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Applied Quality and Standards, Associate in Applied Science

Overview

Narrative

Today's manufacturing environment is clean, fast-paced and always changing to stay competitive. Manufacturing today also requires more technical knowledge than in the past. That's why it is important to stay on top of the latest trends and methods involved in manufacturing, technology, and continuous quality improvement. For those just entering the field, it's also vital to have hands-on operating skills specific to at least one area of manufacturing.

The Applied Quality and Standards program was developed with the assistance of local manufacturing experts.  Their input assures that graduates of our program are highly skilled and knowledgeable in today's manufacturing and quality assurance practices.

Graduates new to manufacturing will gain a new set of skills and knowledge qualifying them as, quality inspectors or technicians, and manufacturing engineering technicians.  Existing manufacturing personnel who graduate from this program will become better qualified as technicians, auditors, supervisors, and managers of Quality, manufacturing group leaders, and process technicians.

Most Major courses are offered during the day in the fall and spring.  All other courses are offered both day and evening.

Features

The program focuses on providing practical industry-specific training in well-equipped manufacturing and quality assurance labs. While students study areas of Quality such as Total Quality Management, statistical process control, ISO 9000 standards, and auditing, they also learn to apply this knowledge to specific types of manufacturing through hands-on technical electives. If you have existing skills in manufacturing, you may be able to gain credit through testing to challenge the technical electives requirement.

The associate's degree program includes a series of required general education courses. These classes prepare you to assume a greater role in working with people and other departments in your organization. The well-rounded education you receive increases your potential to grow into supervisory or management positions.

The work-based internship near the end of the degree program can be carried out with your employer or with another approved organization. During your internship, you'll apply your manufacturing and quality skills and knowledge to a production or process operation, experiencing the dynamics found only in an actual organization.

If you're interested in continuing your education to the bachelor's degree level, you may transfer your credits from this program to the following programs:

  • Franklin College B.S. in Applied Management (web-based)
  • California University of Pennsylvania B.S. in Industrial Management (web-based)
  • Penn College of Technology B.S. in Technical Management
  • Penn College of Technology B.S. in Welding and Fabrication Engineering Technology

Check with your advisor for more information and options in course selection.

If you have existing skills in manufacturing,  you may be able to gain credit through testing to challenge the technical electives requirements and introductory courses

Requirements

No special requirements are needed to apply for this program.

Contact the Admissions Office at 610-861-5500 for further information.

Career Potential: Quality Control Technician, Process Technician, leading to Manufacturing Supervisor, Quality Supervisor Manufacturing Engineer.

Outcomes

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an ability to work independently and collaboratively.
  • Analyze and present data in an acceptable and standardized matter.
  • Demonstrate the proper use of measuring tools to inspect dimensional features.
  • Demonstrate a general knowledge of industrial and manufacturing processes and quality standards.
  • Understand and apply proper techniques for analyzing workpiece drawings and their specifications.
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of materials characteristics, testing, and inspection.
  • Differentiate manufacturing processes and methods and their limitations.
  • Utilize statistical techniques to implement and maintain quality assurance programs.
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of industrial planning and control.

Courses

First Semester

COLS101College Success

1 credits

BUSA114Manufacturing Cost Control

3 credits

CMTH102Introduction to Communication

3 credits

ENGL101English I

3 credits

MATH150Introductory Statistics

3 credits

QUAL120Introduction to Measurement and Metrology

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Second Semester

CISC101Introduction to Information Technology

3 credits

ENGG117Technical Drawings & Specifications

3 credits

ENGG125Manufacturing Processes

3 credits

ENGL151TEnglish II

3 credits

QUAL130Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Third Semester

BUSA252Quality Management

3 credits

QUAL210Statistical Quality Control

3 credits

General Education Elective

3 credits

General Education Elective

3 credits

QUAL205Introduction to Six Sigma

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Fourth Semester

QUAL215Quality Assurance

3 credits

QUAL221GApplied Quality Practicum

3 credits

General Education Elective

3 credits

QUAL220Total Quality Management

3 credits

QUAL225Introduction to Lean Thinking

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:18

Total Credit Hours: 64

  • For the General Education Electives, students must select three courses from the list of approved courses in two of the following categories: Arts & Humanities (AH); Social Science: Societies and Institutions over Time (SIT) or Social Science: Scientific Study of Human Behavior (SSHB).
  • One course should be designated as Diversity and Global Awareness (D)
  • Completion of QUAL221G satisfies the Writing Intensive (WI) requirement for this program.