well-deserved honor for our Marine Engineering and Shipyard Management, and Marine Engineering Systems programs ensures USMMA engineering graduates continue to set high standards in these critical maritime disciplines.”

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, USMMA said.

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 recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). It currently accredits over 3,800 programs at over 750 colleges and universities in 31 countries.