Manufacturing Engineering Technology, BS

Department of Engineering Technology, College of Sciences and Technology

129-133 credits

Introduction/What is the Study of Manufacturing Engineering Technology?

Within a typical manufacturing organization, there are multitudes of machines performing many different functions on hundreds or perhaps thousands of different parts. Whether the finished product is an athletic shoe or a jet airplane, the logical set of events that take place to produce that product must be planned and conceived in advance. The location of each machine, the movement of a part or machine tool and the order of operations – even the machines themselves must be planned in detail. Day-to-day production problems must be solved.

A Manufacturing Engineering Technologist will help to solve the complex problems associated with manufacturing operations. Manufacturing Engineering Technologists work in teams with engineers, scientists and technicians to solve manufacturing related problems. Engineering Technology Programs are less theoretical than engineering programs and are more application or “hands-on” oriented. There are laboratory components to most Engineering Technology courses, where students learn to apply theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to solve practical or application-based problems.

Why Consider a Manufacturing Engineering Technology Major? 

Manufacturing engineering technology prepares engineering technologists who understand and can apply established scientific and engineering knowledge and methods in combination with technical skills of modern technology to support engineering activities. Career fields include development and testing of new products, computer-aided design and manufacturing, computer numerical control operations, process planning and tooling design, robotics, cost analysis, production supervision and management, marketing and technical support, production process control, manufacturing support, and technical sales and service.

The Manufacturing Engineering Technology degree program is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Admission to the Manufacturing Engineering Technology major is a two-phase process. When students initially declare, they are designated as pre-majors. Admission to full major status is determined by academic performance as a pre-major. See the department’s website for details, http://www.etec.wwu.edu/.

MET majors can declare under a CAD/CAM option. This is geared towards preparing technologists who are knowledgeable in the use of 3D parametric modeling techniques, tool path planning and CNC programming and operations for product/tooling design and fabrication.

Prospective students are encouraged to include physics, chemistry and mathematics in their high school preparation. University-level physics, computer science, and calculus must be taken during the first two years to ensure that junior-level course prerequisites are completed.

Certain community colleges offer classes equivalent to some MET classes, therefore, it is necessary for interested students to seek early advisement from the Department of Engineering Technology.

Students can expect to complete this program in four years by carrying 15-16 credits per quarter in a prescribed sequence of courses.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.