Engineering Classes Offered

Good engineers are always in demand and can find a job even in times of economic downturns. At a recent Society of Women Engineers‘ national conference, hundreds of companies were accepting applications and resumes for engineering positions. One company alone was hoping to hire 1,000 engineers.

NMSU-A is in the intermediate stages of setting up a course matrix for an Associate of Science Degree in General Engineering. Our goal is for students to complete the first two years of an engineering degree in Alamogordo, then transfer to one of the four-year universities to complete the bachelor’s degree. The basic course offerings offered at NMSU-A will satisfy the requirements for any engineering degree.

During Spring Semester 2009, we will offer two beginning classes: DRFT 109, Computer Aided Drafting, and ENGR 100, Introduction to Engineering. The two classes have no prerequisites, so they are open to any student who is looking at the possibility of studying engineering.

DRFT 109 is a drafting class that uses AutoCad 2009 software. There are two sections of the class, each section will be taught by an instructor who uses AutoCad in his workplace. ENGR 100 will introduce students to four basic areas of engineering: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical. The students will work on four projects and discover basic engineering principles. If you have ever watched “Myth Busters,” you will have an idea of the type of projects students will be completing. One of the first projects will be a trebuchet–a large catapult which will be built and tested to see which object will fly the furthest. Does “Punkin Chunkin” also sound familiar? If so, you know students who enroll in ENGR 100 will have lots of fun learning about the fundamentals of engineering!

Certainly, engineering degrees are academically rigorous. For example, after a student completes Math 191–Trig-based Calculus I–he or she should take Physics 215, Engineering Physics I. When a student decides for sure that engineering is for them, the faculty and staff at NMSU-A will assist students find summer internships with companies throughout the United States.

The United States needs more engineers. In Alamogordo, we have many talented people who have the ability and interest to become engineers. So why not enroll in one or two of beginning the classes–ENGR 100 and DRFT 109—and find out if your niche is in the engineering world.

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