Archived General Catalog 2009-2011

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Engineering Technology

Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology provides a broad plan of study for students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree in technology at Purdue North Central.

This interdisciplinary degree serves associate degree graduates from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) programs on the Purdue North Central campus. It also serves transfer students who have earned an associate degree in related technical programs and students interested in Industrial Engineering Technology. This interdisciplinary program is designed to prepare a broadly educated generalist in technology. Students can enhance their respective associate degree programs with further technical electives. In addition to a multifaceted technical education, graduates will have a solid general education background in the humanities, social and behavioral science, and the life and physical sciences.

The primary goal of the curriculum is to provide graduates with a solid technical foundation which will enable them to adapt readily and grow into a wide variety of employment opportunities.

Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology: Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) program at Purdue North Central offers both an Associate of Science (AS) Degree and a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree.

While the Associate Degree is very specific as to which courses are required, the Bachelor’s Degree is designed to be broad and inter-disciplinary. Through their choice of ECET/CPET and elective courses, students may specialize in analog electronics, computer hardware/software, digital systems, electrical power, embedded microcontroller circuit design, hospital and biomedical equipment, industrial automation, manufacturing, RF communications, telecommunications, or quality control.

News reports and many companies group scientists, engineers, technologists and technicians together, calling them all “engineers.” In fact, the scientist deals more with theoretical ideas, concepts and research, while the engineer may design new products and processes. The technologist is a person who has earned a BS degree in Technology – a practical and applied curriculum. The technologist applies engineering principles and current technology, solving problems and improving facilities, processes and procedures in industry. Some recent technology graduates of PNC have started their own companies.

Our mission is to serve the needs of the citizens, industries and community colleges of Northwest and North Central Indiana by:

1. Providing a quality, applications-oriented education in a broad array of areas within the electronics and computer hardware fields;

2. Contributing to the advancement of technology, engineering and education through scholarly work, publications or active participation in professional societies; and

3. Serving as a technical resource for our constituents.

The Program Educational Objectives of our Bachelor’s Degree Program are:

1. Graduates of our Bachelor’s Degree Program are involved in specifying, designing or developing new applications, based on electrical, electronics and computer systems, in a variety of applications, such as microprocessors and microcontrollers; industrial control systems; instrumentation; hospital & biomedical equipment; power generation and transmission; computer hardware, software and networks.

2. As their careers advance, graduates of our Bachelor’s Degree Program will supervise teams of engineers, technologists and technicians, and use their written and verbal communications skills.

3. Graduates of our Bachelor’s Degree Program are prepared to advance their education and many will choose to do so.

Our core values are: focus on learning; respect and caring for all students; providing a safe and nurturing environment; valuing a well-rounded education; celebrating diversity; collaborating with others and working as a team; maintaining a professional attitude at all times; serving our profession, community, state and country; maintaining the currency of our knowledge; and devotion to life-long learning.

Our AS and BS degrees are structured on a 2 + 2 pattern. Students earn the Associate Degree after their freshman and sophomore years of study are completed, and then are awarded the Bachelor’s Degree after completing the junior and senior years.

GENERAL PLAN OF STUDY: ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Freshman & Sophomore Years

Information about the freshman and sophomore year requirements is located in the ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY section of this catalog.

Junior Year

Fifth Semester 

14 Semester Credits

Sixth Semester

14 Semester Credits

Senior Year

Seventh Semester

15 Semester Credits

Eighth Semester

15 Semester Credits

C/E/H/SS Electives

At least 15 credits (5 courses) are required. At least one course (3 cr.) must be English (above ENGL 10100) or Communications (above COM 11400). At least one course (3 cr.) must be Humanities (American Sign Language, Art, Communications, English, History, Foreign Language, Music, Philosophy, Theater or Theology). At least one course (3 cr.) must be Social Science (Anthropology, Consumer and Family Sciences, Government, Interdisciplinary Studies, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology). The rest may be either English, Communications, Humanities or Social Studies. Economics may be used as a C/E/H/SS elective. If you speak another language or had several years of language study in high school, you may be able to test out of one or more levels of that language and receive credit.

ECET/CPET Electives

At least 24 credits (6 courses) are required. Any 30000-level or above ECET or CPET course may be used. Also, several three-course sequences of CNIT courses may be taken in place of two ECET Electives.

ECET Senior Project Design

An additional 4-credit ECET or CPET elective may be used in place of Senior Project Phase I and Senior Project
Phase II.

Math/Science Electives

At least 6 credits (2 courses) are required. One course must be Science (ASTR, BIOL, BTNY, CHM, EAS, HORT, PHYS). The other course may be Science, Math or Statistics.

Technical Electives

At least 9 credits (3 courses) are required. Any Technology (ART, BCM, CET, CGT, CNIT, CPT, IET, MET, OLS), Business, Economics or Management course may be used for these requirements. Also, most Engineering courses may be used as Technical Electives.

General Education Note

At the time that this catalog was being published, the faculty of Purdue North Central were in the process of revising the General Education Requirements for all degree programs. As a result of this effort, several changes will be made in our Associate and Baccalaureate Degrees. Among these changes are the following: ECET 19600 may be replaced with a campus-wide Freshman Year Experience; a second campus-wide, freshman year course may be added; and the Humanities/Social Science, Math/Science and Technical Elective requirements might be changed. For the most up-to-date information, see the ECET website: www.pnc.edu/et/ecet

Note to students transferring from other institutions

This plan of study reflects the requirements for students who have an AS-EET or AS-ECET degree from a school that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). If your degree is not ABET accredited or if you have not completed the AS Degree in EET or ECET, you may be required to complete additional coursework.

Note to students transferring from Ivy Tech Community College

The PNC ECET Program has an articulation agreement with ITCC for graduates with an AS or AAS degree in ELT or ECT. The agreement, along with course-by-course conversion information, may be viewed on the ECET website: www.pnc.edu/et/ecet

Note to students who eventually want to pursue an MBA degree

Please look at the MBA admissions requirements on the PNC website (www.pnc.edu/MBA). The required Accounting, Business, Business Law, Economics, Marketing and OLS courses needed for admissions to the MBA program may be taken as C/E/H/SS or Tech Electives for your BS Degree. The required quantitative and Math classes may be taken as Math/Science Electives.

Total credits required for baccalaureate degree: 126

Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology: Industrial Engineering Technology

A graduate with the Industrial Engineering Technology option may find employment in a variety of industrial or service-type organizations such as banks and hospitals. The industrial engineering technology program is designed to prepare students in both technical and management areas. Graduates are suited for technical and/or managerial positions in process improvement, quality management, production planning, manufacturing engineering, or facilities engineering in business, industry, and government.

GENERAL PLAN OF STUDY INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Freshman Year

First Semester 

15 Semester Credits

Second Semester

18 Semester Credits

Sophomore Year

Third Semester

17 Semester Credits

Fourth Semester

18 Semester Credits

Junior Year

Fifth Semester

13 Semester Credits

Sixth Semester

15 Semester Credits

Senior Year

Seventh Semester

15 Semester Credits

Eighth Semester

15 Semester Credits

C/E/H/SS Elective

Courses may be from English (above ENGL 10200) or from Communications (above COM 11400) or from Humanities (Art, History, Foreign Language, Music, Philosophy, Theater or Theology) or from Social Science (Anthropology, Government, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology).

*Developmental courses will not apply as credit towards a degree at Purdue North Central.

*Prerequisite course requirements for any BS degree course must be satisfied.

Total credits required for associate degree: 126

Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology: Interdisciplinary

This interdisciplinary degree serves associate degree graduates from all Engineering Technology programs on the Purdue North Central campus. This degree option also serves transfer students who have earned an associate degree in related technical programs at ITCC or other accredited institutions of higher learning. This interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree program is designed to prepare a broadly educated generalist in industry and technology. Students can enhance their respective associate degree programs with further technical electives in their concentration areas. In addition to a multifaceted technical education, all graduates will have a solid general education background in the humanities, social and behavioral science, and the life and physical sciences.

GENERAL PLAN OF STUDY: INTERDISCIPLINARY INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Junior Year

Fifth Semester 

16/17 Semester Credits

Sixth Semester

15/16 Semester Credits

Senior Year

Seventh Semester

15/16 Semester Credits

Eighth Semester

15/16 Semester Credits

Technical Elective

At least 12 credit hours are required. Any 30000-level or above course from BCM, CNIT, CPT, ECET, IET or MET fulfills this requirement. MFET 24300 may also be used. Prerequisites must be met for each course.

C/E/H/SS Electives

At least 12 credit hours are required. Courses may be from English (above ENGL 10100) or from Communications (above COM 11400), or from Humanities (Art, History, Foreign Language, Music, Philosophy, Theater or Theology), or from Social Science (Anthropology, Government, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology). Economics is not accepted as a C/E/H/SS elective.

OLS Selective

OLS 33100 or OLS 37800.

*Developmental courses will not apply as credit towards a degree at Purdue North Central.

*Prerequisite course requirements for any BS degree course must be satisfied.

Total credits required for baccalaureate degree: 129