Automotive Technology Management

Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)
Student leaning on vehicle

About this program

At Penn College, your career in automotive management is just around the bend. Fuel your future with a power-packed program that includes everything from technical know-how to learning how to run a shop of your own. We consider this a 2+2 major, which means that you can pick either an automotive or collision focus for your first four semesters and pair that with four semesters of applied technology management coursework.

Next steps...

You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.

98%

Overall Placement

61%

Hired within 1 month after Graduation

Tech+

Learn Technical, Management, and Soft Skills

Careers

  • Automotive business management
  • Automotive industry customer relations
  • Automotive technical assistance & field service engineering
Courses

At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.

​​Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.

  • Previous Program Courses (PTM)
  • Automotive Technology Management Electives (ATM) or
  • Vehicle Systems & Function for Customer Service Personnel (ABM300)
  • Vehicle Repair & Diagnostic Procedures for Customer Service Personnel (ABM301)
  • Automotive Management & Customer Service (ABM310)
  • Introduction to Financial Accounting (ACC113)
  • Principles of Management (MGT115)
  • Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHM100) or
  • Introduction to Metallurgy (MSC106) or
  • Automotive Management Strategic Planning & Personnel (ABM350)
  • Advanced Topics in Automotive Technology (ABM355)
  • Business Law I (MGT301)
  • Automotive Managerial Analysis (ABM450)
  • Automotive Technical Training & Workforce Development (ABM455)
  • Small Business Management (MGT249) or
  • Senior Project (ABM495)

​Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.

  • Science Elective (SCI)
  • Principles of Macroeconomics (ECO111)
  • Principles of Management (MGT115)
  • Introduction to Forensic Science (SCI101) or
  • Introduction to Forensic Science Laboratory (SCI102)
  • Business Law I (MGT301)
  • Small Business Management (MGT249) or
  • Human Resource Management (HRM300)
  • Core Historical Perspective (HIP)
  • Core Arts Perspective (ARP)
  • Core Global & Cultural Diversity Perspective (CDP)

​​Foundations are the practical, intellectual, and social skills: communication, collaboration, critical and ethical thinking, quantitative thinking, and technological literacy that are crucial to every student at every stage of education and at every stage of life.

  • Math Elective (MTH113 or Higher) (MHI)
  • Information, Technology & Society (CSC124)
  • English Composition I (ENL111)
  • English Composition II (ENL121) or
  • Technical & Professional Communication (ENL201)
  • Statistics for Health & Behavioral Sciences (MTH159)
  • Fundamentals of Speech (SPC101) or
  • Interpersonal Communication (SPC201)
Virtual Tour

Automotive

Get a snapshot of the power-packed automotive programs, take a look inside lab spaces loaded with specialized tools and equipment just like you’ll find in the real world, and learn how you can fuel your future. With small class sizes, intensive hands-on lab experiences, true-to-life internships, and the support of dedicated faculty, a degree from Penn College will take you where you want to go.

Modern Fully-Equipped Labs
Facilities

Modern Fully-Equipped Labs

Get hands-on experience in specialized labs using industry-standard equipment, just like you’ll see in the real world.

Maker Profiles
Tour Schedule

Seeing is believing.

Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.

Apr 7

Undergraduate Open House

Sunday, April 7 8:30 AM - 3 PM

More tour dates are on the way.

But let's customize a tour for you now. Call, chat, or email for options.

Need a different date?

Let's customize a tour for you now. Call, chat, or email for options.

Contact

Admissions Office

Industry Partners

Work with experts to become an expert

Penn College's strong partnerships impact every step of your journey – from your first day in the classroom and labs, to career placement (oftentimes before graduation) and beyond.

NATEF Logo
Subaru logo
MOPAR CAP logo
Ford ASSET logo
Honda PACT logo
Student Life

 

Penn College Motorsports Association

Penn College Motorsports Association

The club activities offer members exclusive exposure to the racing industry with tours of performance shops and opportunities to test their driving ability by participating in track days, autocross, and other driver skill events. 

SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA

Participation in SkillsUSA gives students a chance to compete in more than 80 national competitions.
Student Organizations at Penn College

Student Organizations at Penn College

Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 65+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.

Penn College News
03.01.2024

College's Transportation Scholars program featured on 'Centre County Report'

Friday’s “Centre County Report” featured a story on Penn College’s Transportation Scholars program. The weekly broadcast -- produced by students in the capstone broadcast journalism course in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State – included an interview with Bradley M. Webb, dean of engineering technologies.

02.23.2024

Penn College receives NSF grant to aid transportation workforce

Pennsylvania College of Technology is the recipient of a nearly $1.5 million federal grant to support students majoring in a transportation-related field. The National Science Foundation awarded $1,498,465 (grant No. 2221107) as part of its S-STEM program, which funds scholarships for academically talented low-income students.

02.23.2024

Electric vehicles topic of SEDA-COG hearing, lab tour

Following a SEDA-Council of Governments hearing yesterday in the Thompson Professional Development Center on the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, participants visited the college’s EV lab in the Parkes Automotive Technology Center. Automotive technology faculty members Christopher J. Holley and Charles F. Probst described the opportunities and challenges presented by EVs with the group.

Gain global experience
Study Abroad

Gain global experience

See the world via Williamsport. Take your education abroad and get hands-on experience learning about your industry on a global scale.

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Student Experience

The community as their classroom

Automotive students, faculty compete in ‘Green Grand Prix’

Automotive students, faculty compete in ‘Green Grand Prix’

Members of the Penn College Motorsports Association participated in the 15th annual Toyota Green Grand Prix, which promotes innovation in sustainable transportation technologies while launching the season-opening weekend at New York’s renowned Watkins Glen International racetrack.

Read More

More Information

Accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE)

A.A.S degree from an accredited institution or NATEF certified school or completed ASE Master Technician Certification (8 certifications total) and official/final high school transcript.

Students may transfer with an associate degree from Penn College or other regionally accredited colleges with equivalent courses. Penn College officials will evaluate transcripts prior to acceptance to the major and junior level status. Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certificate, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Certification(s), or industry specific training that includes full-time industry related work experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for credit as determined by the Automotive Department.

View general transfer information

As students learn to develop skills in service, repair, and test procedures within the first two years of this major, they will need to purchase certain tools.

Uniforms and tools are available for purchase through The College Store.

Average time to complete the degree
Students are required to have earned an associate degree as a condition of enrollment into the bachelor degree.

2014 fall cohort: 24 months
2015 fall cohort: 18 months
2016 fall cohort: 25 months
2017 fall cohort: 21.1 months
2018 fall cohort*: 5 semsters
2019 fall cohort: 5 semesters
2020 fall cohort: 4 semesters
*Starting Fall 2018, logic changed to average number of semesters, rounded up, for students who start full-time.

Cumulative GPAs

  Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022
BAU Junior 3.25 3.45 3.12 3.65 2.98
BAM Junior 3.13 3.73 3.46 3.56 3.53
BAU Senior 3.08 2.92 2.95 3.23 3.55
BAM Senior 3.39 3.38 3.29 3.56 3.68

 

Average Starting Salary
(Source: Penn College graduate survey dashboard)

  2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22
BAU $41,500 $54,500 $39,750 $45,667 $62,667
BAM* N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

*N is to small for reporting

Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.

Visit the Alternative Credit Options page for requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

  • Mr. Joey A Fleck, Competency Based Teacher Education Coordinator, The Penn State University
  • Dr. C. William Garner, Retired, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University
  • Mr. Patrick McCormick, Retired, Ford Motor Company
  • Mr. Anthony J Piccari, '08, Aftersales Department, Ferrari North America, Inc.
  • Mr. David K Plessinger, Owner, Economy Auto Parts
  • Mr. Carlo Santora, '08, '09, Technical Manager, Eastern US, Maserati North America
  • Dr. Mark D Threeton, Assistant Professor, Workforce Education, The Pennsylvania State University
  • Career Fair Connections

    Career Fair Connections

    Penn College graduates are in high demand. Employer participation at the Career Fair is proof. Attracting 400+ organizations, this popular event is hosted twice per year and introduces students to all types of businesses from startups to Fortune 500 companies. 

    Learn More About Career Fair