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Design and Drafting Technology BS
Why pursue a bachelor's degree in CADD at UCM?
The Design and Drafting Technology/CADD program at the University of Central Missouri prepares individuals for technical positions leading to design and management opportunities in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Drafting is the process of creating technical two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional models of objects, structures, machines, civil topography, electrical components, and more. A CADD graduate can work in nearly any industry of AEC as well as manufacturing.
Offering its first drafting class in 1904, UCM’s CADD program is one of the largest four-year bachelor’s degree programs in the country accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE). In our program, students are given a broad foundation in all CADD disciplines and encouraged to select a specialty area to suit their career goals. The four areas of emphasis include:
Area 1: Mechanical (Product/Machine) Design
Area 2: Architectural/Structural/BIM
Area 3: MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) & Industrial Piping Systems
The MIC-CADD students can also specialize in the design and drafting technology emphasis areas listed above. Learn more about the Missouri Innovation Campus.
Apply NowSample of Students’ Projects
What can I be with a degree in Design & Drafting Technology?
- Architectural/Structural Designer
- Mechanical (Product/Machine) Designer
- MEP Designer/Engineering Technologist
- Civil Designer/Engineering Technologist
- Electrical Engineering Technologist
- CADD/Engineering Technologist
- Project Lead Designer of all of the above
- And more!
Experiential Learning
As a CADD major, you will be learning design and drafting concepts hands-on using the newest technologies. For instance, you will have the opportunity to design and draw your dream house using the newest software, and you can actually use your plans to build your own house in the future! We provide learning and practicing opportunities for our students and help them succeed.
The Design and Drafting Technology (CADD) program at UCM not only provided me with the education I needed for a successful career in the engineering field, but it also provided a pipeline to many of the engineering firms in the area. The skills and knowledge I gained were highly sought after in the industry at the time, and they still are today, 18 years later, and I am now involved in recruiting UCM CADD graduates for the same reason they were in demand back then. The program instills a solid understanding of the fundamentals necessary to meet or exceed all expectations in whatever career field their students should happen to choose.
UCM's Design & Drafting Technology program enabled me to advance my career by opening up doors that would have otherwise been closed to me. My BS degree allowed me the opportunity to interview and get a job with the design firm I'm currently at. I now have a career doing something I love that also doubled my annual salary with many opportunities for advancement instead of just another dead end job. The challenges in school helped prepare me for the challenges I face in my career.
I would recommend the program because not only did I learn enough to get my foot in the door of a company, but UCM's Design & Drafting Technology program also offered many networking opportunities with top companies and helped ensure that I would have a job upon graduation.
I loved that I was able to be introduced to a variety of design and drafting software that helped me pick up new software at my current job. I also loved that the teachers were always friendly, helpful, and available when I needed them.
I chose UCM because they were one of 5 schools in the mid-west that offered a 4 year Design and Drafting program. Not only that, the professors care about their students and know how to help them understand the material. The list of opportunities I was given is endless, from going to the capitol for Missouri STEM day, to going to Huntsville, AL to race a Human Rover at the NASA space center. Also, there is hands on learning and real life examples that are always being provided in class or lab. With that being said this program is hard to beat!
I am very thankful for what UCM had done for me as well as the Design & Drafting Technology Program.
Meet the Faculty
The student to faculty ratio at UCM is 17 to 1, which allows professors to get to know students and provide personalized attention. In addition, students learn from highly knowledgeable and experienced full-time faculty members, who also provide individualized program advisement and guide students to the right path.
First Destination Success Rates
2017-2018 Graduates – Employers & Job Titles
Annual Student Enrollment and Graduation Data
|
|
2014-2015 |
2015-2016 |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
|
Annual Student Enrollment |
158 |
133 |
132 |
125 |
102 |
|
Annual Graduation |
26 |
24 |
32 |
29 |
30 |
CADD Facilities
- UCM's CADD facilities house more than 80 computers for students and are among the most technologically advanced in the Midwest
- CADD labs are equipped with the latest workstations housing the most up-to-date software
- CADD labs also include 3D printers with the leading-edge digital trends
Industry Partnership
Internships
The Technology Internship program within the College of Health, Science and Technology at UCM offers a wide variety of opportunities for students to earn valuable work experience within their academic discipline prior to graduation. Internships provide an excellent way to gain valuable work experience and bridge the gap between the academic world and the working world.
Student Organizations
There are two student organizations involved in the CADD program:
American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)
Design and Drafting Student Association (DDSA)
All CADD students are encouraged to join AIBD and/or DDSA to get involved in fun and rewarding activities. Additionally, student organizations offer leadership opportunities, learning experiences, and environments to network with fellow students, faculty, and industry professionals. In fact, our AIBD student organization has been recognized as the Student Chapter of The Year for the past two consecutive years.
How Can I Make the World a Better Place with a CADD degree?
UCM Students Develop Tactile 3-D Campus Map
Students and visitors with visual impairment at UCM can now have a realistic sense of the campus through the use of a Tactile 3-D Campus Map. Together, students and faculty have worked very hard to develop this new resource. The Tactile 3-D Campus Map is now available for use in the Office of Accessibility Services.
Holly Carneal demonstrates the use of the three-dimensional tactile map of the UCM main campus.
Teamwork by UCM students resulted in the creation of a three-dimensional tactile map of the main UCM campus for the visually impaired. Working on the project were, left to right, faculty advisor Jim Loch, students Alix Calon, Simon Misener, Holly Carneal, Tyler Carpenter, Rachel Gibbs and faculty advisor Kyle Palmer, joined by Carneal's guide dog, Stella.
UCM Students Producing Ear Guards to Bring Comfort to Healthcare Professionals, Others
Who Wear Protective Gear
Inspired by action taken by a Canadian youth, two University of Central Missouri students have found an innovative way to provide relief for individuals who experience discomfort from extended use of protective masks. Read more...
Why Transfer to UCM for a BS in CADD?
Why you might want to transfer to UCM for a 4-year degree after working on a 2-year degree:
- A 4-year degree builds on a 2-year degree.
- In-state tuition for surrounding states.
- Affordable choice for 4-year degrees (UCM has held tuition constant or had minimal increases well below the range approved by Missouri state government).
- The largest 4-yr drafting program in the U.S.
- Pay for school with internships at Kansas City area employers.
- Our students generally already have a job before they graduate.
- A good problem: too few graduates for employers that come to campus.
- A B.S. degree positions you for future advancement.
- As a junior transferring, you have the option to live off campus, which may save you money and give you the freedom to commute from home or select your own housing.
- Enjoy all that comes with a Division II institution of higher learning: football & basketball games, friends, clubs, arts and entertainment, and all sorts of activities and growth opportunities that will look good on a resume and to your future employer.
Transfer Guides
Scholarships
Students may apply for multiple scholarships at UCM Scholarship Finder.
For Any Major within the School of Technology
FIRST Robotics Scholarship (Incoming Freshman - STEM related)
Jacob M. Cunningham Memorial Scholarship (Including Graduate Students)
John Davis and Lettie Corneal Vogel Scholarship
John Davis and Lettie Corneal Vogel Scholarship (Incoming Freshman)
Design & Drafting Technology
Drafting Student Scholarship
Bill & Anne Downs Scholarship (Non-Traditional Students)
HNTB Scholarship
Jack R. Williams Family Scholarship
Linda Holman Struchtemeyer Scholarship (Incoming Freshman)
Taiwan Commemorative Scholarship (Incoming Freshman)
Taiwan Commemorative Scholarship (Current Students)
Program Mission and Outcomes
Design & Drafting Technology Program Mission
The mission of the Design and Drafting Technology program at the University of Central Missouri is to provide a nationally accredited program of study designed to provide the technical, managerial, and general education needs of those desiring to enter or continue in design and drafting related professional career.
Design & Drafting Technology Program Outcomes
The design & drafting technology program is designed to prepare design/drafting professionals who possess the abilities (skill and knowledge) needed to be able to function competently in a wide variety of technical, leadership, and management roles. More specifically, the graduates of this program will demonstrate an ability to:
- Select and apply the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of the discipline to broadly defined engineering technology activities;
- Apply written, oral, and graphical communication in both technical and non-technical environments;
- Select and apply a knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology to design & drafting technology problems;
- Identify, analyze, and solve broadly defined design & drafting technology problems;
- Demonstrate an understanding of and a commitment to address professional and ethical responsibilities including a respect for diversity;
- Know the impact of design & drafting technology solutions in a societal and global context; and
- Function effectively as a member or leader on a technical team
Design and Drafting Technology Brochure
Institutional Factbook 2018
Implementation of highest standards for quality assurance.
