OCTOBER 6, 2023 — UTSA announced today that its undergraduate engineering programs in biomedical, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering have been re-accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) through 2029. The programs, offered by the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (Klesse College), serve more than 4,200 students.
ABET is the global accreditor of higher education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ABET accreditation assures that programs meet high standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, with the welfare and safety needs of the public in mind.
“Accreditation through ABET is a reflection of the high-quality educational programs in our college,” said Eric Brey, interim dean of the Klesse College. “Our faculty and staff are truly dedicated to providing the best educational opportunities for our students. This elite accreditation is another example of our commitment to the continued success of our students and alumni.”
ABET has also accredited, for the first time, UTSA’s new bachelor’s program in chemical engineering. The B.S. in chemical engineering was established in Fall 2017 and designed with a rigorous curriculum and a low faculty-to-student ratio that enables close interactions between students and professors. Additionally, the program provides experiential learning opportunities to make students more competitive job candidates upon graduation and to position them for success in the workforce. Alumni are pursuing graduate degrees at elite chemical engineering programs in the nation.
“Having an ABET-accredited program will provide us with another springboard to grow connections with the chemical industries, especially in Texas,” said Nehal Abu-Lail, interim chair of the UTSA Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. “This accreditation will also enable us to attract the most competitive students to our program. It is a testimonial to the high-quality education we are providing to our students.”
Brey added that ABET accreditation for young degree programs is a significant milestone. The B.S. in chemical engineering was retroactively accredited to 2020, ensuring that all of UTSA’s undergraduate chemical engineering students, including the inaugural graduating class, is able to hold up a degree from an ABET accredited program.
“The reviewers were particularly impressed by our facilities, specifically the Margie and Bill Klesse Unit Operations Teaching Laboratory, which offers students outstanding opportunities for hands-on application of classroom theory,” he added.
UTSA chemical engineering major Yağmur Hocaoğlu said, “I am beyond happy and proud of UTSA for achieving the ABET accreditation in the chemical engineering program. As a current junior chemical engineering student, my time here has provided me with many opportunities, such as being an undergraduate research assistant, Klesse Student Ambassador, and overall, just giving me the opportunity to academically and professionally develop as a female engineer.”
Hocaoğlu added, “I originally began studying chemical engineering due to my deep interest in math and chemistry, and I seek to utilize this degree to help combat environmental issues. Thanks to UTSA, I am able to have this opportunity and to truly help my community.”
In 2017, the Klesse Foundation made a $1 million gift to UTSA to support the chemical engineering program. Through their foundation, the Klesses established the Klesse Unit Operations Laboratory so that a new chemical engineering program could be established. This gift enabled the university to acquire state-of-the-art equipment including a two-story distillation column that attracted national attention and to create the Margie and Bill Klesse Endowed Scholarship in Chemical Engineering, which benefits 10 top-performing students every year.
The first cohort of 16 students graduated from UTSA with a B.S. in chemical engineering in May 2021 and 158 (as of Fall 2022) are currently enrolled in the program. The Klesses provided an additional gift of $500,000 to support a doctoral degree program in chemical engineering at UTSA that was launched this year.
ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that currently accredits 4,564 programs at 895 colleges and universities in 40 countries and areas.
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Come meet student organizations and learn about different volunteering opportunities at the Spring 2025 Get Involved Fair.
HSU Ballroom (HSU 1.104-1.106,) Main CampusGet Involved Fair is an opportunity for currently active student organizations to connect with the UTSA community. These organizations are able to communicate who they are and what they do to individuals seeking opportunities to get more involved with the university and their peers.
Assembly Room (1.338), Buena Vista Street Building, Downtown CampusThe Whataburger Resource Room at the Roadrunner Pantry has joined efforts with the campus community to put together the Move In Market! Come shop for some great items for your dorm room or apartment to get you started and set up for success.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom (HSU 1.104-1.106,) Main CampusA Linguistics Time Capsule that was buried in 2000 will be opened and shared. It contains the predictions of UTSA linguistics students as to how the language would change by January, 2025. Students and faculty who contributed will be invited to the opening to participate in sharing their predictions and discussing how accurate some predictions were.
Denman Room (SU 2.01.28,) Main CampusHave you ever received an email invitation to publish in a journal you have never heard of with promises of lightning-fast peer-review and publication times? If so, you’ve probably heard of predatory publishing. During this workshop, participants will discuss this pervasive problem in academic publishing and how to spot the red flags through real-life examples.
Virtual (Zoom)Upon completion of this workshop, attendees will be able to: explain the history of Creative Commons, summarize the role of copyright law in the creation of Creative Commons, differentiate between different CC icons, identify the different layers and elements of CC licenses and tools, and list factors to consider when choosing a license for your project.
Virtual (Zoom)Join us for Coffee with Vets, a casual social event where veterans can come together, connect, and share camaraderie over a cup of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, meet fellow veterans, and build community in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
Veteran Lounge (JPL 4.03.04,) John Peace Library, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
