welding and metallurgical engineering technology

Metallurgy and welding are two technologies that both have their roots in the Industrial Revolution, where the joining of metals began with the forge welding of pig or wrought iron. Because of their fundamental nature, these technologies are intertwined. The ability to develop and join metals have made immeasurable contribution to the transportation, aerospace, agricultural and defense industries.

Metallurgical engineering is a field with a rich historical background, where the practice has almost superseded the science. Metallurgy is the study of the relationship between the structure of materials at the atomic scale and their properties at the macroscale. These engineers or engineering technologists work in manufacturing environments where the engineering and joining of structures is of the utmost importance to fit, function and safety of a product. Welding engineering technology is a branch of metallurgical engineering concerned with all the aspects of joining metals, leading to the manufacture of sound weldments or design of more efficient equipment to aid in the welding process.

The demand for welding and metallurgical engineering technology graduates at the bachelor of science level is growing due to the following:

• Electric and autonomous vehicles will require welding and metallurgical engineering technology graduates to work with advance metals and the advanced welding techniques to join them.
• Light-weighting in the automotive industry continuous to be a hot topic. While much of the light-weighting focus has been on the contributions of polymers and composites, the use of nonferrous metals, high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels and advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) have been major contributors to light-weighting initiatives. Along with the integral knowledge of lightweight metals, there is a need for the knowledge of joining them.
• The vast majority of "metallurgical engineering" programs have changed to "materials science." This change has required the addition of ceramics, polymers, composites and semiconductor coursework. The addition of the non-metal courses has resulted in a reduction of metallurgy coursework within the new materials science programs.

Our program

Wayne State University's welding and metallurgical engineering technology bachelor's program brings together the theoretical and practical aspects of welding and metallurgy to provide industry with engineers proficient in both areas.

Course Sequence

Each program has a course sequence, or proper order, in which to take classes. It is important that students take their classes following the course sequences provided by the department because foundational or prerequisite classes contain information that utilized in the upper level courses.

Since our students are coming from many different community colleges and technical backgrounds they transfer to Wayne State with varying amounts of credits. It is difficult to prescribe a semester-by-semester plan that would fit each individual student's situation, so instead priority lists are used.

Each list contains a group of classes that are required to be completed before registering for classes in the subsequent lists. This helps students progress through the program, while building on their foundational skills.

* Feel free to take math before completing the prior level

NOTE:

• Students who are found to be "out of order" can be administratively withdrawn from their classes. It is also very important that students get a C- or better in a class that is listed as a prerequisite to another class.
• Maximum 64 semester credits can be transferred from community colleges.
• Transfer credits are subject to WSU transfer student statute and may be revised.
• Minimum 30 credits must be earned from WSU including 24 credits from Division of Engineering Technology
• WSU general education requirements include: (a) Foundational Competencies for BC, IC, OC, and (b) Inquiries in QR, CI, CIV, SI, NSI, DEI, GL

All courses required are not on these priority lists. General education and communication courses are omitted from the above list. Students can use the general education and communication classes to help "fill in" or "balance" their schedules, but these are outside of the technical/program of study area. A student should first try to schedule classes on at the priority level they are at, and then opt to take general education classes.

American Welding Society (AWS) scholarships

• American Welding Society (AWS) scholarships
• American Welding Society (AWS) scholarships (Detroit chapter)

Each applicant is evaluated as an individual. Your admission to WSU is based on a review of many factors, which may include:

• High school or secondary school academic performance

• Submit an SAT/ACT score, or submit test-optional documents (two letters of recommendation, two essays, and an activities list).

• Rigor of high school curriculum

• Meeting Wayne State's English proficiency requirements

• Any other supporting documentation requested

• Submit all application documents by December 1 to be considered for merit-based scholarships. 

Additional requirements

• English translations of documents must bear the seal/stamp of the issuing institution.

• Your statement of financial support cannot be older than six months.

• Bank supporting documentation must show the dollar amount equivalent to the financial requirements (pdf) for undergraduate international students.

• English proficiency tests cannot be more than two years old.

• Checks drawn on foreign banks should carry the notation "Payable in U.S. funds, plus service charges."