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The Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Manufacturing

The sustainable manufacturing faculty are committed to preparing graduates for a variety of manufacturing careers, ranging from research and development to mass production. The faculty provide students with a broad undergraduate experience in math, science, business, and the humanities, as well as laboratory courses with a practical, applications orientation. The knowledge and skills gained will enable students to become Certified Manufacturing Technologists (CMfgT), after passing a comprehensive examination administered by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).

Sustainable Manufacturing Program Objectives

The program's objectives are best defined in terms of the following attributes of its graduates.

1. First and foremost, CSU, Chico sustainable manufacturing graduates understand how products are designed, produced, and tested, while meeting the business, environmental, and social responsibilities associated with the production and development of goods.

2. They have experience with and understand contemporary manufacturing processes, particularly for parts consisting of metals and polymers, based on applied math, science, and technology.

3. They have an appreciation for the individual, society, and human heritage, from both regional and global perspectives and they are aware of the relationship of their products to the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, and societal.

4. They understand the fundamental behavior of materials and the testing techniques used to determine material properties.

5. They integrate project management, quality assurance methods, supply chain management, and the economic, technical, and societal issues involved in manufacturing.

6. They are familiar with contemporary computer applications and process automation, including the use of sensors, actuators, and controllers to automate machines and processes.

7. They are effective at communicating their ideas in oral, written, and graphical form.

8. They function effectively as team members.

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Degree MAPs page in the University Catalog or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).

  • Take one course in either Arts (C1) or Humanities (C2).  The other is waived.
  • SMFG 360 fulfills Upper-Division Natural Sciences.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Both courses must also satisfy one of the General Education requirements in order for 120 units to fulfill all requirements for the Sustainable Manufacturing degree. It is suggested that the USD and GC courses be completed with the Area C selection and diversity requirement. See MAP.

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: SMFG 218, SMFG 360.
Corequisite: MGMT 444 or SMFG 458.
Students design, fabricate, test, and evaluate production tooling used in the manufacture or assembly of metal or plastic parts in their capstone projects. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved Writing Course. Formerly SMFG 468. (005213)

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 90 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree.

Lower-Division Requirements: 49 units

17 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Introductory study of the information system that measures, records, and communicates the economic activity of an entity, in monetary terms, to stakeholders outside of the organization. The study of assets, liabilities, owners' equity, revenues, expenses, gains, and losses as they relate to the preparation of financial statements communicating an entity's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. 3 hours lecture. (000077)
Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement, Intermediate Algebra.
A survey of the principles of chemistry, primarily for students in agriculture, industry and technology, and pre-nursing. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (001826)
An introductory survey of macroeconomic analysis. Use of fundamental economic concepts to analyze the over-all economy. Determination of gross national product, rates of unemployment, problems of inflation, recession, and the use of governmental policies. Discussion of current problems. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002636)
An introductory survey of microeconomic analysis. Analysis of individual economic units: household, firms, and markets. Analysis of individual decision making. Supply and demand analysis. Type of market organization: competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Discussion of current problems. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002638)
Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement.
Summary of numerical data, elementary probability, distributions, and introduction to statistical inference. 1.5 hours lecture, 1.5 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (005501)
Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement, and either 1/2 year of high school trigonometry or MATH 118 (may be taken concurrently).
Functions and graphs, including polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. Systems of equations and inequalities, polar and parametric equations, complex numbers, and analytic trigonometry. 4 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (005504)
Corequisites: MECH 100L.
Introduction to engineering graphics. Orthographic projection, auxiliary views, isometric views, dimensioning, tolerancing, drawing standards, working drawings, free-hand sketching, solid modeling. 1 hour discussion. (015811)
Corequisites: MECH 100.
Introduction to solid modeling using a parametric, feature-based application software, SolidWorks. Solid modeling of parts and assemblies, detail and assembly drawings. 3 hours laboratory. (020257)
Prerequisites: MECH 100 and MECH 100L.
Drawing standards, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, working drawings, product data management, intermediate solid modeling, introduction to Rapid Prototyping and specialized graphic applications. 1 hour lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (015854)
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the basic concepts of manufacturing processes with an emphasis on using sustainable practices. Students gain an understanding of the principle manufacturing materials and processes, learn how to solve manufacturing problems, and understand how Life Cycle Analysis and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle principles can be integrated into manufacturing processes. 2 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (005149)
Prerequisites: MATH 105, MECH 200.
Advanced solid modeling techniques, quality assurance (inspection, metrology, coordinate measuring machines, statistical process control, six sigma), and design considerations (design for manufacturing, rapid prototyping). 1 hour lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (015853)
Prerequisites: CHEM 107 or CHEM 111, PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A. Recommended: MATH 105)
. Study of the manufacturing, processing, applications, and testing of common industrial materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites. Discussions include industrial emissions, pollution, environmental concerns, and carbon footprint. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005164)
Prerequisite: CHEM 107 or CHEM 111.
Survey of polymer chemistry, mechanical properties, and industrial processing of thermoplastics with emphasis on waste reduction and recycling. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005146)
Prerequisites: SMFG 216.
Study of engineering thermoplastic materials, biobased plastics, recycled plastics, and thermoset composites. Investigation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sustainability strategies related to biobased plastics and petroleum based polymers that includes carbon footprint, waste generation, and pollution. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005200)
Prerequisites: SMFG 160 with a grade of C- or higher. Recommended: PHYS 202A.
A study of the industrial applications of material-removal technology. Emphasis will be placed on the management of the application of the technology, including the application of sustainable materials, consumables and power management. Units involving the physics of metal-cutting, cutting-tool materials and geometry, conventional and semi-automatic machine tools, and cost-estimating are included. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005212)
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. High school trigonometry and second-year high school algebra or equivalent (MATH 051 and MATH 118 at CSU, Chico).
Mechanics, properties of matter, wave motion, sound, heat. Science majors are encouraged to take PHYS 204A instead of this course. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (007394)
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A with a grade of C- or higher.
Light, electricity, magnetism, selected topics in modern physics. Science majors are encouraged to take PHYS 204B instead of this course. Algebra and trigonometry are used. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (007395)

Upper-Division Requirements: 38 units

12 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: At least junior standing.
An in-depth study of federal and California employment laws as they affect the management of human resources, with appropriate consideration of ethical and global dimensions. Emphasis is on the legal rights and responsibilities of employers and employees in the employment relationship, primarily in a private-sector, non-union environment. 3 hours discussion. (001352)
Geographic analysis of humanity's interaction with the environment. Examines natural and human systems, resources, population, energy, and pollution. Develops an appreciation of the beauty, balance, and complexity of natural systems and human success in attaining harmony with them. Enhances awareness and perception of each individual's role in and with the environment. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (003873)
Prerequisites: MGMT 303.
This course examines the ways in which organizations can be managed to meet the triple bottom line: profit, ethical treatment of workers, and environmental sustainability. Students learn to analyze organizational impacts and develop practices that foster a balanced ecosystem as well as organizational effectiveness. 3 hours lecture. (020231)
Prerequisites: Business Administration or Business Information Systems status required for business majors. Completion of GE Pathway Foundation Quantitative Reasoning required for all majors.
An overview of the operations function in organizations; topics include operations strategy, manufacturing philosophies, process selection, supply chain management, inventory management, forecasting, production planning and control, capacity planning, material requirements planning, quality management and project management. 3 hours lecture. (005774)
Prerequisites: Junior standing.
Current supervisory and managerial procedures used in industry by supervisors, managers, field and sales representatives, and inspectors. Societal aspects of manufacturing along with industrial waste stream management are discussed. 3 hours discussion. (005255)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement, junior standing.
A study of effective industrial safety management practice and the philosophy and principles of industrial accident prevention. Coverage includes examination of current industrial safety practices and how sustainability naturally augments and fortifies industrial safety. Federal and state programs designed to improve safety in an industrial environment. Instruction in effective technical safety documentation -- gathering, organizing, and reporting industrial safety data. 4 hours discussion. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. Formerly SMFG 352. (005670)
Prerequisites: SMFG 201, SMFG 260.
A study of the concepts involved in programming computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tools, with emphasis placed on power management to optimize tool path, material removal rate, chip load, and horse power. This course includes integration of computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005278)
Prerequisites: PHYS 202B, SMFG 360.
A study of the programming and function of industrial robots and other automation systems used in modem manufacturing environments. Concepts include end effector design, material movement, storage and retrieval systems, programmable logic controllers, and vision systems. Sustainable manufacturing practices, including "lights out" and lean manufacturing are covered. Lecture, demonstrations, and laboratory exercises designed to promote understanding of manufacturing automation. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005190)
Prerequisites: OSCM 306 or faculty permission.
This course is also offered as OSCM 451.
The study and application of the quality management process in both the manufacturing and service sectors of the economy. Topics include process analysis and improvement, statistical process control, cost of quality, quality measurement, and quality in the global marketplace. 3 hours lecture. (005784)
Prerequisites: Senior standing.
This course familiarizes students with techniques for managing technical projects while they design, plan, and implement a manufacturing project through the mock-up stage. Students work in groups on projects of mutual interest to gain experience in planning and updating schedules. Students learn to define requirements, estimate and manage resources, and structure decisions and trade-offs. Discussion includes global project management and supply chain responsibility. Emphasis is placed on group dynamics in communication and problem solving. 3 hours lecture. (005291)
Prerequisites: SMFG 218, SMFG 360.
Corequisite: MGMT 444 or SMFG 458.
Students design, fabricate, test, and evaluate production tooling used in the manufacture or assembly of metal or plastic parts in their capstone projects. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved Writing Course. Formerly SMFG 468. (005213)
Prerequisites: Graduation in SMFG expected within 12 months.
Review of manufacturing technology fundamentals and foundation for professional practice. Current topics in manufacturing. Preparation and encouragement for the Fundamentals of Manufacturing Examination. 2 hours activity. Credit/no credit grading. (005673)

Technical Elective: 3 units

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: ABUS 101 or faculty permission.
The economics of renewable natural resource use, management, development, and allocation. Conflicts in use, markets for resources, cases of market failure, and economic conservation will be discussed. 3 hours lecture. (015981)
This course explores how new buildings are designed and constructed using green building strategies. Students learn how LEED Accredited Professionals manage the building certification process and the documents required by the US Green Building Council to verify that the requirements for LEED certification are met. The course also prepares students to take the USGBC LEED AP Certification exam. 3 hours lecture. (020504)
An analysis of the costs and benefits of environmental preservation. Systems for creating economic incentives for pollution abatement. Criteria for establishing optimum pollution abatement, including efficiency, safety, and sustainability standards. Impacts of population growth on global environmental problems. Alternative energy use patterns and their impact on energy markets and global environmental health. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002671)
Prerequisites: ECON 103.
This course surveys theoretical approaches and policy options to the problems of development and underdevelopment in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Agricultural transformations, industrial development, balance of payments problems, the role of foreign aid, direct foreign investment, the economic role of international institutions such as the World Bank, and other related topics are included in this course. 3 hours lecture. (002673)
Prerequisite: MGMT 460 and faculty permission.
Students must register directly with a supervising faculty member. For students who wish to gain practical work experience with participating organizations, this course enables students to apply sustainability management coursework in an organizational setting. See internship advisor for eligibility requirements, performance requirements, assignments, and methods of evaluation prior to undertaking the internship. 9 hours supervision. Credit/no credit grading. (020859)
How ecological factors, technology, and human values interact to determine available choices of food and its production. Consequences of these choices in terms of community structures, resource allocations, and stability of agro-ecosystems. This course is designed to be a component of the Upper-Division Theme on Cross-Cultural Exploration. Not intended for majors, but open to them. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004874)
A study and analysis of various world agriculture systems that provide food and fiber. Environmental, technological, socio-economic, and political factors. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (000068)
Prerequisite: MECH 210 or SMFG 211.
This course provides students an introduction to composite materials and processing by investigating thermoplastic and thermoset composites, glass and carbon fiber reinforcements, biobased polymers and natural fibers, core materials, tooling, and thermoset processing equipment. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (021724)
Prerequisite: SMFG 160.
The course gives students a comprehensive overview of the study of the industrial applications of material joining technology with an emphasis on managing the applications of the processes. Adhesive bonding, mechanical fasteners, welding, and their associated metallurgy, specimen testing, and cost estimating are covered. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005210)
Prerequisite: SMFG 160.
The course provides students a comprehensive overview of the study of metal casting technology. Students learn about the properties of casting allows, casting processes, pattern design, pattern making, mold making, core design, core making, heat treating, finishing of castings, and sand testing. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (005209)
Prerequisite: MECH 210 or SMFG 211.
This course introduces the manufacturing processes for various classes of semiconductor electronic devices. Materials presented focus on solar cells and logic/memory semiconductor devices. The primary process covered is photoresist lithography, however during the various manufacturing steps of these devices parallel processes are introduced including silicon ingot growth, ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and molecular beam epitaxy. In addition to the various processes, students learn the fundamental performance barriers for each material/device type and perform defect analysis to assess how defects can be used to improve or degrade these materials. Finally, students study the financial aspects of these industries including the capital equipment costs associated with the manufacturing of these materials/devices, the financial history of these industries, return on investment, amortization, and case studies of both industry failures and successes. 3 hours lecture. (021768)

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

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