February 18, 2009

Purdue to offer industrial technology degree program at Vincennes University in fall

A new bachelor's degree program in industrial technology will allow students to take courses at Vincennes University, but receive a degree from Purdue. The program, jointly administered by the two universities, will prepare graduates for jobs in advanced manufacturing.

"Purdue's statewide technology program, offered in 11 Indiana cities, has a long history of preparing Indiana's workers for the jobs of the future," said Duane Dunlap, associate dean for statewide technology at Purdue. "This bachelor's degree program with Vincennes University is an exciting new partnership that has the potential to significantly impact southwestern Indiana, providing the kind of education needed to prepare workers for the new economy."

Robert T. Nora, chair of the technology baccalaureate degree program at Vincennes University, said that said the new degree builds upon the advanced manufacturing and computer-integrated manufacturing associate degree curriculum currently offered at Vincennes.

"Employers in the region have expressed strong support for this degree program because, despite the weakened economy, there is still a need for highly qualified workers in this area," he said. "This program and the addition of a Purdue faculty member will greatly enhance the quality of education our students are already receiving."

Vincennes University will provide the first two years of the program, and the junior- and senior-level courses will be offered through Purdue’s College of Technology and taught by newly hired Purdue clinical assistant professor Robert Moffat.

The first four semesters of the bachelor's degree program — administered by Vincennes University — will consist of general and introductory courses in such subjects as English, algebra, speech communication, science, computer graphics and problem-solving in manufacturing.

The last four semesters of the program — administered by Purdue — will include courses in industrial organization, problem solving in manufacturing, elements of distribution, occupational safety and health, statistical quality, industrial ergonomics, production planning and monetary analysis for industrial decisions.

The program is designed for both part-time and full-time students in the southwest Indiana area who are interested in enhancing their career opportunities in both technical and management areas such as production planning, industrial ergonomics and safety, quality control and productivity, manufacturing facilities planning, materials handling, automated manufacturing systems and computer simulation. In addition, industrial technology students are fully equipped to pursue green belt certification following completion of their degree.

Graduates will be qualified to work in business, industry and government as industrial engineers, manufacturing engineers, operations managers, product managers and quality-assurance engineers.

Students who are interested in the bachelor's degree program must register through Vincennes University. All students enrolling in the bachelor's degree program must meet the admissions standards established by Purdue and will be admitted through Purdue. Those interested in enrolling in the program can contact Moffat at (812) 888-4151 or via e-mail at rmoffat@purdue.edu  or rmoffat@vinu.edu.

Students who are currently enrolled in the associate degree program in advanced manufacturing and computer-integrated manufacturing at Vincennes University can apply for the bachelor's degree program, as can prospective students. Vincennes University will continue to offer the associate degree in advanced manufacturing and computer-integrated manufacturing.

Two informational sessions will be held Feb. 24 at Vincennes University for those interested in learning more about the degree program. Both will be held in the auditorium of the Technology Building at Vincennes University. A program for current Vincennes University students will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a session for alumni of the industrial technology associate's degree program and others in the community will be 6-7:30 p.m.

Purdue University’s College of Technology, established in 1965, is one of the nation's largest and was one of the first of its kind in the country. It educates more than 5,700 undergraduates at locations around the state. In addition to Vincennes, the college’s statewide program is available in Anderson, Columbus, Greensburg, Kokomo, Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond and South Bend. Programs offered at each location are dependent on regional workforce demands.

Indiana's first college, Vincennes University is one of the oldest in America and the birthplace of one of the nation's first two-year institutions of higher learning. The 150-acre campus features some of the state's most modern instructional facilities adjacent to sites where American history was made, such as the 1803 frontier home of university's founder, President William Henry Harrison. As a state-supported, comprehensive college that enrolls about 9,400 students systemwide, Vincennes University offers a wide variety of associate degree programs as well as bachelor's degrees in the specialized areas of technology, nursing, health care management, homeland security and public safety, secondary education math or science, and special education/mild intervention.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Sources: Duane Dunlap, (765) 496-9468, ddunlap@purdue.edu

Kathryne Newton, head of Purdue's Department of Industrial Technology, (765) 494-1101, kanewton@purdue.edu

Robert Moffat, (812) 888-4151, rmoffat@purdue.edu, rmoffat@vinu.edu

Robert T. Nora, chair of technology baccalaureate degree, Vincennes University, (812) 888.4257, rnora@vinu.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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