CPCC to offer associate degree in engineering

Central Piedmont Community College will launch an associate degree program in engineering with the start of the fall semester in August, officials announced this week.

The program is designed for students who want to pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree in civil or mechanical engineering at a UNC system university, Chris Paynter, CPCC dean of STEM programs, said in announcing the new program.

Paynter said the program “will enhance the Charlotte region’s workforce, while giving students who want to begin their studies close to home a lower-cost, high-quality option.”

Course work will draw heavily from the natural sciences, engineering disciplines and advanced mathematics, including three calculus classes, Paynter said. Students will take 61 credit hours to complete the program.

Workforce studies and employer surveys indicate the Charlotte region needs more bachelor-degree-level engineers, Paynter said.

“At the same time, we have tracked significant student demand for a ... program in engineering,” Paynter added. “Once the A.E. degree program is established, we’ll look at adding a track for electrical engineering majors.”

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 9:38 AM with the headline "CPCC to offer associate degree in engineering."