Academic Programs - Butte College

Certificate of Achievement in Welding Technology

2025-2026 Map

Total Units: 43

Term 1

18 Units. Specified core courses are signified by icon.

	Course Name	Units
	WLD 22: Oxyacetylene Welding and Flame Cutting	2.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 154 Unit(s): 2.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 102.00 This course includes the techniques used for oxyacetylene welding (OAW) in all positions (flat, vertical, horizontal and overhead) and uses a variety of freehand and automatic burning equipment on different metals.
	WLD 24: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick Electrode)	8.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 154 Unit(s): 8.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 34.00 hours Lecture / 306.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 68.00 Total Course Hours: 408.00 This course includes pre-employment training for welding technicians. Emphasis on developing manipulative proficiency in the use of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and flux core arc welding (FCAW), in the flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions. These welding processes will be applied to light and heavy gauge plate steel for light construction. Part of the Level Two welder qualification for American Welding Society (AWS).
	WLD 25: Fabrication Practicums	2.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 154 Unit(s): 2.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 102.00 This course will instruct students on theory and proper operation and applications of equipment, tools, fasteners and processes used in welding and fabrication industries. Emphasis is placed in hands-on applications.
	WLD 26: Symbol Reading, Blue Print Interpretation and Computations	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 40, WLD 154 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 102.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 This course includes an introduction to blueprint reading and welding symbols interpretation as applied to measurement and computations of metal and pipe layouts. Included within the course are layout and marking tool techniques used in the welding industry. Techniques of fabrication, structured materials listing and assembly methods will be emphasized.
	WLD 40: Welding Equipment Maintenance and Service	2.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 154 Unit(s): 2.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 102.00 This course is a study of the theory, application and practices for welding equipment. This will include the maintenance and service skills for the equipment used in the welding industry.
	WLD 154: Shop Practices for Welders I	1.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 21 and NCCER Level I Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40 Unit(s): 1.00 - 2.00 Transfer Status: NT Contact Hours: 0.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Total Course Hours: 51.00 This is a supervised lab experience for first semester welding program students. Students will practice skills in oxyacetylene welding (OAW), oxy-fuel cutting (OFC), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and flux core arc welding (FCAW) in all positions (flat, vertical, horizontal and overhead). Students will also use a variety of freehand and automatic burning equipment including plasma arc cutting (PAC) units and air carbon arc cutting and gouging (CAC-A) units. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 2.00 units to complete the entire curriculum of the course. Pass/No Pass only. Open Entry/Open Exit.

Term 2

2 Units. Specified core courses are signified by icon.

	Course Name	Units	Notes
	WLD 50: Pipe Fitting and Cutting	2.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Unit(s): 2.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 102.00 This course assists students in pipe fitting, measurements, patterns, marking and layout tools used in the pipe welding industry. Techniques of fitting and cutting various pipe joint designs will be practiced.

Course Name

Units

Notes

WLD 50: Pipe Fitting and Cutting

2.00

Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification
Unit(s): 2.00
Transfer Status: CSU
Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab
Out of Class Hours: 34.00
Total Course Hours: 102.00

This course assists students in pipe fitting, measurements, patterns, marking and layout tools used in the pipe welding industry. Techniques of fitting and cutting various pipe joint designs will be practiced.

Term 3

22 Units. Specified core courses are signified by icon.

	Course Name	Units
	WLD 28: Mig and Tig Arc Welding	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 102.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 This course includes the gas metal arc welding (GMAW)/metal inert gas (MIG), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)/tungsten inert gas (TIG) and flux cored arc welding (FCAW) processes, in the flat, vertical, horizontal, and overhead positions. It will also include safety procedures, electrode identification, joint fit-up and alignment, base metal preparation, weld quality, and beads, with a focus on theory and practice.
	WLD 30: Heavy Plate Welding	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 102.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 This course includes the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) processes and the flux cored arc welding (FCAW) Process, in the flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions on heavy plate (3/4" to 3" thick). It will also include safety procedures, electrode identification, joint fit-up and alignment, base metal preparation, weld quality, and beads, with focus on theory and practice.
	WLD 32: Integrated Welding Applications	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 102.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 In this course students will perform layout, fitting, welding, inspection of structural weldments, piping, tank, and low pressure vessel simulation. Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and flux cored arc welding (FCAW) processes are emphasized. Shop fabrication and field erection are simulated. Limited access welding is encountered.
	WLD 34: Pipe and Tube Welding	4.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 4.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 153.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 204.00 This course covers shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and flux core arc welding (FCAW) processes on several pipe systems. A variety of materials and configurations on sub critical pipe welding (pressure and power systems, cross-country transmission, pipeline welding and water transmission pipe welding) will be used. Special attention and performance standards for the qualifications will be used from the following codes: American Petroleum Institute (API), American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
	WLD 36: Welder Qualification	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 17.00 hours Lecture / 102.00 hours Lab Out of Class Hours: 34.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 This course prepares students for qualifications in several codes to meet the required standards for entry-level employment. Training in shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and flux core arc welding (FCAW) to meet the American Welding Society (AWS), American Petroleum Institute (API), and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code standards. Skills and proficiencies of all positions qualification test on plate and pipe are emphasized.
	WLD 42: Introduction to Welding Inspection	2.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 2.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 34.00 hours Lecture Out of Class Hours: 68.00 Total Course Hours: 102.00 This course instructs on the qualifications and knowledge requirements of a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI). Methods of testing, various procedures, and techniques of inspection. familiarize students with the basic concepts of destructive and nondestructive evaluation processes. Emphasis of record keeping methods used by the American Welding Society (AWS), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Petroleum Institute (API), and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
	WLD 56: Welding Industry Employment Preparation	3.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 156 Unit(s): 3.00 Transfer Status: CSU Contact Hours: 51.00 hours Lecture Out of Class Hours: 102.00 Total Course Hours: 153.00 This course teaches job seeking skills demanded of welders in the industry today. Topics include a comparison of prospective employers within the welding industry, preparation for taking employment required skills tests, portfolio development, job-specific interview techniques and work place ethics and professionalism.
	WLD 156: Shop Practices for Welders II	1.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 22, WLD 24, WLD 25, WLD 26, WLD 40, WLD 50, WLD 154 and NCCER Level II Welding Qualification Corequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56 Unit(s): 1.00 - 2.00 Transfer Status: NT Contact Hours: 0.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Total Course Hours: 51.00 This is a supervised lab experience for second semester welding program students. Students will practice skills in gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) on a variety of materials in the flat, vertical, horizontal, and overhead positions. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 2.00 units to complete the entire curriculum of the course. Pass/No Pass only. Open Entry/Open Exit.

Term 4

1 Units. Specified core courses are signified by icon.

	Course Name	Units	Notes
	WLD 160: Welding Certification Practices	1.00
Prerequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156 Unit(s): 1.00 - 2.00 Transfer Status: NT Contact Hours: 0.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab Total Course Hours: 51.00 This is a supervised lab experience to help prepare students to meet the required standard for qualification papers in welding codes using American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) specifications. Students will practice skills in shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux core are welding (FCAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), in all positions on plate and pipe, in preparation for weld performance tests with certified welding inspectors (CWI) or contractors. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 2.00 units to complete the entire curriculum of the course. Pass/No Pass only. Open Entry/Open Exit.

Course Name

Units

Notes

WLD 160: Welding Certification Practices

1.00

Prerequisite(s): WLD 28, WLD 30, WLD 32, WLD 34, WLD 36, WLD 42, WLD 56, WLD 156
Unit(s): 1.00 - 2.00
Transfer Status: NT
Contact Hours: 0.00 hours Lecture / 51.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 51.00

This is a supervised lab experience to help prepare students to meet the required standard for qualification papers in welding codes using American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) specifications. Students will practice skills in shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux core are welding (FCAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), in all positions on plate and pipe, in preparation for weld performance tests with certified welding inspectors (CWI) or contractors. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 2.00 units to complete the entire curriculum of the course. Pass/No Pass only. Open Entry/Open Exit.