Integrating Soft Criteria Into The Ch E Curriculum

Incorporating the soft criteria included in ABET 2000 into the curriculum has proved to be a challenge for many engineering programs. Our approach has been to prioritize the importance of the six criteria and proportion effort accordingly. We have been quite successful in integrating communication skills into the ChE curriculum and more than meet ABET criteria. We believe that we do a more than adequate job with our second and third priorities, teamwork and learning to learn. The current status of incorporating the fourth criterion, ethical behavior, into the curriculum is probably adequate. The final two criteria still need increased effort. Results of a survey of practicing engineers shows that laboratory and design courses and practical work experience are the most important sources for learning to satisfy the soft criteria.