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Automotive Collision Technology

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses Faculty

Associate Degree

A.S. in Automotive Collision Technology

This degree provides an extended combination of classroom and hands-on shop experience to prepare for careers in all phases of automotive collision technology. Topics include component repairs, structural and non-structural repairs and refinishing. It also covers various automotive systems, such as heating and air-conditioning, suspension steering, and electrical.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 120 Non-Structural Repair 4
ACT 130 Structural Repair 4
ACT 131 Automotive Collision Welding 4
ACT 140 Automotive Refinishing 4
ACT 161 Automotive Collision Software Systems, Estimating I 4
AT 100 Technical Basics for the Automotive Professional 3
AT 105 Mathematics for Automotive Technology 3
AT 180 Automotive Data Acquisition 3
AT 310 Heating and Air-Conditioning Systems 3
AT 311 Suspension and Steering Systems 3
AT 330 Automotive Electrical Systems 3
A minimum of 4 units from the following: 4
ACT 298 Work Experience in Collision Technology (0.5 - 4)
Total Units: 50

The Automotive Collision Technology Associate in Science (A.S.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus general education requirements, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See ARC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify and estimate automotive collision damage.
  • develop a repair plan.
  • repair automotive collision mechanical damage.
  • repair frame/unibody automotive collision structural damage.
  • repair automotive collision body damage.
  • refinish automotive collision damage.

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising careers with high wages. Students who have successfully completed this program are working as non-structural, structural, refinish and estimating technicians. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunities for auto collision specialists are excellent because of the large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and that employers prefer to hire graduates of a formal training program for which provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.

Certificates of Achievement

Automotive Claims Estimator Certificate

This program provides the technical and practical skills necessary to properly diagnose collision-damaged vehicles and to document the cost and time necessary to repair collision-damaged vehicles. The use of state-of-the-art, computer-generated estimating programs and video imaging are used to prepare itemized estimates on collision-damaged vehicles. The procedures to prepare itemized estimates detailing the required procedures and parts necessary to correctly repair the vehicle are also covered.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 120 Non-Structural Repair 4
ACT 161 Automotive Collision Software Systems, Estimating I 4
BUS 212 Marketing for Small Businesses 1
BUS 218 Management Skills for the Small Business 1
BUS 224 Customer Service 1
BUSTEC 300.1 Keyboarding/Applications: Beginning 11
Total Units: 20

1Keyboard proficiency test. This program can be completed in 19 units if student passes keyboarding test.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • complete an accurate repair estimate.
  • apply technical skills necessary to remove, replace and align damaged cosmetic and mechanical related components.
  • recognize and identify direct, indirect and secondary damage on collision-damaged vehicles.
  • create a marketing plan for a small business utilizing appropriate data.
  • analyze the four functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating.
  • demonstrate methods for building effective customer service teams.
  • create and edit documents using appropriate word processing functions.

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising careers with high wages. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunities for auto collision specialists are excellent because of the large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and that employers prefer to hire graduates of a formal training program because it provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.


Automotive Collision Technology Certificate

This program provides a combination of classroom and hands-on shop experience to prepare for careers in all phases of automotive collision technology repair. Topics include component repairs, structural and non-structural repairs and refinish. It also covers various automotive systems, such as heating and air-conditioning, suspension steering, and electrical.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 120 Non-Structural Repair 4
ACT 130 Structural Repair 4
ACT 131 Automotive Collision Welding 4
ACT 140 Automotive Refinishing 4
ACT 161 Automotive Collision Software Systems, Estimating I 4
AT 100 Technical Basics for the Automotive Professional 3
AT 105 Mathematics for Automotive Technology 3
AT 180 Automotive Data Acquisition 3
AT 310 Heating and Air-Conditioning Systems 3
AT 311 Suspension and Steering Systems 3
AT 330 Automotive Electrical Systems 3
A minimum of 4 units from the following: 4
ACT 298 Work Experience in Collision Technology (0.5 - 4)
Total Units: 50

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify and estimate automotive collision damage
  • repair automotive collision mechanical damage
  • repair frame/unibody automotive collision structural damage
  • repair automotive collision body damage
  • refinish automotive collision damage

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising careers with high wages. Students who have successfully completed this program are working as apprentice shop technicians. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunities for auto collision specialists are excellent because of the large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and that employers prefer to hire graduates of a formal training program because it provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.


Automotive Collision Technology-Refinish Certificate

This program provides a combination of classroom and hands-on shop experience to prepare for a career in automotive collision technology refinishing. Topics include component repair, non-structural repairs, and refinishing. This certificate is intended for students who are interested in exploring the field of Automotive Collision Refinish.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 120 Non-Structural Repair 4
ACT 140 Automotive Refinishing 4
Total Units: 16

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify color matching and solutions
  • apply color blending procedures including application
  • apply paint material with proficiency
  • polish repaired surface to factory finish
  • prepare surface in all application phases
  • remove and install adjacent parts for quality refinishing preparation

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising careers with high wages. Students who have successfully completed this program are qualified candidates for refinishing apprenticeships. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunities for auto collision specialists are excellent because of the large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and that employers prefer to hire graduates or a formal training program because it provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.


Automotive Collision Technology-Structural Certificate

This program provides a combination of classroom and hands-on shop experience to prepare for a career in automotive collision structural repairs. This certificate is intended for students who have completed the Automotive Collision Technology Certificate and need to obtain a higher skill level in the field.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 130 Structural Repair 4
ACT 131 Automotive Collision Welding 4
Total Units: 16

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify structural damage.
  • mount and measure vehicles.
  • pull and square damaged structural areas.
  • perform collision related welding of sheet steel.
  • remove and install components.

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising careers with high wages. Students who have successfully completed this program are working as frame/unibody technicians. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunities for auto collision specialists are excellent because of the large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and that employers prefer to hire graduates of a formal training program because it provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.

Certificate

Automotive Collision Technology-Non-Structural Certificate

This certificate provides a combination of classroom and hands-on experience to prepare for careers in non-structural automotive collision technology. Topics include automotive collision basic, component and non-structural repairs. This certificate is intended for students who have completed the Automotive Collision Technology Certificate and need to obtain a higher skill level to obtain higher I-CAR pro levels.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ACT 100 Automotive Collision Basics 4
ACT 110 Component Repairs 4
ACT 120 Non-Structural Repair 4
Total Units: 12

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify collision damage
  • repair vehicle sheet steel
  • determine repair or replace based on I-CAR/ASE criteria
  • repair hybrid vehicles to meet legal safely standards

Career Information

This program provides training and hands-on experience in high-demand skills that lead to promising career with high wages. Students who have successfully completed this program are working as body repair technicians. The U.S. Labor Department reports that job opportunity for auto collision specialists are excellent because of large number of older workers who are expected to retire in the next 4 to 10 years. In addition, it points out that experienced technicians are rarely laid off and employers prefer to hire graduates of a formal training program because it provides a foundation in the latest collision technology, including the techniques and equipment used on the job.