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Wood Science

64 Credit Associate Degree

The Wood Science Associate Degree program is designed to provide learners with a holistic educational experience of the entire forest products industry and build an understanding of the potential of wood products enhancing our society. Throughout a balanced post-secondary program, learners will discover all the opportunities, skills, and technologies involved from a tree being harvested to making and selling finished products. Learners will also gain appreciation for what makes wood such a unique and sustainable material. Subjects include primary and secondary manufacturing, advanced industrial technology, sawmill operations, business and product development, and woodworking. The program is provided through combined hands-on instruction at NTC’s Wood Technology Center of Excellence in Antigo, Wisconsin, and via remote learning. Multiple embedded certificate options and a one-year technical diploma are also available for learners to explore these subject areas.

Found in These Career Fields:

Manufacturing

Approximate Program Cost

$12,329
Tuition & Fees: $11,685
Books & Supplies: $644

Starting Salary

$28,080–$55,120
Average, based on the NTC Graduate Outcomes Report

Financial Aid

Available
Total financial aid offered may not exceed the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA).
An interview with Mason Enjian, an NTC Wood Science graduate. Play Video
After lumber has passed through a moulder, two students measure the resulting cuts with a micrometer.
A student configures a series of material operations using an opticut control panel.
A student swaps out a cutting part on a CNC router.
A close-up of lumber passing through a roughing mill, marked by a red laser line.
Two students examine the resulting products after running materials through a CNC router.
A full-room view of NTC's comprehensive Wood Technology Lab.
A student wearing thick gloves and safety glasses runs lumber through a moulder.
Two students examine lumber that is about to be moved into a kiln.
Two students push a large cart of lumber into a kiln.
An aerial view of NTC's Wausau Campus main entrance on a sunny summer day. Trees and greenery frame the spacious side walks that lead up to the light-brown brick building.

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The application takes just a few minutes to complete.

Availability

Courses for this program may be available at a variety of campus locations through multiple modes of delivery if you meet the admission requirements and prerequisites.

20-30%
Wausau
100%
Antigo
20-30%
Medford
20-30%
Phillips
20-30%
Spencer
20-30%
Wittenberg
20-30%
Online

* Campus and online availability of courses and programs may be subject to change.

Outcomes

Graduates will be able to…

  • Develop a business plan for wood manufacturing operations
  • Design efficient manufacturing processes for wood products
  • Apply wood industry testing standards to products and materials
  • Inspect various wood products according to industry standards
  • Create CAD drawings for wood products
  • Operate technologically advanced wood manufacturing equipment
  • Use current safety precautions in a manufacturing setting

Careers

Some of the potential careers graduates can pursue are:

  • Procurement Specialist
  • Moulder Technician
  • Wood Product Field Auditor
  • EWP Technical Support Specialist
  • Architectural Woodworker
  • Production or Sales Manager Trainee
  • Dry Kiln Operator
  • Lumber Inspector
  • CNC Router Technician
  • Furniture Designer
  • Lumber and Log Sales Associate/Broker
  • CAD Engineer
  • Quality Control Specialist
  • Production Supervisor

Courses

The Wood Science Associate Degree is a 64 Credit program. The following is a typical semester breakdown of the courses within the program.

First Term

College 101 1.00
Fundamentals Of Furniture Manufacturing 2.00
Lumber Manufacturing: Sawing, Edging & Trimming 2.00
Intro to Hardwood Grading 1.00
Hardwood Lumber Grading And Merchandising 2.00
Introduction to Forest Products 1.00
Wood Species Identification 1.00
Rough Mill 3.00
CNC Router 1 2.00

Second Term

CNC Router 2 2.00
Wood Science: Organic & Mechanical Properties 3.00
Finish Mill 3.00
Mill Tooling & Grinding 2.00
Adhesives & Finishing 2.00
Digital Manufacturing & Design 2.00
College Mathematics 3.00

Third Term

Wood Veneer, Panels & Composites 1.00
Intro To Kiln Drying 1.00
Drying Science Of Wood 3.00
Sawmill Safety & Maintenance 1.00
Mill Operations Overview 1.00
Advanced Wood Manufacturing 2.00
Oral/interpersonal Communication 3.00
Written Communication 3.00
English Composition 1 3.00

Fourth Term

Sustainable Biomaterials & Energy 2.00
Advanced Furniture Craftsmanship 3.00
Design Innovation in Wood Products 4.00
Wood Industry: Marketing & Sales 2.00
Intro To Sociology 3.00
Microeconomics 3.00
Psychology Of Human Relations 3.00
Intro To Psychology 3.00

Credit for Prior Learning Available

View All Detailed Course Information

Pathways

Pathways are a series of connected programs that enable you to advance over time to better jobs and higher levels of education and training. By earning one degree, you could also be completing several courses of a related program in a pathway, bringing you one step closer to an advanced degree.

If you begin with one of the following programs, you will earn significant credit towards this Wood Science Associate Degree:

Transfer Information

You can continue your education to earn a four-year degree in a variety of ways.

Program Transfer

The following transfer guides, executed in partnership with post-secondary institutions, are based on agreements that allow you to continue your program at another college.

School Name Degree Name
Minnesota State University - Moorhead Bachelor of Operations Management
Siena Heights University Bachelor of Applied Science

General Transfer

All associate degrees transfer to a variety of programs at other partner colleges to give you the opportunity to continue your education in other areas of study.

View all transfer guides

Cost of Attendance

2024–2025 Estimated Academic Year Budgeted Cost of Attendance

The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is a budget that includes categories of expenses that a student can expect to incur while attending college. The COA does not reflect actual charges. It is an average based on the estimated living costs typical of our region. In determining the cost of attendance, Northcentral Technical College uses the budget established by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Financial Aid Budget Work Group. This budget is used to determine financial need for all students who apply for financial aid. A student's cost of attendance is composed of all educational expenses that can be included for financial aid purposes that a student may accrue while pursuing their education for the year (or semester, if enrolled less than a year). A student's financial aid cannot exceed their cost of attendance. Schools are required to provide a fuller picture of what it may cost students to pursue their degree, not just what they will owe in tuition/fees and books/supplies.

Please Note: this COA budget estimate assumes full-time attendance for two semesters — Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
Student Living With Parents (Home) Student Living on Own (Other)
Full-time Tuition (based on a total of 30 credits, 15 credits fall and 15 credits spring)
In-State Tuition & Fees
$4,844*
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$7,127*
In-State Tuition & Fees
$4,844*
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$7,127*
Living Expenses (Housing & Food) $3,008 $9,147
Books / Supplies $1,465 $1,465
Transportation $4,017 $4,017
Personal Expenses $3,608 $3,608
Loan Fees $85 $85
Total Estimated Cost Of Attendance
In-State
$17,027
Out-of-State
$19,310
In-State
$23,166
Out-of-State
$25,449

* Tuition listed is based on approved rates for the 2024–2025 academic year. Rates are approved each March by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and estimated budgets are updated at that time.

For the 2024–2025 academic year, the Wisconsin Resident tuition rate is $149.50 per credit and Out-of-State resident tuition is $224.25 per credit.

For the 2024–2025 academic year, Student Fees include: a minimum $5.00 material fee and a $13.15 per credit activity fee. A $4.00 per semester insurance fee will be assessed to students taking at least one course which has a scheduled session on campus.

Students awarded Federal Direct Loan(s) also have an average of the mandatory loan fees automatically added to their COA.

Students with disability-related expenses may contact the Financial Aid Office to have their additional expenses considered. Disability-related expenses include but are not limited to: personal assistance, equipment, and supplies. The Financial Aid Office may potentially include disability expenses in the COA that are not provided by other assisting agencies.

NTC also offers a Net Price Calculator to help estimate costs.

For more information regarding billed tuition and fees visit https://www.ntc.edu/admissions/tuition-fees

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how the financial aid process works. Please feel free to reach out for more information.

NTC Financial Aid Office

715.803.1647
financialaid@ntc.edu

Additional Information

This program is housed in the Wood Technology Center of Excellence, a one-of-a-kind, 27,000 square foot facility dedicated to preparing students for careers in the forest products and woodworking industry.

Admissions Process

Our application process takes just a few minutes to complete, but we want to make sure you have the things you’ll need on hand to complete the application. We’re here to help if you have any questions while submitting your application.

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The application can be submitted online and takes just a few minutes to complete. There is no fee to apply.

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What’s Next?

We’ll review your application and let you know if we need anything else. If you’re all set, your acceptance letter will be emailed to you.