Southwestern Michigan College

Students gain the knowledge and experience needed to excel in the automotive industry through hands-on learning in a full-service automotive lab equipped with all the technology and tools they’ll encounter on the job.

Curriculum covers brakes and chassis, transmissions and transaxles, heating and air conditioning, engines, suspension and steering, electrical systems and alternative fuels and hybrids.

Students gain the knowledge and experience needed to excel in the automotive industry through hands-on learning in a full-service automotive lab equipped with all the technology and tools they’ll encounter on the job.

Curriculum covers brakes and chassis, transmissions and transaxles, heating and air conditioning, engines, suspension and steering, electrical systems and alternative fuels and hybrids.

Upon completion of this degree, students will have experienced a broad introduction to the field of criminal justice. Students will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of situations in the field, demonstrate knowledge and application of analytical skills to criminal justice situations and apply criminological theories to contemporary public policy.

Hands-on learning is a top priority in the criminal justice program. Our students practice the skills they learn in the classroom through in-class exercises and interactions with criminal justice professionals. We have strong ties to local law enforcement, who often come to campus for SWAT demonstrations, K9 drills, and other training programs. For the second year in a row, SMC criminal justice students swept the board at the regional SkillsUSA conference, which tests students as they run through simulated crime scenarios, and competed at the national level.

Upon completion of this degree, students will have experienced a broad introduction to the field of criminal justice. Students will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of situations in the field, demonstrate knowledge and application of analytical skills to criminal justice situations and apply criminological theories to contemporary public policy.

Hands-on learning is a top priority in the criminal justice program. Our students practice the skills they learn in the classroom through in-class exercises and interactions with criminal justice professionals. We have strong ties to local law enforcement, who often come to campus for SWAT demonstrations, K9 drills, and other training programs. For the second year in a row, SMC criminal justice students swept the board at the regional SkillsUSA conference, which tests students as they run through simulated crime scenarios, and competed at the national level.

Upon completion of this degree, students will have experienced a broad introduction to the field of criminal justice. Students will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of situations in the field, demonstrate knowledge and application of analytical skills to criminal justice situations and apply criminological theories to contemporary public policy.

Hands-on learning is a top priority in the criminal justice program. Our students practice the skills they learn in the classroom through in-class exercises and interactions with criminal justice professionals. We have strong ties to local law enforcement, who often come to campus for SWAT demonstrations, K9 drills, and other training programs. For the second year in a row, SMC criminal justice students swept the board at the regional SkillsUSA conference, which tests students as they run through simulated crime scenarios, and competed at the national level.

Real-world experience is the center point of this program. Students gain field experience from semester one, nearly every course requires students to be in an early childhood care setting for interaction or observation, and a required 192-hour internship ensures students graduate with maximum experience. With the opening of the new Head Start early childhood center on campus, students have more opportunities than ever for observation and experiential learning.

Students will get a comprehensive education in early childhood education, including development, psychology, curriculum planning and administration.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) provide pre-hospital medical care in emergency situations.

Students in SMC’s EMT program will learn how to administer emergency care through both classroom instruction and hands-on practice. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Michigan Department of Public Health licensure exam for EMTs.

Paralegals perform essential functions for attorneys. They may draft wills, collect documents, prepare petitions, review clients’ records and more. They often work in large law firms, but may also be hired by solo attorneys. They can also work as insurance claims adjusters or in corporate compliance. The State of Michigan has identified paralegal as a high-wage, high-demand “hot job” of the future.

The fire science program at SMC teaches firefighting techniques using skills and equipment commonly used by municipal fire departments. Students will learn fire prevention, how a building’s design and materials influence fires, how to determine the origin and cause of a fire and much more. Students will also gain an understanding of how to execute emergency medical procedures.

An associate degree in fire science can be beneficial for gaining employment as a fire or emergency service professional, as many organizations require candidates to have post-secondary training. It can also be used as a stepping stone to advanced degree programs in fire science teaching, management or consulting. SMC also offers a certificate in Fire Science.

Upon completion of this degree, students will have experienced a broad introduction to the field of social work. In coordination with the general education components, students will be able to: communicate effectively in a variety of situations in the field, demonstrate knowledge of and apply behavioral science principles in a variety of cultural contexts, and appreciate the role of values in diverse cultural settings.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) technicians administer electrocardiograms, which track the electrical activity of a patient’s heart. ECG techs do this by attaching electrodes to a patient and running an ECG machine. The results are provided to doctors for analysis.

SMC’s specialty credential in ECG technician will teach students how to correctly operate equipment, apply and run the leads, obtain a reading and recognize normal and abnormal rhythms. Students are eligible for the national certification exam upon successful completion of the program.

Medical assistants aid health professionals by administering basic health tasks such as drawing blood, taking a patient’s vitals and explaining medications as well as by performing office duties such as filing medical paperwork, scheduling appointments and more.

Students in SMC’s medical assisting program will learn all the skills they need to confidently pursue employment as a medical assistant. Coursework covers clinical, diagnostic and lab procedures; pharmacology; medical terminology; an introduction to diseases; insurance claims processing; and office administration. All students apply their skills in an internship before graduation.

Medical assistants aid health professionals by administering basic health tasks such as drawing blood, taking a patient’s vitals and explaining medications as well as by performing office duties such as filing medical paperwork, scheduling appointments and more.

Students in SMC’s medical assisting program will learn all the skills they need to confidently pursue employment as a medical assistant. Coursework covers clinical, diagnostic and lab procedures; pharmacology; medical terminology; an introduction to diseases; insurance claims processing; and office administration. All students apply their skills in an internship before graduation.

Medical assistants aid health professionals by administering basic health tasks such as drawing blood, taking a patient’s vitals and explaining medications as well as by performing office duties such as filing medical paperwork, scheduling appointments and more.

Students in SMC’s medical assisting program will learn all the skills they need to confidently pursue employment as a medical assistant. Coursework covers clinical, diagnostic and lab procedures; pharmacology; medical terminology; an introduction to diseases; insurance claims processing; and office administration. All students apply their skills in an internship before graduation.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) provide crucial support to healthcare teams by assisting with basic tasks such as making beds; dressing, feeding and bathing patients; helping patients walk; and measuring vital signs. They are often employed in nursing homes and home health care agencies.

Phlebotomists draw blood from patients so that lab work can be performed to detect diseases and other health issues.

Students will learn to draw blood and apply their skills in a clinical experience. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the national certification exam.

Upon completion of this degree, students will experience an orientation to contemporary systems of visual communication and client- driven design-based practices. This degree track prepares learners to move directly into a professional experience in their field upon graduation. Fostering habits of mind conducive to building a creative and active learning community. Promoting curiosity, flexibility, and openness to new information systems and approaches to learning in the service of creating expansive and enhanced spaces for persistence, engagement, and shared responsibility for the success of the curriculum.

Upon completion of this degree, students will have a well-rounded degree that will improve a student’s cognitive thinking, problem solving, and communication skills.

The emphasis is on diagnosing and maintaining complex integrated systems. Subject matter covers hydraulics, pneumatics, and welding, as well as networked controllers and interactive web-based asset management. Digital principles are presented in the context of programmable logic devices and microcontrollers.

Classrooms contain all the equipment students will encounter in their careers such as live industrial robots, Fanuc robots, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).

The emphasis is on diagnosing and maintaining complex integrated systems. Subject matter covers hydraulics, pneumatics, and welding, as well as networked controllers and interactive web-based asset management. Digital principles are presented in the context of programmable logic devices and microcontrollers.

Classrooms contain all the equipment students will encounter in their careers such as live industrial robots, Fanuc robots, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).

Upon completion of this certificate, students will be able to provide Level One support in information technology. This certificate provides the foundation for business and industry certifications.

The Networking degree is designed to teach you all the skills you need to begin a career in networking, computer repair, or computer security in just two years.

Beginning coursework give a straightforward introduction to the field, teaching students the basics of computer hardware, maintenance and repair and networking. Students then move on to in-depth studies of desktop infrastructure, installing and administering servers, network security and CISCO routers and switches.

Upon completion of this certificate, students will have the foundation for industry certifications from CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco.

Beginning coursework provides an introduction to computers and the web including using applications, programming logic and design and web development. Advanced courses teach in-depth knowledge of C++, C#, JAVA and other programming and scripting languages; mobile applications; systems analysis and software engineering.

In addition to the technical know-how, students will also gain invaluable business and professionalism skills such as project management, presentation and business communication.

Welding Technology is a one-year program designed to develop marketable welding skills and includes instruction in such areas as quality control, process control and problem solving and experience with the newest technology in a state-of-the-art welding lab. The Welding Technology program is at SMC's Niles Campus.