Texas A&M University Undergraduate Catalog 2002-2003 Edition

Lowry Mays College and Graduate School of Business

Curriculum in Industrial Distribution

Industrial distribution prepares men and women for sales engineering, sales management and mid-management positions with manufacturers who sell through distributors; and with wholesale distributors who purchase, warehouse, sell, distribute and service a wide variety of industrial products. Industry segments include: automation solutions; general line; building materials; chemical and petrochemical; electrical; electronics; semiconductor; fluid power; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; mechanical power; metals; plastics; plumbing; safety equipment; specialty tools; and welding.

The day-to-day challenges faced by the industrial distributor or the manufacturer's representative require the person to be a professional with many capabilities. To fulfill this demand, the curriculum provides study in business, communications, information technology, applied technology, engineering and human relations. This knowledge is applicable to the graduate in relationships with executives, managers, engineers, scientists and craftsmen while assisting them in their manufacturing, plant maintenance or construction operations. The industrial distribution graduate assists them by direct application of operations, business and product knowledge. Essentially the industrial distribution graduate becomes a special assistant in the other person's business--a challenging and rewarding profession. This program is ranked as the best industrial distribution program offered in the United States. Graduates receive the Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution.

A grade of C or better will be required for the following courses as a condition for registration in major departmental courses beyond the freshman year: CHEM 107; ENGL 104; MATH 141 and 151; PHYS 201; and IDIS 240. In addition, an average GPR of at least 2.5 in this group of courses and overall is required for admission to the upper division, as determined by consultation with a departmental advisor. A minimum grade of C is required in all IDIS and ENTC courses before progressing to the next higher-level sequence course.

Students will pursue an emphasis in either electronics distribution or manufacturing technology. Technical electives related to each area of emphasis will be determined and selected with approval from the industrial distribution advisor.

Freshman Year
First Semester	(Th-Pr)	Cr	Second Semester	(Th-Pr)	Cr
ENGL 104 Composition and Rhetoric	(3-0)	3	CHEM 107 Gen. Chem. for Engr. Students 3	(3-3)	4
MATH 151 Engineering Mathematics I 1	(3-2)	4	† IDIS 240 Intro. to Industrial Distribution	(2-0)	2
PHYS 201 College Physics	(3-3)	4	MATH 141 Business Mathematics I	(3-0)	3
History elective 2		3	PHYS 202 College Physics	(3-3)	4
* KINE 198 Health and Fitness Activity	(0-2)	1	History elective 2		3
		15	* KINE 199 Required Physical Activity	(0-2)	1
					17

Sophomore Year
† ACCT 209 Survey of Accounting Prin.	(3-0)	3	† ACCT 210 Sur. of Mgrl. and Cost Acct. Prin.	(3-0)	3
† ECON 202 Principles of Economics 2	(3-0)	3	† ECON 203 Principles of Economics	(3-0)	3
† ENTC 206 Nonmetallic Materials 4	(2-3)	3	† IDIS 281 Mfg. Processes	(3-3)	4
POLS 206 American Natl. Govt. 2	(3-0)	3	† MGMT 212 Business Law	(3-0)	3
† STAT 201 Elementary Stat. Inference			POLS 207 State and Local Govt. 2	(3-0)	3
or					16
† STAT 303 Statistical Methods	(3-0)	3
		15

Junior Year
† ENGL 210 Scientific and Tech. Writing			† IDIS 344 Dist. Info. and Control Systems	(3-3)	4
or			† IDIS 364 Dist. Fin. Mgmt.	(3-0)	3
† ENGL 301 Technical Writing	(3-0)	3	† MGMT 309 Survey of Management	(3-0)	3
† IDIS 300 Industrial Electricity	(3-3)	4	Technical elective 4		3
† IDIS 340 Mfg. Dist. Relations	(3-0)	3	Visual and performing arts elective 2		3
† IDIS 343 Distribution Logistics	(3-0)	3			16
Humanities elective 2		3
		16

Senior Year
† IDIS 400 Industrial Automation	(3-3)	4	† IDIS 403 Mech. and Fluid Pwr. App	(3-3)	4
† IDIS 424 Purchasing Appl. in Dist.	(3-0)	3	† IDIS 434 Quality Process for Dist.	(3-0)	3
† IDIS 430 Sales Engineering	(3-2)	4	† IDIS 444 Leadership in Technology	(2-3)	3
Free elective		3	Free electives		6
† Technical elective 4		3			16
		17

NOTES:
1. The appropriate starting math course may be at a lower level, depending on a transfer student's previous math experience or a freshman student's placement test in mathematics.

2. To be selected from the University Core Curriculum. Of the 18 hours shown as University Core Curriculum electives, 3 must be from visual and performing arts, 3 from social and behavioral sciences, 6 from U.S. history, 6 from POLS 206 and 207, and 6 from international and cultural diversity. The international and cultural diversity requirement may be met by courses satisfying the visual and performing arts, social and behavioral sciences, and the political science and history requirements if they are also on the approved list of international and cultural diversity courses.

3. If the credits for chemistry are from CHEM 101 and 102, students must have credit for CHEM 101 in order to register for CHEM 102. Credit may come from credit by examination or by taking the course at an accredited educational institution.

4. For a list of approved technical electives, see an industrial distribution advisor.

The curriculum lists the minimum number of classes required for graduation. Additional courses may be taken.

The Systems Safety Engineering Specialty is available for students pursuing this degree.

† Classes used to calculate GPR in Major.

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