Automotive Technology Management
School of Transportation Technology
Advanced Automotive Technology Center &missot; (570) 321-6730
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the job outlook for graduates of the Automotive Technology Management degree?
- What type of salary can I expect with a degree in Automotive Technology Management?
- Why should I choose Penn College for a degree in Automotive Technology Management?
- What are the benefits of a bachelor’s degree over an associate’s degree?
- Can I transfer into the bachelor's degree from another institution?
- Will the College help me to locate a job?
- Can I stop after my two-year degree to find work, and then later continue with the four-year degree without losing my credits?
- How much time is expected of me outside of class for class preparation?
- What assurance do I have that the program is recognized nationally? Will my potential employers recognize such criteria?
- What classroom facilities are available for these programs?
- What subjects should I take in high school to prepare me for this program?
- What career opportunities can I look forward to after graduating from the Automotive Technology Management degree?
- Is financial aid available?
- Do you award credit for life experience?
- Can I schedule a tour of the facility?
- What are the job placement rates?
- What are the safety and dress code restrictions?
- If I am interested in the program, what should I do next?
- What specialized tools are needed for the program?
- What if I have to take MTH005 or MTH006?
Q: What is the job outlook for graduates of the Automotive Technology Management degree?
A: The job outlook for the automotive repair industry as a whole is very good. Various sources have reported a shortage of personnel with a technical background who can perform the work and understand the technical aspects of the work well enough to provide technical support or manage the work process.
Q: What type of salary can I expect with a degree in Automotive Technology Management?
A: Penn College reported an average salary of $31,500 for 2002-03 Automotive Technology Management graduates*.
Q: Why should I choose Penn College for a degree in Automotive Technology Management?
A: There are approximately ten programs that offer a bachelor's degree in an automotive technology related field. These programs, located in Illinois, Michigan, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Missouri, Indiana, and Minnesota, focus on either the technology or management. Penn College’s Automotive Technology Management program focuses on technology in the first two years. In the second two years, students take rigorous academic courses in the areas of general studies, management, business, business law, customer service, methods of quantitative analysis (statistics), alternative fuels and propulsion systems, repair facility financial analysis / fixed operations, teaching automotive seminars, and senior project thesis.
Q: What are the benefits of a bachelor’s degree over an associate’s degree?
A: Career opportunities and possibilities for advancement are main reasons to consider a B.S. degree. Publicly held automotive corporations often require a B.S. degree as an entry-level requirement or for advancement. Many government and teaching positions also require a B.S. degree as an entry-level requirement. While it is not necessary for all jobs, the skills learned in the program are an asset for many jobs in management and technical support. However, the choice to enter a B.S. degree must be done carefully and thoughtfully.
For some students who have completed their A.A.S. degree in Automotive Technology and wish to obtain jobs in customer service such as a service writer or assistant service manager at a local garage or dealership, they may want to consider a second associate’s degree in Automotive Service Sales and Marketing. This degree can be completed in just one year if the student already possesses an associate’s degree in Automotive or Collision Repair Technology. While the Automotive Service Sales and Marketing degree does not cover the management concepts as thoroughly as the B.S. degree, it does teach customer service and sales. It also is not as academically rigorous as the B.S. degree in terms of the math, science, and writing requirements. The Automotive Service Sales and Marketing associate’s degree can also be taken as a stand-alone degree in two years without taking an associate’s degree in Automotive or Collision Repair Technology. Some students who take the associate’s degree in Automotive Service Sales and Marketing may wish to go on for the B.S. degree in Automotive Technology Management to enhance their career advancement potential.
Q: Can I transfer into the bachelor's degree from another institution?
A: Academic courses can be transferred into Penn College provided they are not more than 10-years old. However, not all academic courses may meet the course requirements of the program. Therefore, you will not know what you need to take until after Penn College evaluates all transfer transcripts. Technical courses in Automotive, Collision Repair, and Diesel also fall under the 10-year rule unless you have been actively involved in the industry since completion of courses. ASE Certifications and Automotive Manufacturer course credentials can also meet the technical course requirements found in the freshman and sophomore years (46 credits maximum). Evaluation of these credentials for freshman / sophomore level course credit is on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Will the College help me to locate a job?
A: Penn College’s Career Services Office & Disability Services Office offers a wide variety of career services to students. You should take advantage of the services, which include on-campus interviews with businesses and automotive manufacturers for entry-level jobs and summer internships.
Q: Can I stop after my two-year degree to find work, and then later continue with the four-year degree without losing my credits?
A: You may exit the program at any point and re-enroll. Credits will not be lost provided courses are not over 10-years old. Likewise, a student who completes an A.A.S. degree in Automotive Technology, Collision Repair Technology, or Diesel Repair, has up to 10 years to enroll into the Automotive Technology Management degree without losing their academic credits.
If you wish to complete the A.A.S. degree and leave the College, provided you gain the necessary work experience (at least two years full time as a technician with supervisory, customer service, and management experience), you can enter the distance learning option of the Automotive Technology Management degree and complete the degree part-time. An associate’s degree student, who wants the B.S. degree in Automotive Technology Management, is encouraged to immediately start the degree as a full-time, on-campus student after completing the sophomore year.
For students who obtain early employment in the final semester of their senior year, distance learning courses may be an option for completing their remaining courses.
Q: How much time is expected of me outside of class for class preparation?
A: Average students spend between three and six hours per course per week on homework assignments.
Q: What assurance do I have that the program is recognized nationally? Will my potential employers recognize such criteria?
A: A B.S. degree is an academic degree accepted by society as a whole and the Commission on Higher Education, an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, and the Commission on Recognition and Postsecondary Accreditation accredits Penn College. Automotive manufacturers, schools, and the government recognize the need for employees to hold a B.S. degree to gain employment and/or advancement in their careers. Some private automotive businesses, such as dealers and local garages, also recognize the need for employees to have academic credentials. The Automotive Technology Management degree is a very specialized degree, which prepares students for jobs in the automotive industry. The automotive industry has hired Automotive Technology Management graduates and has found them to be prepared for the jobs they needed to have filled. While the skills and knowledge learned in the program can be applied to other fields, the program is not designed to prepare students for general business management. Therefore, if a student has a career goal to work outside of the automotive industry or in aspects of the automotive industry not served by the degree, such as accounting and engineering, then there are other degrees, which may be more appropriate to pursue.
Q: What classroom facilities are available for these programs?
A: All academic courses are taught in buildings on campus. Freshman and sophomore technical courses in Automotive, Collision Repair, or Diesel Repair are taught at three different buildings devoted to the technology being studied. The junior and senior automotive courses are taken at the Advanced Automotive Technology Center located off-campus.
Q: What subjects should I take in high school to prepare me for this program?
A: Academics subjects such as algebra, English, and science are highly recommended. Automotive shop, if available, is also recommended but not necessary to enter the program.
Q: What career opportunities can I look forward to after graduating from the Automotive Technology Management degree?
A: Career paths can be examined in three basic areas:
The most common path is for graduates to work for privately held businesses such as dealerships, independent garages, and automotive franchises to name a few. Typically, the first job held is in customer service followed by a progression into management. Some graduates will become owners of privately held businesses.
The second path is for students to work for publicly held corporations such as automotive manufacturers and large chain operations such as Pep Boys or Sears. Typically, the first job held is in customer service or on a technical hotline. A few companies have a formal management-training program, which graduates must complete prior to advancement. Often graduates will progress into supervisory positions, management, field service engineer positions, and district manager positions, among others.
The final career path is for students to become automotive trainers (often for publicly held corporations such as automotive manufacturers) or to become an automotive teacher at the secondary or post-secondary level. However, this career path often requires graduates to continue their studies in graduate school.
Q: Is financial aid available?
A: Yes, contact Penn College’s Financial Aid office for more information.
Q: Do you award credit for life experience?
A: The School of Transportation Technology does not offer credit for life experience for any courses in the Automotive Technology Management program. However, distance learning students who lack an A.A.S. degree in Automotive, Collision Repair, or Diesel but have ASE master credentials or acceptable manufacturer training courses can be awarded up to 46 freshman/sophomore-level technical credits.
Q: Can I schedule a tour of the facility?
A: You can schedule a tour online or contact the Admissions Office at 1-800-367-9222.
Q: What are the job placement rates?
A: Penn College reported a 100% job placement rate for 2002-03 Automotive Technology Management graduates*.
Q: What are the safety and dress code restrictions?
A: There are no safety or dress codes in the junior or senior years. See the appropriate associate’s degree for information about the freshman and sophomore years.
Q: If I am interested in the program, what should I do next?
A: If interested in the program, you can apply for admission. However, distance learning candidates must contact Dr. Garner so your career goals and appropriate strategies for completion of the degree can be reviewed. On-campus students and on-campus transfer students from other schools should discuss the program and review their goals with Dr. Garner in the sophomore year, prior to starting their junior year.
Q: What specialized tools are needed for the program?
A: For the freshman and sophomore years, please review the appropriate associate’s degree for details. In the junior and senior year, a computer with Microsoft Office, Internet access, and a quality printer are highly recommended.
Q: What if I have to take MTH005 or MTH006?
A: For Penn College freshman MTH005 must be completed by the start of the sophomore year (third semester) so they are prepared for the 200-level technical courses. Also, MTH006 is to be completed by the sophomore year. Students transferring into the Automotive Technology Management program may start the fifth semester junior-level automotive course (AMT310) with MTH005 or MTH006, provided they completed ENL121 or ENL 201. However, MTH180 is a prerequisite for the sixth semester junior-level automotive course (AMT312) and students cannot take the next technical course in the sequence without the completion of MTH180. Unfortunately, you may not take MTH180 unless you have successfully completed or tested out of MTH006 (contact the Advisement Center). This means that if a student must still take the MTH006 in their fifth semester, he/she cannot take MTH180 and cannot progress to the next automotive course in the sixth semester. Therefore, the student has probably delayed graduation by one additional semester.
NOTE: * For the 2002-03 Graduate Survey 15 out of the 18 BAU graduates responded.