Welding Technology (AAS)
Associate Of Applied Science (AAS)
LSC-Houston North
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Welding Technology (AAS) is an Associate Of Applied Science (AAS) program offered by Lone Star College in Houston, TX. The program takes 60 credit hours to complete, with a total tuition of $6,660.
Program Overview
- The Welding Technology Program is designed to prepare the individual for a career as a welder in the fabrication, construction and manufacturing industries.
- Program Highlights
- The program includes hands-on application of SMAW, GTAW, and GMAW processes in four positions. Students will be exposed to welding on plate, structural shapes and pipe. The student will also gain knowledge on basic layout and fabrication, metallurgy and inspection procedures. Our labs have the most up to date welding equipment as well as knowledgeable professors who will demonstrate professionalism using accurate work standards needed for the workforce.
- Credentials and Careers
- The Shielded Metal Arc Welding Level 1 Certificate provides knowledge and skills in the SMAW (stick welding process). In this area students will be equipped to proceed to jobs that rely heavily on structural integrity, such as metal gates, fences, structural support for pumps and motors, and boiler tube makers.
- The Gas Metal Arc Welding Level 1 Certificate (GMAW) also prepares students for jobs that rely heavily on structural integrity such as metal gates and fences, structural support for pumps and motors, and boiler tube makers. Students should be able to differentiate the required inert gases used and be able to pass a structural test in all four positions.
- The Welding Level 2 Certificate expands on the two level 1 certificates. Students who complete these awards can work in many industries such as natural gas, oil, construction, sanitation and offshore.
- The Welding Technology AAS is designed to prepare the individual for a career as a welder and includes the general education courses required for transfer.
- Transferability
- Program graduates may further their education at Lone Star College by applying to the Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy, Manufacturing, and Trades Management.
- General education courses (Core) are designated for easy transfer to Texas public institutions and applicable to requirements at private and out-of-state institutions.
- Technical coursework may be transferable to other institutions.
- Please consult with a program advisor for more information about transferability.
Program Schedule
- Prerequisite: Completion of Welding, Level 2 Certificate (40 Credit Hours)
- This award requires 60 credit hours in total; the course list below is the 20 credit hours specific to it.
- Lone Star College reports 1328 contact hours for this award.
- Where the course list shows "Choose N credit hours", those courses are the options for one elective slot, not additional requirements.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply the ANSI standards for welding safety.
- Produce welds using various processes to published industry standards.
- Evaluate welds according to current industry standards.
- Demonstrate professionalism in communication skills, work ethic and personal bearing.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
- Tuition shown is the in-district rate of $111.00 per credit hour for 60 credit hours.
- Out-of-district Texas residents pay $249.00 per credit hour ($14,940.00); international and out-of-state students pay $313.00 per credit hour ($18,780.00).
- Lab fees vary by course and liability insurance, uniforms and supplies vary by program, so Lone Star College publishes no all-in total for this award. Tuition above excludes them.
- Financial aid and payment plans are available to most students.
- Application fee: none. Lone Star College applications are free.
Program Notes
The Student Success Course Requirement is satisfied through successful completion of WLDG 1421 - Welding Fundamentals.
Career outlook
Government figures for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers · typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent. These describe the occupation, not this school's graduates.
Advance your career
$48,500
median salary in Texas
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023.
$48,940
median salary nationally
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers.
+2%
projected change in employment, 2023–2033
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.
424,040
people employed in this occupation nationally
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024.
Related job titles
- Acetylene Burner
- Acetylene Cutter
- Acetylene Operator
- Acetylene Torch Burner
- Acetylene Torch Operator
- Acetylene Torch Solderer
- Aluminum Welder
- Arc Cutter
- Arc Wedler
Titles reported for this occupation by O*NET. Not a list of jobs this program guarantees.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Third Semester | ||
| ENGL1301 | Composition & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Third Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| MATH1314 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH1316 | Trigonometry | 3 |
| MATH1324 | Mathematics for Business & Social Science | 3 |
| MATH1325 | Calculus for Business & Social Sciences | 3 |
| MATH1332 | Mathematics for Liberal Arts | 3 |
| MATH1342 | Statistics | 3 |
| MATH1350 | Mathematics for Teachers I (Fundamentals of Mathematics I) | 3 |
| MATH1351 | Mathematics for Teachers II (Fundamentals of Mathematics II) | 3 |
| MATH2318 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH2412 | Precalculus | 4 |
| MATH2413 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH2414 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHIL2303 | Introduction to Formal Logic | 3 |
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours - Elective - Introduction to Computers | ||
| ITSC1301 | Introduction to Computers | 3 |
| COSC1301 | Introduction to Computers | 3 |
| BCIS1305 | Business Computer Applications | 3 |
| Subtotal | 9 | |
| Fourth Semester / Choose 2 credit hours - Program Capstone | ||
| WLDG1291 | Special Topics in Welder/Welding Technologist | 2 |
| Subtotal | 2 | |
| Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| HIST1301 | United States History I | 3 |
| HIST1302 | United States History II | 3 |
| HIST2301 | Texas History | 3 |
| HIST2327 | Mexican American History I (to the United States-Mexico War Era) | 3 |
| HIST2328 | Mexican American History II (from the United States-Mexico War Era) | 3 |
| HIST2381 | African American History I | 3 |
| HIST2382 | African American History II | 3 |
| GOVT2305 | Federal Government | 3 |
| GOVT2306 | Texas Government | 3 |
| ANTH2301 | Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH2351 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| CRIJ1301 | Intro To Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIJ1307 | Crime In America | 3 |
| ECON2301 | Macro-economics | 3 |
| ECON2302 | Micro-economics | 3 |
| GEOG1301 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG1303 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| GOVT2304 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| GOVT2311 | Mexican American and Latinx Politics | 3 |
| HIST2311 | Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIST2312 | Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIST2321 | World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIST2322 | World Civilizations II | 3 |
| PSYC2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI1301 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI1306 | Social Problems | 3 |
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| ARAB2311 | Intermediate Arabic I | 3 |
| ARAB2312 | Intermediate Arabic II | 3 |
| CHIN2311 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| CHIN2312 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| ENGL2322 | Survey of British Literature: Anglo-Saxon through the Eighteenth Century | 3 |
| ENGL2323 | Survey of British Literature: Romantic through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2327 | Survey of American Literature: Exploration through the Civil War | 3 |
| ENGL2328 | Survey of American Literature: Civil War through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2332 | Survey of World Literature - Ancient World through the 16th Century | 3 |
| ENGL2333 | Survey of World Literature- 17th Century through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2341 | Forms of Literature | 3 |
| ENGL2351 | Mexican-American Literature | 3 |
| FREN2311 | Intermediate French I | 3 |
| FREN2312 | Intermediate French II | 3 |
| GERM2311 | Intermediate German I | 3 |
| GERM2312 | Intermediate German II | 3 |
| HUMA1301 | Early Global Cultures | 3 |
| HUMA1302 | Later Global Cultures | 3 |
| HUMA1305 | Introduction to Mexican-American Studies | 3 |
| HUMA1311 | Mexican-American Fine Arts Appreciation | 3 |
| HUMA2319 | Minority Cultures in the United States | 3 |
| ITAL2311 | Intermediate Italian I | 3 |
| ITAL2312 | Intermediate Italian II | 3 |
| JAPN2311 | Intermediate Japanese | 3 |
| JAPN2312 | Intermediate Japanese II | 3 |
| PHIL1301 | Introduction To Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL1304 | Introduction To World Religions | 3 |
| PHIL2306 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL2307 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL2316 | Classical Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL2321 | Philosophy Of Religion | 3 |
| PORT2311 | Intermediate Portuguese I | 3 |
| PORT2312 | Intermediate Portuguese II | 3 |
| SGNL2301 | Interm American Sign Language I | 3 |
| SGNL2302 | Interm American Sign Language II | 3 |
| SPAN2311 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| SPAN2312 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| SPAN2313 | Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers I | 3 |
| SPAN2315 | Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers II | 3 |
| ARTS1301 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| ARTS1303 | Art History: Prehistory to Gothic | 3 |
| ARTS1304 | Art History: Renaissance to Modern | 3 |
| ARTS1311 | 2-D Design | 3 |
| ARTS1312 | 3-D Design | 3 |
| ARTS1316 | Drawing I | 3 |
| DANC2303 | Dance Appreciation | 3 |
| DRAM1310 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| DRAM2366 | Film Appreciation | 3 |
| MUSI1303 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 |
| MUSI1306 | Appreciating Music | 3 |
| MUSI1307 | Music Literature | 3 |
| MUSI1310 | American Music | 3 |
| SPCH1311 | Introduction To Communication | 3 |
| SPCH1315 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| SPCH1318 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| SPCH1321 | Business and Professional Communication | 3 |
| Subtotal | 249 | |
| Program Total | 305 | |