Tyler Junior College

Earn a 60-semester-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science at TJC West through hands-on welding instruction and general education. The curriculum includes 45 credits of major courses and 15 credits of general education, with preparation for entry-level industrial code welding.

Welding and technical coursework

• Oxy-fuel welding and cutting, blueprint reading, and layout and fabrication.
• Introductory and advanced Stick (SMAW), plus introductory MIG (GMAW) and Flux-Core (FCAW) welding.
• Introductory and advanced pipe welding and TIG (GTAW), plus welding codes and standards.
• Integrated software applications alongside communication, mathematics, humanities, and social/behavioral science coursework.

Sequence and admission
The published plan spans four semesters and two Summer I terms. Welding courses follow a required sequence, and several are offered only in a specific season. The degree is designated TSI Complete. Applicants must meet TJC admission requirements, take the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test, and attend welding orientation. Bennett scores do not exclude students from enrollment. Required major courses need a grade of C or better.

Contact the welding department for current class times, placement, and an individual completion plan. Tuition depends on residency and enrollment; request current course, equipment, and supply costs from TJC.

Build foundational welding skills through a 23-semester-credit-hour Certificate of Proficiency at TJC West. Hands-on instruction combines welding equipment and safety practices with blueprint reading, layout, and fabrication. This is the entry-level certificate in TJC's welding pathway; its first-semester courses also fulfill the embedded Basic Welder Occupational Skills Award.

Published course sequence

• Fall: fundamentals of oxy-fuel welding and cutting, blueprint reading for welders, and introductory Stick welding (SMAW), totaling 9 credits.
• Spring: advanced Stick welding, introductory layout and fabrication, and introductory MIG welding (GMAW), totaling 11 credits.
• Summer I: introductory Flux-Core welding (FCAW), totaling 3 credits.

Admission and completion
The certificate is designated TSI Exempt. Applicants must meet TJC admission requirements, take the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test, and attend welding orientation. Bennett scores are not used to exclude students from the program. All required WLDG courses must be completed with a C or better.

Department courses must be taken in sequence and may have prerequisites. Confirm current class times with the welding department; the catalog lists season-specific offerings rather than a guaranteed day or evening schedule. Ask TJC for tuition based on residency and current course, equipment, and supply costs.

Develop pipe-welding and TIG skills through TJC West's Advanced Level Certificate of Proficiency. The catalog lists 29 semester credit hours in total: 10 credits of prerequisite coursework plus 19 credits in the advanced sequence. The program is intended to develop higher-level welding skills and prepare students for entry-level industrial code welding.

Prerequisite coursework — 10 credits

• Fundamentals of oxy-fuel welding and cutting: 2 credits.
• Introductory and advanced Stick welding (SMAW): 4 credits each.

Advanced sequence — 19 credits

• Fall: introductory and advanced pipe welding, 8 credits.
• Spring: introductory and advanced TIG welding (GTAW), 8 credits.
• Summer I: welding codes and standards, 3 credits.

Admission and planning
The certificate is designated TSI Exempt. Applicants must meet TJC admission requirements, take the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test, and attend welding orientation. Bennett scores do not exclude students from enrollment. All required WLDG courses need a C or better.

Courses are sequenced and season-specific. Students should review prior coursework and prerequisite completion with the welding department before planning a start date. The 29-credit requirement is not a promise of a fixed completion time. Ask TJC for current class times, residency-based tuition, and course, equipment, and supply costs.

Embedded award — not a standalone enrollment option. TJC's Basic Welder Occupational Skills Award is a 9-semester-credit-hour milestone within the Entry Level welding certificate and Welding Technology AAS. Students cannot declare this award as their major or pursue it as an independent end goal. TJC awards it automatically when students complete the required coursework within the certificate or degree.

Required courses

• WLDG 1204: Fundamentals of Oxy-Fuel Welding and Cutting, 2 credits.
• WLDG 1313: Introduction to Blueprint Reading for Welders, 3 credits.
• WLDG 1428: Introduction to Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick/SMAW), 4 credits.

The coursework introduces welding and cutting fundamentals, print and welding-symbol interpretation, and Stick welding. It forms the first semester of the Entry Level certificate at TJC West; the award is designated TSI Exempt.

Prospective students should apply to the associated certificate or degree and speak with the welding department about its admission requirements and course sequence. This award recognizes completion of college coursework. Tuition and other costs are tied to the courses taken in the parent program.