Creating Flexible And Distinct Engineering Technology Programs
- Conference
- Location
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Honolulu, Hawaii
- Publication Date
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June 24, 2007
- Start Date
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June 24, 2007
- End Date
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June 27, 2007
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Technology
- Page Count
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9
- Page Numbers
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12.417.1 - 12.417.9
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--1503
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/1503
- Download Count
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298
Paper Authors
Janice Girouard University of Hartford
Janice Girouard serves as the Director of Student Services for the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture at the University of Hartford. She earned her BFA at the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford in 1978 and her M.Ed. at the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, University of Hartford in 2004.
Ivana Milanovic University of Hartford
IVANA M. MILANOVIC is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture at the University of Hartford. She received her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnic University, NY, and M.S. and B.S. from University of Belgrade in Yugoslavia.
Tom Eppes University of Hartford
TOM EPPES is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture at the University of Hartford. He holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Creating Flexible and Distinct Engineering Technology Programs
Abstract
The College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA) has re-discovered within its technology programs curricular flexibilities that are now being used to attract and retain more students. Students are increasingly aware of the need to broaden their skill base upon graduation and recognize the need to compete for employment on a global scale. This paper describes the Flex Advantage Plan (FAP) at CETA that precisely targets opportunities for complementary areas of study and encourages students to design custom educational plans. FAP lays out specific tracks that add distinction and uniqueness to program majors by presenting students with educational choices. Students can add depth in a chosen discipline and/or pursue another area of study.
All engineering technology programs within CETA feature professional electives. Students use elective courses as tools to achieve expanded educational goals and objectives. If electives are chosen properly, students can develop a technical concentration, earn a two-year associates degree or graduate with a minor in another program. The more popular non-technical minors are those in Business in the areas of Entrepreneurial Studies, Management, Marketing or Business Administration.
Curriculum flexibility has long been used in the advising process to enhance learning opportunities. We have expanded this beyond advising and have incorporated FAP into our marketing collateral, open house recruiting events, orientation sessions and as a means to engage and retain first-year students. In this paper, we share the specifics of FAP and how it is successfully being used to capture student interest, grow participation, and improve their prospects for lifelong career success.
Introduction
Our affiliation is with the University of Hartford which has 4,700 full-time and 880 part-time undergraduate students enrolled as of the fall 2006. We are members of the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture (CETA) that has a population of about 760 undergraduate students out of which 420 are enrolled in engineering technology (ET) programs. According to recent ASEE statistics, The University of Hartford is ranked fourteenth in the total number of students enrolled. Within CETA, there are three departments that collectively support five four-year ET undergraduate programs:[1]
Architectural Engineering Technology (AET) in the Architecture Department Audio (AuET), Electronic (EET) and Computer Engineering Technology (CET) in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) in Mechanical Engineering Department
Girouard, J., & Milanovic, I., & Eppes, T. (2007, June), Creating Flexible And Distinct Engineering Technology Programs Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--1503
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