NDSCS College Catalog |
The Mechanical Systems program is designed to provide the student with the basic knowledge of the plumbing code, trade skills and good work habits, and to credit the student with hours toward apprenticeship training time. The program also will offer the fundamentals of service and installation of residential and light commercial heating and air conditioning equipment. Qualified graduates will have a variety of occupational opportunities available in the HVAC/R and plumbing industries. General education and related instruction is provided so the student will have the opportunity to grow within the occupational field.
Smaller mechanical contractors may struggle to keep their employees doing just plumbing or just heating and air conditioning work. They require technicians with skills in both areas. The Associate in Applied Science in Mechanical Systems provides the training in both programs over two, nine-month periods on campus.
This curriculum involves state codes, various aspects of materials, equipment and fixtures, service and installation procedures. This requires a working knowledge of the state code, layout of water and sanitation systems in the buildings in accordance with the code. This curriculum also involves doing take-off work from blueprints; working with a variety of materials used in piping such as cast iron, plastic, copper and steel; the setting of various fixtures and proper hookups; and the service of various valves, controls, fixture items and domestic water systems. It will involve the operation, service and repair or change-out of various mechanical equipment, controls and accessories of residential and light commercial systems.
The service of mechanical equipment for heating using fossil fuels requires a knowledge of fuels, fuel-air mixtures, combustion testing and control systems. The mechanical equipment for cooling requires knowledge of refrigerants and their systems, compressor change-out, refrigerant recovery and recycling, and system clean up. The equipment studied includes gas, oil and electric heating equipment along with conventional cooling equipment and heat pumps.
Students are encouraged to take the bulk of plumbing coursework first and then return the second year for HVAC/R Technology coursework. Students who fail to complete all the required general education courses will be granted certificates in each respective program Plumbing and HVAC/R Technology.
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Associate in Applied Science | ||
| MSYS 101 | Safety for Mechanical System Technicians | 1 |
| MSYS 151 | Drafting and Sketching | 2 |
| PLMB 101 | Plumbing Theory and Code | 4 |
| PLMB 102 | Plumbing Theory and Code | 4 |
| PLMB 105 | Core Curriculum for Plumbers | 2 |
| PLMB 111 | Plumbing Lab | 6 |
| PLMB 112 | Plumbing Lab | 6 |
| PLMB 132 | Plumbing Drawing, Sketching and Design | 3 |
| REFG 101 | Refrigeration Technology | 3 |
| REFG 102 | Refrigeration Technology | 3 |
| REFG 104 | Refrigerants: Chemistry and Ecology | 1 |
| REFG 112 | Domestic and Residential Systems | 2 |
| REFG 113 | Refrigeration Systems Lab | 2 |
| REFG 121 | Electrical Theory I | 3 |
| REFG 122 | Electrical Theory II | 3 |
| REFG 123 | Electrical Lab I | 2 |
| REFG 124 | Electrical Lab II | 2 |
| REFG 253 | Heating Equipment Theory | 3 |
| REFG 255 | Heating Equipment Lab | 2 |
| Related/General Education Courses | ||
| ENGL 110 | English Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 105 | Technical Communications | 3 |
| CIS 101 | Computer Literacy | 2 |
| PSYC 100 | Human Relations in Organizations | 2 |
| Wellness elective(s) | 2 | |
| MATH elective(s) | 6 | |
| TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS: | 72 | |
The applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Applicants may be required to complete a basic skills evaluation during the admissions process.
Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Mechanical Systems.
