PTC Provides Head Start with Engineering Technology Transfer Opportunities

Piedmont Technical College’s engineering technology program offers a variety of options that allow students to begin their education at PTC and then seamlessly transfer into programs at the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University or USC Upstate.

Students can earn mechanical or electrical engineering transfer credits at Piedmont Tech. These pathways are designed to simplify the transfer of PTC students into the USC Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering programs.

“The students come here basically for the first year of USC and then transfer into USC for their last three years,” said Sandy Warner, department head for engineering technology.

Warner said they work closely with USC to ensure the students are prepared, including a trip to Columbia to tour the campus and see the lab facilities.

“USC works with us and they are very open to us,” said Warner. “We have a very good one-on-one relationship with the program.”

The transfer agreement with South Carolina State University is a comprehensive transfer program that allows students who complete their Associate in Science degree in either mechanical engineering technology or electrical engineering technology at PTC to transfer their courses into SCSU’s Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology (BSEET) degree or the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology (BSMET) degree programs. All course work is completed at PTC’s Greenwood Campus.

“Piedmont Tech was a great prep for the SC State program,” said Rex Reece, a Piedmont Tech graduate currently enrolled in the BSMET program. “Once I graduated, the transition into the program was seamless.”

Students interested in pursuing a degree in engineering technology management can follow the track to USC Upstate. Piedmont Tech students who earn an associate degree in any of the engineering technology fields can transfer credit hours toward USC Upstate’s Engineering Technology Management B.S. program. The program allows students to complete up to 76 credit hours of the required 127 credit hours at PTC.

“This program is designed to help students who are working in the engineering area and want to go into the business management side,” said Warner.

Warner said the employment opportunities are considerable for students completing the bachelor’s degree.

“With the current state of the economy, it is becoming more and more competitive. Companies want to hire people with degrees,” she said. “By starting here and transferring into these bachelor’s degree programs, our students are getting a head start.”