The Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology (FPSET) Program at Eastern Kentucky University has earned national accreditation from the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) through September 2021.
EKU offers one of only two ABET-accredited FPSET degrees in the world, and the only accredited program that is offered online. The accreditation covers EKU bachelor’s degree programs in FPSET.
“ABET accreditation is one metric to demonstrate the strength of an academic program and the quality of students graduating from that program,” said Dr. Greg Gorbett, FPSET coordinator at Eastern. “In essence, this accreditation is evidence that the graduates of EKU’s Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology Program are prepared to meet the needs of the profession. Our faculty and facilities allow students to learn the theoretical knowledge behind the science, as well as be prepared to practically apply that knowledge in the field.
“Professionals who go on to achieve their professional engineering licensure see a 20 percent increase in their median compensation,” Gorbett added. “The median compensation for fire protection engineers as of 2016 was $110,000 and, as such, is a lucrative and rewarding profession.”
The FPSET program at EKU currently boasts more than 100 majors; most are pursuing a degree online.