Department Information

275 Advanced Technology & Science Hall;
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057

For Immediate Release:
Slippery Rock, PA- Slippery Rock University's Computer Science Department has received accreditation by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., the recognized accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. ABET accreditation demonstrates a program's commitment to providing its students with a quality education. This prestigious recognition was given to the department's program in Computer Science, as well as five of the Information Systems concentrations: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing.

According to department chairman, Dr. David Valentine:

We are unbelievably excited about this recognition. ABET certification is an important acknowledgment of the excellence of our programs in Computer Science and in Information Systems. It is a guarantee to our students that they will receive an outstanding education in computing at Slippery Rock University. Of all the Computing degrees offered in Pennsylvania, only 8 are accredited in Computer Science and a mere 3 accredited in Information Systems. SRU stands out as one of the best choices available to students wanting to study computing!

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, academic, and private practice within the ABET disciplines; focus on program curricula, faculty, facilities, institutional support, and other important areas.

One of the key elements of ABET accreditation is the requirement that programs continuously improve the quality of education provided. As part of this continuous improvement 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.

In addition to providing 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.

ABET is a not-for-profit organization, owned and operated by its more than 25 professional and technical member societies. An internationally respected organization with some 1,500 volunteers, ABET has set the higher-educational standards in its fields for nearly 75 years. More information about ABET, its member societies, and the evaluation criteria used to accredit programs can be found at www.abet.org.