Accreditation
The University of San Diego has been accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since 1956. All programs within USD's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering are accredited under WASC.
ABET Accreditation
In addition to WASC accreditation, the University of San Diego's electrical, industrial and systems and mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., the recognized accreditor of college and university programs in engineering technology, computing engineering and applied and natural science.
| Program | Outcomes | Agency | Date Accredited |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS/BA Electrical Engineering | Outcomes | ABET | Since 1992 |
| BS/BA Industrial and Systems Engineering | Outcomes | ABET | Since 2001 |
| BS/BA Mechanical Engineering | Outcomes | ABET | Since 2008 |
While USD's Computer Science program and the BS/BA in Engineering programs are both WASC accredited, these programs are actively working towards ABET accreditation.
One of the key elements of ABET accreditation is the requirement that programs continuously improve the quality of education provided. As part of this requirement, programs set specific, measurable goals for their students and graduates, assess their success at reaching those goals and improve their programs based on the results of their assessment.
Accreditation provides colleges and universities a structured mechanism to assess, evaluate and improve their programs. Accreditation also helps students and their parents choose quality college programs, enables employers and graduate schools to recruit graduates they know are well-prepared, and is used by registration, licensure and certification boards to screen applicants.
About ABET
Incorporated as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., ABET accreditation assures students, employers and society that our programs meet established standards so that our graduates are leading the way in innovation and are prepared to enter critical and emerging technical fields within a global workforce.
Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process that requires programs to undergo comprehensive, periodic evaluations. The evaluations, conducted by teams of volunteer professionals working in industry, government, academe and private practice within the ABET disciplines, focus on program curricula, faculty, facilities, institutional support and other important areas.
Undergraduate Enrollment and Graduation Data
| 2019-20 | 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrollment (All Fields) | 531 | 497 | 526 | 474 | 450 | 409 |
| Total Graduated (All Fields) | 170 | 151 | 150 | 104 | 115 | 77 |
| Computer Science | 35 | 25 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 10 |
| Electrical Engineering | 23 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 29 | 18 |
| Engineering* | 8 | 4 | ||||
| Industrial and Systems Engineering | 34 | 25 | 24 | 15 | 23 | 12 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 70 | 76 | 83 | 50 | 55 | 37 |
Enrollment numbers do not include undeclared students pursuing Engineering or Computer Science.
* USD's Engineering degree program is housed within the Integrated Engineering department and graduated their first cohort in 2018-19.