The undergraduate degree program in the Environmental Engineering Department of METU has been recognized as "substantially equivalent" to accredited engineering programs in the United States by the International Activities Committee of ABET (Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology) in Spring 2002.

  The ABET is recognized in the United States as the sole agency responsible for accreditation of educational programs leading to degrees in engineering. The first statement of the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development (ECPD, now ABET) relating to accreditation of engineering education programs was proposed by the Committee on Engineering Schools and approved by the Council in 1933. The original statement, with subsequent amendments, was the basis for accreditation until 2000. The statement presented here is required of programs beginning in 2001. These criteria are called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000). All accredited engineering programs must include "engineering" in the program title. To be considered for accreditation, engineering programs must prepare graduates for the practice of engineering at a professional level. A requirement of EC2000 is that specific program objectives be developed. The objectives for the Department of Environmental Engineering can be viewed by clicking on ABET Program Objectives.

The ABET accreditation process is a voluntary system of accreditation that:

1. Assures that graduates of an accredited program are prepared adequately to enter and continue the practice of engineering
2. Stimulates the improvement of engineering education
3. Encourages new and innovative of engineering education
4. Identifies these programs to the public

  Evaluations of engineering education programs leading to degrees at all levels are conducted by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) upon request by institutions outside the United States. While these evaluation follow similar policies and procedures used for accreditation, no accreditation action is taken, nor is there any inference that a program is undergoing accreditation or will be accredited as a result of such review. The activity is an evaluation (program review) in which ABET, through selected representatives, acts on a consultancy basis, and leads to an assessment of "substantial equivalency" of the program under review with accredited programs in the United States. "Substantial equivalency" means comparable in program content and educational experience.