4 Year Engineering Technology Programs

One of the ways for students to enter the various engineering fields is by becoming an engineering technician or technologist. While some people may think of these paths as less desirable than proceeding straight to a traditional engineering degree, let me assure you that this is not the case. For many students, the prospect of being able to actually work with equipment and materials in a hands on (shop, laboratory or similar) setting is far more interesting than sitting at a desk or in front of a computer screen in an office all day long. Keep in mind that computers are also found in the lab or on the shop floor as well as in the office.

There are several items of good news to report regarding Engineering Technology programs in particular. While the 4 year degree in various branches of Engineering Technology has been around for decades, what's new is that some community colleges are now able to offer the entire 4 year programs, not just the first two years, or an Associates Degree. This process has been facilitated by several states allowing community colleges to modify their missions to include selected 4 year programs (not only in technology), and, in many cases, changing their names to reflect their new status as 4 year degree granting institutions. In Florida, a number of community colleges have undergone this change, or are in the process of doing so.

I'm familiar with one such school in particular, namely Valencia Community College, serving Orange County in Central Florida. At the end of this academic year, the school will become Valencia College, and gain the right to offer 4 year degrees. In addition, the school will take over the engineering technology degree programs formerly offered by the University of Central Florida (UCF), whose Engineering Technology department is being shuttered, in part as a response to budget problems at the state level which have impacted the entire university system.

If, as I expect, Valencia does in fact pick up the programs being dropped by UCF, it will be able to offer the same educational quality that it has already demonstrated to its students at the same (lower) cost of attending a "community" college. The 4 year degree will also come with all of the other benefits normally associated with these locally focused colleges. Valencia will thus join the ranks of other Florida colleges that have already gone through the conversion process; Miami-Dade, Edison, Indian River and the College of Central Florida, to name just a few.

I did a brief survey of 4 year Engineering Technology programs currently offered by a number of schools, and believe that they are quite rigorous in their approach, just not as theoretical as most engineering curricula. All of the programs I examined require at least a semester of calculus (most require 2 semesters), along with a host of physics and chemistry classes leading up to the technology core courses. This sort of program is therefore not for the faint of heart, or to be thought of as somehow less worthy than the more theoretical engineering degree. Perseverance is required to be successful, just as in any other endeavor worth doing.

If you are a student for whom financing a 4 year degree is an issue, or who wants (or has) to remain close to home, and is interested in the applied aspects of technology, I encourage you to consider whether or not the 4 year engineering technology degree offered by a local ("community") college is right for you.