The authority to grant a degree in Automotive Technology was granted to Rowan College of South Jersey by the New Jersey Board of Higher Education on November 30, 1989. All students who are admitted and successfully complete the two-year program will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Automotive Technology.
The Automotive Technology program is a joint venture involving three cooperating participants: Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester County Institute of Technology, and the Ford Motor Company. Ford supports 38 other such programs throughout the United States under the name of ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training).
ASSET at Rowan College of South Jersey is a 24-month curriculum. The Automotive Technology classes, which include lecture and hands-on shop experiences, are held at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Supportive liberal arts courses, including mathematics, science and computer classes, are held on the Rowan College of South Jersey campus. Both institutions are located adjacent on Tanyard Road in Sewell, New Jersey.
The Automotive Technology courses cover bumper-to-bumper technical training on Ford automotive products, including the latest developments in engines, ignitions and fuel systems, on-board electronics, and computerized engine controls.
The program is divided into four semesters. Ten-twelve week sessions of classroom and shop experience alternate with ten-twelve weeks of internship/cooperative education at participating Ford/Lincoln dealerships in the Delaware Valley. The incorporation of the internships allows students to apply their classroom training in a real-work setting. Additionally, students become familiar with the dealership environment and organizational structure, as well as the competencies expected of a professional automotive technician. Students are paid a salary for their work experiences at the dealerships during their internship periods.
Program Goals
Students who have completed the program will be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
- Safely and competently work in an automotive repair facility
- Understand all eight National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence areas of automotive technology, regardless of manufacturer. These include electrical, brakes, steering, power-train controls, automatic transmissions and others
- Diagnose and fix all major automotive systems
- Demonstrate social skills and a high level of professionalism
Students can download the Program Guide listed above to view a semester-by-semester breakdown of the required classes and electives for this program.
The RCSJ Catalog provides class descriptions.
The Course Registration Info site shows important information for each semester such as deadlines, dates, and guides.
For a complete list of when important College dates occur, students can view and download the Academic Calendar.
