Department of Engineering Technology
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This department supervises the following degree program:

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology

Students may select coursework in one of three areas of specialization: construction engineering technology, electrical-electronics engineering technology, or mechanical engineering technology. All three options are accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc., 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, 410.347.7700. This department also supervises engineering technology options in the Master of Engineering degree program.

Mission. The department’s mission is to provide educational opportunities to a greater cross-section of the state’s population and includes the following objectives:

• To provide high-quality engineering technology programs with appeal to a broad range of students including traditional students, under-represented populations, and the by-passed learner. (The bypassed learner is one who has two or more of the following characteristics: Was not a great success in high school, was not planning to attend post-secondary education after high school, has been away from school for some time, or is a first-generation collegian. Very often these students have the ability and desire to do very well in engineering technology. The foundational curriculum at the beginning of the programs, the supportive faculty, and the instructional environment make the engineering technology programs more attractive to the by-passed learner than traditional engineering programs.)
• To provide programs that reflect the needs of industry worldwide.
• To provide the support necessary for students to develop their intellectual capacities, technical competencies, and social responsibilities.
• To have faculty who perform independent applied research and or consulting that will add depth, quality, and practical experience to the department.
• To continuously improve the programs in order to correlate with the type and rate of change in the global marketplace.

Program Educational Objectives. During the first several years after graduation, graduates of the engineering technology programs should be able to:

• Acquire an entry-level position in the areas of product development, construction supervision, component design, manufacturing supervision, HVAC design, technical sales, field sales, field service engineering, and work force coordination.
• Apply engineering knowledge to solving practical industrial problems.
• Apply business and project management skills to the management of engineering projects.
• Function effectively on multidisciplinary teams.
• Communicate effectively.
• Continue the process of lifelong learning.

Program Outcomes. To enable engineering technology students to accomplish these objectives, the graduates will have:

• An appropriate mastery of the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of their disciplines.
• An ability to apply current knowledge and adapt to emerging applications of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.
• An ability to conduct, analyze, and interpret experiments and apply experimental results to improve processes.
• An ability to apply creativity in the design of systems, components, or processes appropriate to program objectives.
• An ability to function effectively on teams.
• An ability to identify, analyze, and solve technical problems.
• An ability to communicate effectively.
• A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning.
• An ability to understand professional, ethical, and social responsibilities.
• A respect for diversity and knowledge of contemporary professional, societal, and global issues.
• A commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement.

Program Overview. The engineering technologist generally works in the applied part of the engineering spectrum and is playing an increasingly important role in our technological society. Rather than preparing students to go into research, the engineering technology program prepares students for those engineering activities that emphasize applying engineering knowledge to solving practical industrial problems. The activities of the engineering technologist usually include product development, construction supervision, technical sales, component design, field service engineering, work force coordination, and supervision.

The construction specialization stresses basic structural design and construction operations to prepare students to enter various phases of the construction industry. Coursework includes basic structural design and analysis, contracts and specifications, construction management, safety and health, surveying, cost estimating, scheduling, and transportation.

The curriculum in electrical-electronics engineering technology is designed to bring the student to a high level of understanding of the body of engineering and scientific knowledge within the broad scope of electrical engineering, but with emphasis upon the application of this knowledge to current industrial practices. The program prepares students to work in all phases of development, design, production, and maintenance in the field of communication, automatic controls, digital systems, computers, instrumentation, and others.

Mechanical engineering technology is concerned with energy, mechanical devices, and manufacturing. The curriculum gives a good base for further learning, via industrial experience, in all of these areas. The curriculum emphasizes environmental control (heating, ventilating, cooling, and humidity control), steam-powered electric generating plants, and mechanical design. Both environmental control and steam power plants offer relatively stable employment, and many engineering technology graduates have obtained jobs in these areas. In the area of mechanical devices, courses in strength of materials, kinematics, dynamics, and design are offered. These courses equip the student to create a mechanical device that will perform the desired function and then design the parts of the mechanical device with sufficient strength to perform that function, including balancing the mechanical device to provide smooth operation. To provide an understanding of manufacturing and of the current industrial practices, the curriculum includes instruction in various types of machine tools and manufacturing processes as well as an introduction to numerical control.

Undergraduate Program (Back to Top)

The curriculum in engineering technology consists of a basic core of about 60 semester hours of specified courses. These courses in basic science, humanities, social studies, mathematics, and applied science give a foundation in technology and general education. The remaining 66-67 hours of required coursework vary with the student’s choice of an engineering technology area and electives. The program concentrations allow in-depth training in the student’s chosen field.

Students are required to plan their program in consultation with faculty advisors. Emphasis on communication skills requires the inclusion of engineering communications (PETR 3308).

All students must have a personal computer and should check with the department to obtain recommended specifications.

Once a student has elected to take the State Board Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, that student is obligated to pass the exam to graduate.

Minors.Engineering technology students may pursue a minor in virtually any field of study at Texas Tech. The minor must consist of a minimum of 18 hours, with at least 6 of those hours being junior or senior level courses.

A minor in engineering technology is available by completing 18 hours of selected engineering technology courses. The appropriate engineering technology advisor should be consulted for a list of approved courses.

Transfer Admissions. Students transferring into this department from other institutions must meet the transfer admission requirements of the university. To obtain a degree in engineering technology, transfer students must complete at least 30 credit hours of engineering technology courses from Texas Tech University.

Grades. If a student obtains a grade of D or less in a given course twice, or drops a given course twice, or obtains a D or less once and withdraws once, then the student will be required, with the help of the department secretary, to set up a meeting with the student’s advisor, the course instructor, and the department chairperson prior to registration for the next semester or summer session. The meeting will focus on how the student can be helped to succeed and the following actions will be considered:

• The student will be counseled on how to improve performance.
• The student will be required to take courses that he or she may have already passed or received transfer credit for in order to correct a deficiency that is identified as hindering the student’s progress.
• The student will be required to take a time management course at the PASS center.
• The student will be required to take XL 0201 (Strategies for Learning).

Students failing to set up the meeting will have a transcript and registration hold entered on their record. If a student obtains a grade of D or less in a given course, drops a given course, or some combination of these three times, then the student may be required to transfer to engineering undecided for counseling.

Internship. The department believes that its students benefit greatly from participation in an internship program. One of the major benefits is improved full-time employment opportunities after graduation. Accordingly, all engineering technology students are required to complete at least the equivalent of three months of full-time work of an appropriate nature in order to graduate. However, part-time work of an appropriate nature conducted during the regular semester also will be considered. Students must enroll in GTEC 4300 while pursuing the internship.

Credit by Exam. In addition to standard transfer credits, the department will permit students to receive credit for some courses in the curriculum if they can demonstrate proficiency in that area by examination. It is the responsibility of the students to petition the department chair for such examination(s) well before they would enroll in the course(s).

The examination for credit for EGR 1206 and 1207, Engineering Graphics, is held only in the fall the first Friday after classes begin. Students must register for the exam in Room 224 of the Mechanical Engineering Building by 5 p.m. the first Wednesday after classes begin for the fall term. Students should have a background in beginning drawing and descriptive geometry.