A single instrument: engineering and engineering technology students demonstrating competence in ethics and...

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Engineering Accreditation
• Undergraduate Learning Principles

Background:

• Higher education institutions face increasing demands for accountability in STEM programs.
• Accreditation bodies like ABET set rigorous standards for engineering and technology curricula.
• Universities must also demonstrate student achievement of broader learning outcomes, such as the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning (PULs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a unified assessment instrument for honors STEM students at IUPUI.
• To evaluate student competence in both IUPUI PULs and ABET Engineering Accreditation Criterion (EAC) and Technology Accreditation Criterion (TAC) 2, a-k.
• To establish a pathway for recognizing student achievement through an Honors Certificate in Leadership Studies.

Main Methods:

• Development of specialized honors courses focusing on Human Behavior, Ethical Decision-Making, Applied Leadership, International Issues, and Leadership Theories.
• Creation of a curated menu of activities for students to engage with course material.
• Implementation of an assessment rubric aligned with both IUPUI PULs and ABET criteria to evaluate student performance.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of an integrated assessment framework for honors STEM students.
• Demonstrated linkage between university-specific learning principles (IUPULs) and external accreditation standards (ABET).
• Establishment of a certificate program to formally recognize student mastery.

Conclusions:

• The developed instrument effectively measures student competence across diverse learning objectives and accreditation standards.
• This model provides a replicable approach for aligning institutional learning outcomes with professional accreditation requirements in STEM fields.
• The Honors Certificate in Leadership Studies offers a valuable credential for students completing the program.