Program Overview

Automotive Technology Comprehensive Associate Degree

Program Overview

The Automotive Technology program at Madison College is a two-year associate degree in automotive mechanical systems. Graduates may choose to go on to earn a bachelor's degree at a four-year institution.

Program Details

• Program Number:
• Degree: Associate Degree
• Area of Study: Transportation
• Delivery Method: 100% In Person
• Estimated Time to Complete: 69 Credits | Finish degree in 2 years
• Financial Aid Available: Yes
• Program Transfers: Yes

What You'll Pay

• Estimated Program Cost: $12,919.52
• Tuition and Fees: View Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid: Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.

Program Curriculum

First Semester

• Automotive Fundamentals (2 credits)
• Automotive Service Procedures (3 credits)
• Automotive Electrical 1 (E1) (3 credits)
• Automotive Electrical 2 (E2) (2 credits)
• Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning Systems (2 credits)
• Driveability 1 (5 credits)

Second Semester

• Metal Repair Techniques (2 credits)
• Technical Braking Systems (5 credits)
• Service Management (1 credit)
• Steering and Suspension Systems (5 credits)
• Written Communication (3 credits)

Third Semester

• Automatic Transmissions (5 credits)
• Manual Drivetrains & Axles (5 credits)
• Automotive Electrical 3 (E3) (2 credits)
• Mathematical Reasoning (3 credits)
• Economics (3 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Hybrid and Alternative Fueled Vehicles (2 credits)
• Internal Combustion Engines (5 credits)
• Driveability 2 (5 credits)
• Oral/Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
• Psychology Of Human Relations (3 credits)

Admission

• Application Dates:
  • Fall 2025: Application open, Application completion deadline is August 31, 2025
  • Fall 2026: Application available on September 15, 2025, Application completion deadline is August 31, 2026
• Admission Requirements:
  • Admission Application
  • Education Completion: Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:
    • High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
    • GED/HSED completion
    • College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
      • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
      • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
  • Residency Requirement: Per Wisconsin Statute TCS-10 because this program has a waitlist:
    • Out-of-state residents (except Minnesota residents*) are not eligible for admission consideration to this program
    • Non-district state residents:
      • May only be considered after January 1 for the upcoming fall term
      • *Minnesota residents are considered non-district state residents for admission purposes

Transfer Opportunities

• UW System Schools:
  • UW Oshkosh
  • UW Platteville
• Wisconsin Private Schools:
  • Concordia University
  • Lakeland University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Out-of-State Schools:
  • Bellevue University
  • Capella University
  • Colorado State University Global Campus
  • Franklin University

Career Outcomes

• Lifelong Learning:
  • Assume responsibility for continuing education in order to maintain skills and enhance professional growth.
  • Exhibit self-management and study skills necessary to succeed in increasingly challenging academic environments.
• Employability:
  • Demonstrate work ethics and reliable behavior, including but not limited to assuming responsibility for decisions and actions, utilizing time and stress management skills, and displaying initiative.
• Professionalism:
  • Demonstrate pride in profession through motivation and initiative, positive attitude, and flexibility.
• Ethics/Respect/Integrity:
  • Demonstrate professional ethics, honesty and respect when dealing with customers, co-workers and supervisors.
• Working Cooperatively:
  • Work as a team member by demonstrating good communication and listening skills, cooperating and providing a supportive environment.
• Communication:
  • Communicate clearly and professionally in both written and verbal communications to customers, co-workers and supervisors, using positive interpersonal skills including but not limited to empathy, active listening and flexibility.
• Technical Knowledge:
  • Explain and apply technical concepts and their interrelationships between various vehicular systems.
  • Demonstrate applications of technical knowledge to other technologies and disciplines.
• Technical Skills:
  • Diagnose customer complaints accurately and demonstrate mechanical aptitude in the servicing of vehicles.
  • Apply critical thinking skills to evaluate and solve problems.

Graduate Summary

• Graduate Report Summary Overview Count:
  • Number of Program Graduates: 9 (2022), 11 (2023), 16 (2024)
  • Number of Surveys Sent: 9 (2022), 11 (2023), 16 (2024)
  • Number of Surveys Returned: 5 (2022), 10 (2023), 7 (2024)
  • Percent of Surveys Returned: 55.6% (2022), 90.9% (2023), 43.8% (2024)
• Available for Employment:
  • Number: 5 (2022), 9 (2023), 5 (2024)
  • Percent: 100.0% (2022), 90.0% (2023), 71.4% (2024)
• Not in Labor Market:
  • Number: 0 (2022), 1 (2023), 2 (2024)
  • Percent: 0.0% (2022), 10.0% (2023), 28.6% (2024)
• Available for Employment Count:
  • Graduates Employed: 5 (2022), 9 (2023), 4 (2024)
  • Percent of Graduates Employed: 100.0% (2022), 100.0% (2023), 80.0% (2024)
  • Employed in Related Occupation: 4 (2022), 9 (2023), 4 (2024)
  • Percent Employed in Related Occupation: 80.0% (2022), 100.0% (2023), 100.0% (2024)
  • Employed in Unrelated Occupation: 1 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation: 20.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Employed - No Response: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Employed - No Response: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Seeking Employment: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 1 (2024)
  • Percent Seeking Employment: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 20.0% (2024)
• Reaction To Training at Madison College Count:
  • Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4): 3.8 (2022), 3.9 (2023), 3.8 (2024)
  • Number of Satisfaction Responses: 5 (2022), 10 (2023), 6 (2024)
  • Very Satisfied (4): 4 (2022), 9 (2023), 5 (2024)
  • Percent Very Satisfied: 80.0% (2022), 90.0% (2023), 83.3% (2024)
  • Satisfied (3): 1 (2022), 1 (2023), 1 (2024)
  • Percent Satisfied: 20.0% (2022), 10.0% (2023), 16.7% (2024)
  • Unsatisfied (2): 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Unsatisfied: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Very Unsatisfied (1): 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Very Unsatisfied: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
• Primary Reason for Attending Madison College Count:
  • Number of Primary Reason Responses: 5 (2022), 10 (2023), 6 (2024)
  • Preparation for Getting a Job: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Preparation for Getting a Job: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Career Change: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Career Change: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Improvement of Existing Skills: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Improvement of Existing Skills: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Preparation for Further Education: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Preparation for Further Education: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Personal Interest: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Personal Interest: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Other: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Other: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
• When Employment was Obtained Count:
  • Number of When Employment Obtained Responses: 5 (2022), 9 (2023), 4 (2024)
  • Before Enrollment: 1 (2022), 0 (2023), 2 (2024)
  • Percent Before Enrollment: 20.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 50.0% (2024)
  • While Attending the College: 1 (2022), 4 (2023), 1 (2024)
  • Percent While Attending the College: 20.0% (2022), 44.4% (2023), 25.0% (2024)
  • After Training at the College: 3 (2022), 5 (2023), 1 (2024)
  • Percent After Training at the College: 60.0% (2022), 55.6% (2023), 25.0% (2024)
• Location of Employment (related and unrelated) Count:
  • Number of Employment Location Responses: 5 (2022), 9 (2023), 5 (2024)
  • In College District: 1 (2022), 8 (2023), 4 (2024)
  • Percent In College District: 20.0% (2022), 88.9% (2023), 80.0% (2024)
  • In Wisconsin, Not in District: 2 (2022), 1 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent of In Wisconsin: 40.0% (2022), 11.1% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Outside of Wisconsin: 2 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
  • Percent Outside Wisconsin: 40.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 0.0% (2024)
  • Employer Location Unknown: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 1 (2024)
  • Percent Location Unknown: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 20.0% (2024)
• Salary Trend:
  • Full Time Employment (Related Job):
    • Full Time Salary Count: 4 (2022), 9 (2023), 4 (2024)
    • Average Monthly Wage: $2,979 (2022), $4,183 (2023), $3,920 (2024)
    • Average Hourly Wage: $17.32 (2022), $24.32 (2023), $22.79 (2024)
    • Average Work Hours per Week: 43.8 (2022), 41.6 (2023), 41.3 (2024)
  • Part Time Employment (Related Job):
    • Part Time Salary Count: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
    • Average Hourly Wage: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)
    • Average Work Hours per Week: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 0 (2024)

Graduate Employers

• Graduate Employers for academic year: 2024:
  • Employer(s): Bergstrom Chevrolet-Cadillac-Oldsmobile, Crown Lift Trucks, Don Miller
  • Job Title: Service Technician, Forklift Service Technician, Automotive Technician
  • City:
  • State:
  • Positions: 1, 1, 2

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