Engineering Technology Curriculum Reform In Florida

FLATE, the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center for Manufacturing, has partnered with eight Florida Community colleges that have programs in manufacturing or related technologies to assess and reconstruct the statewide curriculum frameworks that govern these programs. Consensus has been achieved to construct a degree in Engineering Technology with seven specializations. The two-year Associate in Science (A.S.) and Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) will be structured in a one plus one format. College level certificates will be granted at the successful completion of the first year. The first year of the degree program will include a technical core of six courses with general education making up the remainder of the credits. The technical core courses will include skills and knowledge that are required to successfully pass the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) certification examinations among others. The second year of the program will include twenty-seven credit hours of technical courses in one of the specialization areas. The specializations will have their own required technical courses and some technical electives. To facilitate this effort, FLATE has coordinated the state-wide initiative. It has reviewed many existing and old frameworks, coordinated the statewide curriculum team, hosted workshops, solicited industry input, developed the frameworks for the engineering technology core courses, and provided the required forms and paperwork for the FL DOE. Full implementation of the program in the eight participating community colleges is anticipated to be in fall of 2007.