Western Governors University’s College of IT Receives Esteemed ABET Accreditation for its Computer Science Program

SALT LAKE CITY (October 2, 2023) — Western Governors University (WGU) announced today that its Bachelor of Science in Computer Science has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology.

WGU and its current enrollment of over 4,600 computer science students will now receive the benefits of an ABET accredited program. Overall, ABET accreditation is a valuable asset for students and employers as it is a guarantee of quality, a pathway to good jobs, and is globally recognized. ABET accreditation assures that 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.

"WGU’s new ABET accreditation marks a significant milestone in our commitment to excellence in education,” said Joe Dery, WGU Vice President and Dean of Computer Science, Software Engineering and Data Analytics. “This accreditation is a great validation of our continued dedication to fostering innovation and academic rigor in our computer science program, empowering our students with the skills, knowledge and credentials needed to open doors to exciting opportunities in the ever-evolving world of technology. Our accredited status signifies our unwavering dedication to providing a world-class, competitive education at an affordable price point, so that our students are equipped to thrive and lead beyond our competency-based academic setting.”

Sought worldwide, 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.

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 with ISO 9001:2015 certification. It currently accredits 4,564 programs at 895 colleges and universities in 40 countries and areas. More information about ABET, its member societies and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found at www.abet.org.