Accreditation and Assessment

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering is to:

1. Offer educational programs in petroleum and natural gas engineering based on engineering analysis, earth and physical science, economics, engineering and design aspects of oil and natural gas extraction consistent with human health, safety, ethics and environmental needs.
   1. Maintain and improve the quality of education in petroleum and natural gas engineering at the undergraduate and graduate degree levels
   2. Retain professional accreditation for the petroleum and natural gas engineering undergraduate program
   3. Improve instructional methods by adoption of those pedagogical techniques relevant to the students' educational programs
   4. Improve the quality of education through an assessment program
2. Discover and develop new techniques and processes for the efficient and economical extraction of oil and gas resources consistent with human health, ethics, safety and environmental needs.
   1. Conduct basic and applied engineering and scientific research on the development of new, safer, and more economical ways to extract petroleum and natural gas from the rock formations in which they are found
   2. Seek out and solve environmental problems created by the extraction and field processing of petroleum and natural gas
   3. Develop new uses and markets for West Virginia mineral and energy resources
3. Give professional advice and provide technical assistance to West Virginia's industry, government, and citizens, in matters concerning the extraction and field processing of petroleum and natural gas.
4. Disseminate scholarly and technical knowledge through publications, audiovisual materials, presentation of papers, seminars and symposia and short courses relevant to the needs of West Virginia and the industry world-wide.

Click here to view the College Mission Statement and Assessment

The Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Petroleum Engineering.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Program Assessment

Program Educational Objectives

• The graduates will be successful in their professional careers as petroleum engineers in the energy industry, government agencies and/or post-graduate education.
• The graduates will continue to develop professionally and serve in leadership roles.
• The graduates will be successful in demonstrating their obligations to the profession, to their employer and to society.

The foundation for achieving program objectives is established through a rigorous curriculum that provides the students with:

• An understanding of scientific and engineering principles and the application of these principles in solving petroleum and natural gas engineering problems using modern tools.
• An integrated design experience leading to a capstone design course.
• A balanced and rounded education to recognize the need for developing technical communication and teamwork skills, as well as understanding the engineer's professional, ethical and societal obligations.

Student Outcomes

Upon graduation, all bachelor of science students in petroleum and natural gas engineering will have:

Outcome 1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;

Outcome 2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;

Outcome 3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;

Outcome 4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;

Outcome 5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;

Outcome 6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions;

Outcome 7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Enrollment and Graduation Numbers

Enrollment and graduation numbers for the current academic year can be found at https://www.statler.wvu.edu/academics/accreditation-and-assessment.