Cybersecurity Program Receives Prestigious Accreditation
Cedarville's program is only one of seven worldwide to receive the new cyber operations accreditation.
Cedarville is just one of seven programs worldwide to receive the new accreditation.
Cedarville was one of a dozen universities chosen by ABET for the pilot phase of its brand-new cybersecurity accreditation, which ran in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 accreditation cycles.
“This accreditation is a form of quality assurance for prospective students thinking of enrolling at Cedarville University and for employers who hire our engineering, computer science and cyber graduates,” said Dr. Seth Hamman, associate professor of computer science and director for Cedarville’s Center for the Advancement of Cybersecurity. “Students from ABET-accredited schools are more of a known and trusted quantity to both graduate schools and employers.”
— Seth Hamman
Once achieved, accreditation is renewed periodically to ensure that the quality of the educational program is maintained. ABET accreditation is a rigorous and time-consuming process, but more than 790 colleges and universities in 32 countries have made the investment because it is an objective and respected stamp of approval.
All of Cedarville’s school of engineering and computer science programs have been accredited by ABET through September 30, 2025, with the exception of the new civil engineering program, which is not yet eligible.
“To be chosen for the pilot means that ABET views Cedarville as a forerunner in cybersecurity higher education, because they used us to help gauge their accreditation standards,” continued Hamman. “And the fact that ABET created this new accreditation also signals that cybersecurity has become a first-class academic discipline and that it is here to stay.”
ABET’s purpose is to assure confidence in university programs in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines and has become the basis of quality for STEM disciplines all over the world.
The ABET cybersecurity accreditation will be available to all colleges and universities starting in the 2019-20 school year.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.