The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is the accrediting body for the University of Texas (UT); and subsequently, the department of Computer Sciences degree programs.SACS accreditation is both a process and a product. Accreditation relies on integrity, thoughtful and principled judgment, rigorous application of requirements, and a context of trust. The process provides an assessment of an institution’s effectiveness in the fulfillment of its mission, its compliance with the requirements of its accrediting association, and its continuing efforts to enhance the quality of student learning and its programs and services. Based upon reasoned judgment, the process stimulates evaluation and improvement, while providing a means of continuing accountability to constituents and the public. Since UT is SACS accredited, we have chosen not to become ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited just like many other top schools. Here is a listing of CSAB and ABET accredited programs in Computing: http://www.csab.org/acrsch_jnt.html
Sometimes, accreditation is sought as one step on the road towards achieving a first-rate academic program. The Computer Sciences degree programs at UT-Austin are already first-rate and are both nationally and internationally recognized for its academics and research. UTCS is the largest top-10 CS department in the US.
Of the top 20 CS programs, only 4 have obtained formal accreditation at some point in their history. This data may be interpreted in many ways, but given where CS at UT-Austin ranks among higher education institutions, and the success of many of our graduates,this dataclearly indicates that having a formal stamp of accreditation may be useful to some institutions.However, itis not in itself a prerequisite nor necessarily a strong indicator of a great educational and research program in Computer Sciences. Regardless, we do continue to evaluate the value of obtaining formal accreditation with respect to how it affects future opportunities for our students.
UTCS does not hold an accreditation from the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB) or the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Therefore, UTCS graduates cannot qualify for the examination to practice patent cases under Category A. Instead, UTCS students desiring to sit for the exam must demonstrate that they qualify under Category B, iv., Option 4. This category requires completion of 40 hours consisting of 8 hours of chemistry or 8 hours of physics and 32 hours of computer science courses, as outlined in Category B, iv., Option 4, x.
The 32 hours of computer science courses are made up of courses that "stress theoretical foundations, analysis, and design, and include substantial laboratory work, including software development. Such courses include the representation and transformation of information structures, the theoretical models for such representations and transformations, basic coverage of algorithms, data structures, software design with a laboratory, programming languages with a laboratory, and computer organization and architecture. Other acceptable courses in computer science include artificial intelligence and robotics, networking, linear circuits, logic circuits, operating systems, and software methodology and engineering."
General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, January 2008.
