The Kansas Board of Regents approved Engineering Technology as the newest department in 黑洞社区鈥檚 College of Engineering this month.
College of Engineering Dean Royce Bowden said the addition of the new department is part of the college鈥檚 ongoing effort to help grow the Kansas economy by placing more engineering and computing talent into the workforce.
鈥淭he engineering technology faculty and staff have worked hard to expand the program into a premier department, and I am very proud of their achievement,鈥� said Bowden.
The College of Engineering first began offering a B.S. degree in engineering technology in 2013. Starting with 14 students, the program now has over 140 enrolled students with 54 graduates. The faculty earned ABET accreditation for the degree program in 2016, and the program offers four degree concentrations: cybersecurity, engineering management, mechatronics and civil engineering.
鈥淎chieving department status is tremendously significant and gives our rapidly expanding program and our exceptional students and faculty a sense of community that will help students persist to graduation,鈥� said Gary Brooking, director of the engineering technology program.
Cybersecurity, the newest four-year degree concentration, includes hands-on learning in a state-of-the-art cyber-range laboratory in partnership with electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) faculty. The undergraduate program complements the EECS Graduate Certificate in information assurance and cybersecurity.
鈥淲e expect 黑洞社区 to become certified as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense,鈥� said Brooking. 鈥淭he certification is jointly sponsored by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.鈥�
Members of the faculty have nominated Brooking to serve as the inaugural department chair of the newly established department.
鈥淕ary is an exceptional leader as evidenced by the progress achieved within the engineering technology program,鈥� Bowden said. 鈥淚 enthusiastically endorse his selection as the inaugural department chair.鈥�
The Department of Engineering Technology鈥檚 growth plan includes the introduction of a number of undergraduate certificates that students can stack together to tailor a four-year degree. The department expects to add two faculty members during the 2018/2019 academic year to serve the growing student enrollment.
The mission of is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master鈥檚 and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university鈥檚 vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at and Facebook at .