Criteria for Accrediting Applied and Natural Science Programs, 2020 – 2021

Lead Society: Construction Management Association of America

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum
Graduates of Construction Management programs will have the knowledge, as well as the technical, administrative and communication skills, necessary to succeed in the construction industry. Students must demonstrate the knowledge and skills to deliver construction projects with respect to scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and the environment. The professional component must include these topics:

1. Construction project management from pre-design through commissioning;

2. project life-cycle and sustainability;

3. health and safety, accident prevention, and regulatory compliance;

4. law, contract documents administration, and dispute prevention and resolution;

5. materials, labor and methods of construction;

6. finance and accounting principles;

7. planning and scheduling;

8. cost management including plan reading, quantity take offs and estimating;

9. project delivery methods;

10. leadership and managing people;

11. business and communication skills Construction Management programs are expected to provide breadth across the range of topics. Other topic areas may be added as dictated by the Mission and Program Educational Objectives. Additionally, the extent to which each content area is developed and emphasized in a given program must be consistent with the program’s mission and objectives.

Faculty
A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program and preferably be full-time with the program.

II. Program Criteria for Master’s Level Programs

Master’s Level Admission Requirements
Admitted students must hold an earned baccalaureate degree that prepares them to apply the basic principles of college-level mathematics, or business and legal principles. Exceptions may be admitted with an individually documented plan of study to compensate for any deficiencies.

Master’s Level Curriculum Criteria for Master’s Level
CM programs are inclusive of those for baccalaureate level CM programs with the following additions:

(a) A minimum of 30 credit hours or equivalent of study beyond the baccalaureate level CM programs, or CM-related programs, consisting of courses with increased depth and rigor;

(b) Included as part of the 30 credit hours, is an applied construction management project or research activity resulting in a final deliverable that demonstrates both mastery of the subject matter and a proficiency in oral and written communication skills;

(c) Advanced qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills; and

(d) Other academic areas or specialties considered necessary by the program.

Master’s Level Faculty
In addition to the general qualifications specified above for the baccalaureate level faculty, masters level faculty are expected to have construction industry experience and be engaged in research, publications, or conducting training activities appropriate to their institution’s mission. A full-time faculty member must be identified as being administratively in charge of the program.

Co-Lead Societies: American Industrial Hygiene Association or American Society of Safety Professionals

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Program Criteria presented herein provide the specificity needed to interpret the General Criteria with respect to the discipline of Environmental, Health, and Safety and furnish a framework upon which a given program must develop the more general Outcomes and Assessment requirements of Criteria 3, (1) through (6). In all cases, the program must demonstrate that graduates possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to competently and ethically practice the applicable scientific, technical, and regulatory aspects of this discipline.

The basic level criteria as applied to the field of Environmental, Health, and Safety will be interpreted with respect to the following curricular content areas:

(a) environmental, health, and safety fundamentals;

(b) physiological and/or toxicological interactions of physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic agents, factors, and/or stressors with the human body;

(c) anticipation, identification, and evaluation of potentially hazardous agents, conditions and practices;

(d) fundamental exposure assessment techniques (both qualitative and quantitative);

(e) environmental, health, and safety data interpretation including statistical and epidemiological principles;

(f) development of hazard control designs, methods, procedures and programs;

(g) accident/incident investigation and analysis;

(h) industrial and construction safety;

(i) legal aspects of environmental, health, and safety practices;

(j) environmental, health and safety program management;

(k) hazardous materials/waste recognition, control, and remediation;

(l) air pollution fundamentals and control technologies;

(m) water pollution fundamentals and control technologies;

(n) environmental regulations and permitting processes;

(o) environmental sampling and measurement methodologies.

Note: In this context, the terms hazard and hazardous incorporate issues related to the broad context of occupational environmental, health, and safety. Environmental, Health, and Safety programs are expected to provide breadth across the range of topics implied by the title. Thus, these curricular content areas are considered to be minimum requirements. Other areas may be added as dictated by the Mission and Program Educational Objectives of the specific program. Additionally, the extent to which each content area is developed and emphasized in a given program must also be consistent with the program’s mission and objectives. Depending on the program, a given area may be addressed in a devoted course, a portion of a course, or in an appropriate extracurricular experience. Based upon this content, program faculty are free to develop unique outcomes at appropriate functional levels that embrace Criterion 3 (a) through (k) of the General Criteria.

Baccalaureate-level Faculty
The majority of core Environmental, Health, and Safety and other supporting faculty must hold an earned doctorate. (“Core faculty” pertains to those who are teaching Environmental, Health, and Safety courses and does not include faculty members teaching courses such as epidemiology, statistics, etc.). The majority of core faculty should hold certifications issued by nationally accredited credentialing bodies such as Certified Industrial Hygienist or Certified Safety Professional. Faculty must also demonstrate external professional activity, including, but not limited to, participation on national, regional, state, and/or local committees and advisory boards, professional practice, and/or editorial reviews of professional publications.

A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

II. Program Criteria for Master’s Level Programs

Master’s Level Admission Requirements
Admitted students must hold an earned baccalaureate that prepares them to apply the basic principles of college-level mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology. Exceptions may be admitted with an individually documented plan of study to compensate for any deficiencies.

Master’s Level Curriculum
Criteria for master’s-level programs require the following additions beyond the baccalaureate level: (i) minimum of one year of study beyond the basic-level, consisting of courses with increased depth and rigor; (ii) an applied science project or research activity resulting in a report that demonstrates both mastery of the subject matter and a high level of professional and public communication skills; (iii) an adequate foundation in statistics, applied sciences, and/or related professional practice; and, (iv) advanced qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills.

Master’s Level Faculty
In addition to the general qualifications specified above for baccalaureate-level faculty, master-level faculty are expected to have demonstrated research activity appropriate to their institution’s mission.

A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

Lead Society: American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum

The program must prepare graduates to apply knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, earth sciences, calculus, and statistics to understand the natural world and evaluate human impacts on the environment. Program graduates must understand the basic principles of sustainability, environmental ethics, economics, and the application of environmental science in policy formulation and environmental resources management.

Faculty

A faculty member must be identified as being administratively in charge of the program.

Lead Society: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME/AIME)

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum

The curriculum must provide graduates with the necessary knowledge of geology and include the following curricular areas:

(a) general (physical and historical) geology, including geographic information system (GIS) applications, and applicable safety practices in laboratory and field work

(b) mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry

(c) sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology

(d) geomorphology, surficial processes, and Quaternary geology

(e) structural geology, tectonics, and geophysics

(f) one or more applied areas, such as: Hydrogeology, engineering geology or petroleum, mining, economic or other resources geology

(g) fundamentals of geological field work, including field procedures, use of basic tool and instruments, recognition of lithologies and structural concepts in natural settings, data collection and mapping or other means of visualizing geological data and processes

Lead Society: American Industrial Hygiene Association Cooperating Society: American Nuclear Society

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum
The program must demonstrate that graduates possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to competently and ethically implement and practice applicable scientific, technical, and regulatory aspects of Health Physics. More specifically, graduates must produce a culminating senior project and demonstrate competency in the following curricular areas:

(a) radiation physics
(b) radiation biology
(c) radiation detection and measurements with laboratory experience
(d) internal and external radiation dosimetry
(e) principles of radiation safety and health physics
(f) contemporary issues in health physics

Faculty
The faculty must have sufficient qualifications and must ensure proper guidance of the program and its evaluation and development. The faculty primarily committed to the program must demonstrate current knowledge of health physics through education and experience. The overall competence of the faculty may be judged by such factors as education, teaching experience, diversity of backgrounds, professional experience, ability to communicate, enthusiasm for developing more effective programs, level of scholarship, participation in professional societies, and certification by the American Board of Health Physics.

II. Program Criteria for Master’s Level Programs

Master’s Level Admission Requirements
Admitted students must hold an earned baccalaureate that prepares them to apply the basic principles of college-level mathematics, physics and biology. Exceptions may be admitted with an individually documented plan of study to compensate for any deficiencies.

Master’s Level Curriculum
Criteria for master’s-level programs require the following additions beyond the baccalaureate level:

(a) A minimum of one year of study beyond the basic-level, consisting of courses with increased depth and rigor;
(b) An applied science project or research activity resulting in a report that demonstrates both mastery of the subject matter and a high level of professional and public communication skills;
(c) An adequate foundation in statistics, applied sciences, and/or related professional practice; and,
(d) Advanced qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills.
(e) Other academic areas or specialties considered important to the program.

Master’s Level Faculty
In addition to the general qualifications specified above for baccalaureate-level faculty, master’s-level faculty are expected to have demonstrated research activity appropriate to their institution’s mission.
A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

Lead Society: American Industrial Hygiene Association
Cooperating Society: American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum
The curriculum must provide graduates with the necessary knowledge of Industrial Hygiene and include the following curricular areas:

(a) physiological and/or toxicological interactions of physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic agents, factors, and/or stressors with the human body
(b) anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of potentially hazardous agents, conditions and practices
(c) fundamental exposure assessment techniques (both qualitative and quantitative)
(d) industrial hygiene data interpretation including statistical and epidemiological principles
(e) applicable business and managerial practices
(f) occupational and environmental standards and regulations
(g) fundamental aspects of safety and environmental health.

Baccalaureate Level Faculty
The majority of core Industrial Hygiene faculty should be Certified Industrial Hygienists; however, a minimum of one core Industrial Hygiene faculty member must be a Certified Industrial Hygienist. Core Industrial Hygiene faculty pertains to those who are teaching industrial hygiene courses.

A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

II. Program Criteria for Master’s Level Programs

Admission Requirements
Admitted students must hold an earned baccalaureate that prepares them to apply the basic principles of college-level mathematics, [general] and organic chemistry, physics, and biology. Exceptions may be admitted with an individually documented plan of study to compensate for any deficiencies.

Lead Society: American Society of Safety Professionals

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum
Program graduates must possess the necessary knowledge and skills to competently and ethically implement and practice applicable scientific, technical and regulatory aspects of the safety, health, and environmental profession. In addition, the program must demonstrate that graduates can apply college algebra, statistics, chemistry, physics, and human physiology/biology as it pertains to the practice of the safety, health, and environmental discipline. More specifically, graduates must be able to:

1. anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and develop control strategies for hazardous conditions and work practices;
2. demonstrate the application of business and risk management concepts;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental aspects of safety, industrial hygiene, environmental science, fire science, hazardous materials, emergency management, ergonomics and/or human factors;
4. design and evaluate safety, health, and/or environmental programs;
5. apply adult learning theory to safety training methodology;
6. identify and apply applicable standards, regulations, and codes;
7. conduct accident investigations and analyses;
8. apply principles of safety and health in a non-academic setting through an intern, cooperative, or supervised experience.

Faculty
This competence is evidenced by participation in professional societies, applicable certifications issued by nationally-accredited credentialing bodies, and/or extensive experience in the safety and health field. A faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

II. Program Criteria for Master’s Level Programs

Curriculum
Criteria for master’s level safety and similarly named applied science programs are inclusive of those for baccalaureate level applied science programs with the following additions: one year of study beyond the baccalaureate level and a project or research activity resulting in a report that demonstrates both mastery of the subject matter and a high level of oral and written communication skills. Graduates of a master’s level safety program must also have demonstrated knowledge and competencies in the same subject areas defined in the baccalaureate program requirements.

Faculty
This competence is evidenced by participation in professional societies, applicable certifications issued by nationally-accredited credentialing bodies, and/or extensive experience in the safety and health field. A faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

III. Program Criteria for Technician Level Associate Degree Programs

Curriculum
Associate Safety Programs must demonstrate that graduates are able at the technician level to:

1. anticipate, recognize, and evaluate hazardous conditions and practices affecting people, property and the environment;
2. apply appropriate strategies designed to mitigate risk;
3. apply principles of safety and health in a non-academic setting through an intern, cooperative, or supervised experience.

Faculty
This competence is evidenced by participation in professional societies and applicable certifications issued by nationally-accredited credentialing bodies. A faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

Lead Society: National Society of Professional Surveyors
Cooperating Society: American Society of Civil Engineers

I. Program Criteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs

Curriculum
Programs at the baccalaureate level must demonstrate that graduates have proficiency in one or more of the following areas: boundary and/or land surveying, geographic and/or land information systems, photogrammetry, mapping and geodesy, remote sensing, and other related areas.

Faculty
The program faculty must have responsibility and sufficient authority to define, revise, implement, and achieve program objectives. The program must demonstrate that faculty members are qualified to teach the subject matter by virtue of professional licensure or by education and/or professional experience.

II. Program Criteria for Associate Level Programs

Curriculum
Programs at the associate level must demonstrate that graduates have competency in one or more of the following areas: boundary and/or land surveying, geographic and/or land information systems, photogrammetry, mapping and geodesy, remote sensing, and other related areas.

Faculty
The program faculty must have responsibility and sufficient authority to define, revise, implement, and achieve program objectives. The program must demonstrate that faculty members are qualified to teach the subject matter by virtue of professional licensure or by education and/or professional experience.

Lead Society: International Facility Management Association (IFMA)

I. PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ASSOCIATE LEVEL PROGRAMS

Curriculum

(a) the history of the management of facilities, practice and profession.
(b) planning and managing projects.
(c) management of building systems, facility operations, occupant services and maintenance operations and real estate holdings,
(d) application of human factor principles to the facility operation and stakeholders

Faculty
A full-time faculty member must be identifies as being administratively in charge of the program, and preferably be full-time with the program.

II. PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR BACCALAUREATE LEVEL PROGRAMS

Curriculum

(a) the history of managing facilities, practice and profession.
(b) planning and managing projects.
(c) management of building systems, facility operations, occupant services and maintenance operations and real estate holdings.
(d) assessment, management and leadership principles of facility organizations and their stakeholders
(e) applications of fiscal management tools to the facility program and organization.
(f) applications of human factor principles to the facility operation and stakeholders
(g) computer applications for facility management communications, asset and space management and problem solving.

Faculty
Faculty are expected to have facility management experience. A full-time faculty member must be identified as being administratively in charge of the program, and preferably be fulltime with the program.

PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR MASTER’S PROGRAMS

Admission Requirements
Admitted student must hold an earned baccalaureate degree that prepares to apply the basic principles of college-level mathematics, or business and legal principles. Exceptions may be admitted with an individually documented plan of study to compensate for any deficiencies.

Curriculum
Criteria for master’s level programs require the following additions beyond the baccalaureate level:

A minimum of one year of study beyond the baccalaureate level facility management programs or facilities management related programs.

Faculty
Faculty are expected to have facility management industry experience. A full-time faculty member must be identified as being administratively in charge of the program, and preferably be full-time with the program.

Comments relative to the proposed criteria should be submitted by the link for comments available here and on the Accreditation Changes section of the ABET website.

Lead Society: American Society of Safety Professionals

I. PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR BACCALAUREATE LEVEL PROGRAMS

Curriculum
The curricular areas of occupational safety and health must include the following:

(a) Anticipation recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards and exposures impacting people, property and the environment
(b) Principles and practices of risk management and business justification
(c) Development of policies, procedures, and systems using research and evidence-based data
(d) Legal principles relevant to OSH profession
(e) Root cause analysis, incident investigation, and acceptable risk causation and relative risk
(f) OSH data analysis, interpretation and utilization of statistical and epidemiological principles; and trends of injuries, illnesses and workplace incidents
(g) Principles and practices of continuous quality improvement and sustainable OSJ programs and management systems
(h) Applications of adult learning theory and behavior change to safety and health training methodology
(i) Leadership and organizational behavior
(j) Culminating senior project/capstone

Faculty
A full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR MASTER’S LEVEL PROGRAMS

Admission Requirements
Programs must comply with graduate admission requirements of the institution. Admitted students must hold an earned baccalaureate degree that included basic principles of college-level mathematics and basic science appropriate to the discipline.

Exceptions maybe considered with an individually documented plan of study to address remedial course work.

Curriculum
Program criteria for master’s level programs require a minimum of one year of study beyond the basic level, including advanced qualitative and quantitative problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Faculty
A full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Curriculum
Associate degrees in occupational safety and health can either prepare graduates for entry-level technical positions or become gateways in the OSH profession (or related professions) by matriculating to a four-year degree program. In this way, associate degree curriculum areas of OSH must include the following:

(a) Anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards and exposures impacting people, property and the environment
(b) Appropriate data-based strategies designed to mitigate identified OSH risks
(c) Principles of occupational safety and health in a non-academic setting through an intern, cooperative, or other supervised experience.

Faculty
A full-time faculty member must be identified as administratively in charge of the program.

Comments relative to the proposed criteria should be submitted by the link for comments available here and on the Accreditation Changes section of the ABET website.

Lead Society: National Society of Professional Surveyors Cooperating Society: American Society of Civil Engineers

These program criteria apply to surveying, surveying and mapping, geomatics, or similarly named applied [and natural] science programs.

I. PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR ASSOCIATE LEVEL PROGRAMS

Curriculum
The curriculum must prepare associate degree graduates with the knowledge, techniques and skills in the application of surveying/geomatics. Graduates of associate degree surveying/geomatics programs possess a foundation in plane and geodetic science, professional land surveying, property law, and mapping and are prepared to sue modern equipment and techniques to construct or locate products through the surveying/geomatics workflow.

The curriculum must contain the following curricular areas:

(a) Sufficient application of the mathematical concepts to execute basic surveying/geomatics analysis;
(b) Basic historical knowledge of land ownership to demonstrate where surveying/geomatics are an integral part;
(c) Summary of data science analysis for conformance of precision/accuracy and blunders/errors detection;
(d) Mastery of modern measurement equipment applied to construct or locate features above, below or on the Earth’s surface;
(e) Basic communications that include oral, graphical and electronic forms;
(f) Added depth in a minimum of three subject areas chosen from:

1. boundary surveying
2. property law
3. route surveying
4. construction surveying
5. mapping
6. geodetic science

II. PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR BACCALAUREATE LEVEL PROGRAMS

Curriculum
The curriculum must prepare baccalaureate degree graduates with the knowledge, techniques and skills in the Art and Science of surveying/geomatics to be licensed or certified professionals. Graduates of baccalaureate degree in surveying/geomatics possess an exemplary foundation in geodetic science, photogrammetry and remote sensing, professional land surveying, mapping and cartography, geospatial data science, land information systems, legal aspects of spatial data, and are prepared to select modern equipment and techniques to design, construct or locate products through the surveying /geomatics workflow.

The curriculum must include:

(a) Mathematical concepts, including statistics, to support analyses of complex surveying/geomatics problems;
(b) Historical and legal elements of land ownership where surveying/geomatics are an integral part;
(c) Data science and analysis for conformance of precision/accuracy and blunder/error detection;
(d) Data structure/format, storage/management, publication/visualization, and the related legal responsibilities to the public;
(e) Modern measurement and design technologies necessary to model, locate or construct features above, below or on the Earth’s surface;
(f) Added depth in a minimum of three subject areas, consistent with the program’s educational objectives, chosen from the following:

1. boundary surveying
2. engineering surveys
3. photogrammetry and remote sensing
4. geodesy and geodetic surveying
5. mapping including map projections and coordinate systems
6. geospatial data science.

Comments relative to the proposed criteria should be submitted by the link for comments available here and on the Accreditation Changes section of the ABET website.