The College of Technology

Mr. John Cech, Dean
jcech@msubillings.edu
COT A-009, (406) 247-3009
www.msubillings.edu/cot/

For more information about College of Technology programs and faculty, please see the College of Technology Catalog.

Mission

The mission of the Montana State University Billings College of Technology is to be the College of first choice, dedicated to the development of workforce capacity by providing top quality learning opportunities and services to meet a variety of career choices and customer needs by being responsive, flexible and market-driven.

History

Initially, the COT was created in 1969 by the local School District as the Billings Vocational-Technical Education Center (BVTC) to serve the postsecondary technical training needs of adults.  In 1987, by order of the Legislature, governance passed from the Billings School District to the Montana University System Board of Regents, making the BVTC one of five campuses of the Montana University System for postsecondary vocational-technical education.  In 1994, the BVTC officially merged with Montana State University Billings, becoming the fifth college of the University.  The merger and subsequent sharing of resources brought about new and improved student services, such as, cooperative education, health services, career services, fee payment options and credit transferability.

Nature of the Institution

The training programs offered at the College of Technology are continually upgraded to meet the changing dynamics of business and industry.  Presently, 11 Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree programs, two Associate of Art (AA) programs, 3 Associate of Science (AS) program and 10 certificate programs are offered.  Enrollment annually exceeds 600 full-time and part-time students.  Professional training and continuing education classes are provided to more than 1,000 individuals from many different industries.

Areas of Emphasis

The College of Technology provides individuals with training (or re-training) to obtain excellent, "in demand" positions available at many area employers.  Graduates of the College of Technology become licensed practical nurses, surgical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, automobile technicians, diesel technicians, process plant operators, computer system technicians, computer desktop support specialists and computer assisted drafting technicians working with architects.  These examples are just a few of the career possibilities awaiting students earning a Certificate, Associate of Applied Science degree, Associate of Science degree or Associate of Art degree from the College of Technology.  We will give you the tools to make your career dreams come true.

Areas of Continuing Development

Responsiveness and service to the community are central to the College of Technology’s mission.  As the COT redefines itself into a community college, we will be a major learning center for the entire community, with or without restrictions that surround formal course work in traditional institutions of higher education.  The College gears its programs and services to the needs and wishes of the people it serves.

Collaborative Relationships

The College of Technology offers occupationally specific and related instructional opportunities on campus as well as through distance learning to prepare or retrain individuals to meet the demands of present and future technology.  The College continues to develop collaborative relationships and articulation agreements with other institutions of higher education where appropriate.  Since fall 2003, the College Of Technology has been a training site for the University of Montana’s Surgical Technology Associate of Applied Science degree.  Students in the Billings area are now able to complete all of the training locally instead of having to relocate to the Missoula area.  This is our first attempt at collaboration with another College of Technology in offering their program through our campus and community.  We anticipate expanding such collaborations in the near future.

Specialized Training

Through the College of Technology’s Outreach and Community Development Center of Excellence, a variety of special programs have been developed to meet specific training needs of business, industry, and other organizations through contract training, continuing education courses, workshops, and seminars.  Specialized programs can be developed at the request of individuals and employers and are conducted on the job site or on campus.

Online University & Evening College

The College offers many courses for credit through the MSU Billings Online University and the Evening College.  Those interested in evening or online courses may take one or more for employment advancement, upgrading of skills, or enrichment.  Some degree programs may be completed by combining day, evening or online classes.  Schedules for evening and online classes are available from the New Student Services office at the College of Technology.

Accreditation and Approval

The College of Technology is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.  Individual programs are recognized and approved by the United States Office of Education; Bureau of Indian Affairs; Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE); Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and the Montana Board of Nursing.  All programs are approved for veterans.

Location and Campus

The College of Technology, at 3803 Central Avenue, is located seven miles from the main MSU Billings campus in the fast-growing west-Billings “Shiloh Corridor Complex” near the intersection of Central Avenue and Shiloh Road.  The campus is contained in a building situated on an attractive and spacious 18-acre site with a view of the 12,000 foot Beartooth Mountain Range.  The building consists of more than 110,000 square feet of classroom, lab and shop area.  The MSU Billings soccer field is located on the COT campus.

NOTE: For more information about College of Technology programs and faculty, please see the College of Technology Online Catalog and the College of Technology Web site.

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