During a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, a new mechatronics-focused articulation agreement was made official between the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Enterprise State Community College located in Enterprise, Alabama.
Through the agreement, students completing the associate of applied science in mechatronics degree at the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, will be able to transfer all Enterprise State credits to UTC and continue training to complete the bachelor of applied science in mechatronics.
Instrumental in establishing this partnership was Enterprise State mechatronics instructor Aubri Hanson, who reached out to UTC while searching for transfer options for students.
“Looking at the curriculum for UTC’s BAS in mechatronics, I knew this would be a great match and path for our students,” she said.
“Completing the two-year degree in mechatronics qualifies students for many jobs in a variety of fields that command a high wage. Going on and completing the four-year degree will allow students to move into engineering and management level positions in mechatronics. Either path a student chooses will lead to a wealth of opportunities in a broad range of industry.”
Enterprise State Community College mechatronics students who transfer to UTC will continue their training in automation, robotics and other areas, which can lead to more employment opportunities in a broad range of industry.
The transfer agreement between the two institutions guarantees admission to Enterprise State students completing the associate degree in Mechatronics who graduate with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Hanson said this agreement would have students completing 67 credits at Enterprise State and the final 62 credits required for the bachelor’s degree at UTC.
“We are excited about this transfer articulation agreement for the Mechatronics program and welcoming ESCC students to UTC to complete their four-year Bachelor of Applied Science degree,” Dean of UTC’s College of Engineering and Computer Science Daniel Pack said. “With the new border state tuition discount, UTC is a smart choice for students in Alabama. We look forward to working with ESCC to develop pathways for other programs in engineering, technology, and computer science.”
According to Ahad Nasab, Engineering Management and Technology Department Head and Burkett Miller Chair of Excellence, the program at UTC is a natural next step for regional mechatronics students looking to further their education.
“The BAS Mechatronics program at UTC is designed to provide the knowledge and skill set demanded by the transition of manufacturing to Industry 4.0.,” Nasab said. “We hope to serve as a unique conduit for community college students to advance in the exciting field of automation, robotics and mechatronics.”
Enterprise State Vice President and Dean of Instruction Danny Long said the agreement with UTC was exceptional and that Enterprise State is excited about the opportunities students would have available to them.
“It’s rare to have all courses for an entire program, especially a career technical program, transfer to a four-year institution,” Long said.
Although this is the first articulation agreement to be signed between the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science and any institution in Alabama, similar agreements already exist with institutions in Tennessee and Georgia. Read more about the transfer agreements with Chattanooga State, Dalton State, Motlow State and more here.
