This fall Edmonds College will offer its newest Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Starting in September, students at Edmonds College can earn their Bachelor of Applied Science in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Engineering Technology (AMMET). As Department Head Ross Monroe shared, there is a need from industry and interest from students. We wanted to offer a degree built for working individuals that combines hands-on learning and analytical skills, says Monroe.
The idea for the degree began with Edmonds Trustee and current Boeing Director of Advanced Materials Dr. Tia Benson Tolle, who recognized student and industry interest in advanced manufacturing, focusing on a professional skillset between a technician and an engineer. Monroe and Outreach and Recruitment Manager Su Nelson kept hearing similar interest from small and mid-sized manufacturers who identified a need for more manufacturing and materials experts.
The AMMET degree fills that gap. Students will learn manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing, control systems and more. Edmonds’ Monroe Hall, outfitted with everything from water jets to robotic arms to a composites lab, is the ideal space for students to experiment and find their niche in a growing sector. When I tour industry, says Monroe, walk through and wave at former students. The expectation from Edmonds and industry is that more credentialed students will envision their careers on manufacturing shop floors in the coming years.
The program offers a cohort model, with a hybrid format of online and in-person classes scheduled for evenings and weekends. Nelson and Monroe are working hard to make entry into the program as frictionless as possible for working professionals and students moving from 2-year AAS-T degrees, with a focus on building articulation agreements with other college programs.
This program covers the second two-years of a four-year Bachelor of Applied Science degree and those who have already completed an appropriate associate degree can apply to the program. Interested students can also complete the first two years of the program by enrolling in the Engineering Technology (ETEC) Materials Science and Technology Associate of Applied Science (MST AAS-T) degree at Edmonds College, which transfers seamlessly to the new AMMET degree.
A recently hired lead instructor, Pablo Pedrosa will welcome students and industry in the fall. To find out more, please visit http://edmonds.edu/ammet or email AMMET@edmonds.edu.