In 2013, CMAA was accepted as a member society of ABET, the preeminent organization accrediting undergraduate and graduate education programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology fields. ABET recruited CMAA to be the lead society for the accreditation of construction management programs because several academic institutions felt their construction management programs needed a dedicated, distinct accreditation option.
ABET helps ensure that undergraduate construction management education effectively prepares students to enter the profession, which significantly compliments CMAA’s mission and vision. The quality of tomorrow’s professional workforce is among the most frequently cited concerns in the construction management industry. Accredited construction management programs assure industry employers that entry-level job candidates have met the profession's basic educational requirements. Accreditation also provides students interested in construction management careers with a way to assess construction management programs. Moreover, both CMAA and ABET are delivery-system neutral, advancing professionalism regardless of specific delivery methods.
Accreditation demonstrates international recognition of the quality of an academic program. It promotes best practices and involves faculty and staff in self-assessment and continuous quality improvement. For details about the process and scope of ABET accreditation, please visit ABET's informational website.
Construction management programs can obtain more information about becoming accredited from ABET.
Individuals can join the construction management accreditation process as ABET program evaluators. CMAA prefers a program evaluator to be an active Certified Construction Manager (CCM®) or Academic Member; full society requirements are listed on the ABET website. CCM recertification points are available for this service. Contact CMAA for additional information on becoming a program evaluator.