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University of Montana Catalog 2024-2025

Welding Technology A.A.S.

The mission of the Welding Technology Program is to provide the regional workforce with credentialed, skilled, and competent welders and to be responsive to emerging workforce needs. The Welding Technology Program prepares students to operate and troubleshoot a variety of welding power sources and related equipment. The program prepares students to solve problems using computational skills and other problem-solving techniques essential to welding and steel fabrication. It also encourages the development of the teamwork and interpersonal skills required on the job.

Welding students develop skills in six different welding processes: oxyacetylene (OAW), shielded metal arc (SMAW), gas metal arc (GMAW), flux core arc, (FCAW), submerged arc (SAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Students also develop additional skills, such as blueprint reading and layout, metallurgy, and gain an understanding of how heating and cooling cycles affect the properties of metals. Students also study the design of jigs and fixtures and how to incorporate these into an automated welding system.

Courses such as Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), OSHA Rules and Compliance, and Related Metals Processes provide for a solid background in the metals industry. Fabrication basics and Metal Design and Construction utilize all of the gained knowledge in an instructor-approved/student-designed project.

Welding technology students have the opportunity to become certified to American Welding Society Standards and receive documentation stating qualifications.

Students are awarded the Certificate of Applied Science upon successful completion of the first year of the Welding Technology program. Students are awarded the Associate of Applied Science degree upon successfully completing the two-year program.

The program often has a waiting list. 

GENERAL ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Additional requirements for graduation can be found on the Degree/Certificate Requirements for Graduation page

Unless otherwise noted in individual program requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all work attempted at the University of Montana-Missoula is required for graduation. Please see the Academic Policies and Procedures page for information on how your GPA is calculated.

Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a major, minor, or certificate program must be completed with a grade of C- or better unless a higher grade is noted in the program requirements.

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - WELDING TECHNOLOGY

Course Requirements

Complete all of the following courses:
BGEN 215Career Readiness3
COMX 102Interpersonal Skills in the Workplace1
DDSN 113ATechnical Drafting3
DDSN 114Introduction to CAD3
M 105Contemporary Mathematics3-4
MCH 114Related Metals Processes II3
OSH 110OSHA 10 Hour Safety Training1
WLDG 117Blueprint Reading & Welding Symbols3
WLDG 145Fabrication Basics4
WLDG 180Shielded Metal Arc Welding4
WLDG 187Flux Core Arc Welding4
WLDG 205Applied Metallurgy4
WLDG 210Pipe Welding - Integrated Lab4
WLDG 215GTAW (integrated lab)4
WLDG 245Metal Fabrication Design and Construction4
WLDG 275Gas Metal Arc Welding4
WLDG 280Welding Testing Certification2
WLDG 285Automation in Welding3
WRIT 101College Writing I3
Total Hours60

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