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Welcome to Mechatronics Academy.

at Chattanooga State

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Mechatronics Academy at Volkswagen is a multifaceted learning environment.  Located at the Volkswagen plant, it acts as a launching pad for students to be “ahead of the game” and expedite their higher educational goals while learning in an industrial setting.

Open to upcoming high school juniors and seniors, Mechatronics Academy offers students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma from their home school, up to 36 hours towards an associates degree in Mechatronics, and industry certifications.  Mechatronics Academy supports student achievement by providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary for post-secondary success.

Mechatronics Academy is a collaboration between Chattanooga State, Volkswagen Group of America, and the Hamilton County Department of Education. Mechatronics Academy offers a unique opportunity for students to pursue post-secondary goals while in high school. Students are expected to maintain a mature, responsible attitude while attaining a higher level of achievement. The Mechatronics Academy student/parent handbook is designed to be an overview of the procedures and services available on the Chattanooga State campus. We hope you find the information useful as you pursue academic success. The faculty looks forward to working with you during your Mechatronics Academy experience.

Mechatronics Academy students have access to:

  • Special support and mentoring programs.

  • An enriched, rigorous curriculum.

  • State of the art technology and robotics at Volkswagen Academy.

  • Small teacher-student ratio.

High School Requirements

  • Mechatronics Academy at Volkswagen employs two dedicated high school teachers to teach in person classes, supervise online classes and support students through dual enrollment classes.
  • Students at MAV complete their high school graduation requirements through a blend of typical high school classes and dual enrollment classes. High school classes follow the standards laid out by the state of Tennessee for each class and align with classes in the same subject taught in typical high schools.
  • Students come to our program from many different schools in the district. This melting pot provides a unique opportunity for our students to get individualized schedules. Since not all schools/students follow the same graduation mapping, this provides our staff with the ability to manage the course load of high school and college classes per student.
  • Each student will have a review conducted at the end of each semester and again before the next semester begins. This review will be used to identify any deficiencies or discrepancies in the student’s graduation path.
  • During the student’s Senior year, the staff at MAV will reach out to the student’s zone school to ensure all the records match, and the student is on track for graduation. This is done early to provide the student ample time to correct any issues that may arise.

Dual Enrollment Courses

  • Students at Mechatronics Academy at Volkswagen are dual enrolled with Chattanooga State Community College (ChSCC).
  • Students are offered a multitude of classes from within the AAS Mechatronics degree framework. These classes may be offered in person at MAV by Chattanooga State professors or online.
  • Students schedules and course offerings differ slightly based on the amount of time a student has been in the program.
  • The course offerings in the Mapping Wheel below, are also customizable based on student needs. A student in the program may already have completed a course offered in the program elsewhere. In that case, the staff at ChSCC and MAV will work with the student to locate an alternative class that meets the need of the student.
  • Students are expected to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in their dual enrollment courses.
  • For more information about the VW Academy via Chattanooga State Community College, see link below:

MAV Student Handbook

VW Apprenticeship

While not a required next step after graduation from MAV, many students choose to pursue an apprenticeship through Volkswagen Academy. Students at MAV have the opportunity to interview for the apprenticeship programs during their senior year of high school.

Below is a link to the VW Apprenticeship Program. On the site you will see a curriculum wheel that shows the classes offered in the program, how that relates to the ChSCC classes taken during MAV and some testimonials from students of both programs.

VW Apprenticeship

MAV In the News

Prospective Students

Student Criteria:

  1. All students must have an ACT composite score of 19 or better (see ACT test information below) or take the ChattState Accuplacer.
    • Along with a composite score of 19 or better,  ACT sub-scores must meet the requirements of 19 or better for Math, 18 or better for English, and 19 or better for Reading or 250 on Reading, Writing and Math Accuplacer.
  2. Students must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  3. Students must be entering their freshmen, sophomore, junior, or senior year in high school.
  4. 10th – 12th grade students must be on track for graduation

Attend High School at Chattanooga State!

Students at Collegiate High have full access to the Chattanooga State campus, including clubs, organizations, intramural sports, and student government. Also, students have an opportunity to participate in the UTC marching band program, Chattanooga State Symphonic Band, and Concert Choir.

Still Not Convinced? Here Are More Advantages

  • Earn high school and college credit simultaneously
  • Earn an Associate Degree while completing a high school diploma
  • Engineering/Technology programs available
  • Schedule flexibility
  • Availability of college support services including mentoring, counseling, learning tutoring clubs
  • Accessibility to state-of-the art computer labs
  • Small teacher/student ratio
  • Explore a variety of careers and opportunities
  • Enjoy learning on a college campus

Requirements for Consideration:

  • Good attendance record
  • Good discipline record
  • 2.0 GPA or better
  • On track to graduate
  • Be college ready through the ACT or the Chattanooga State Accuplacer test

Are you ready?

  • Click on the link or scan the QR code
  • Complete the required information
  • Submit.

* We will then contact you for an administrative meeting when they  begin

Interest Form Link
Interest Form

Application Process
To see the full application and admissions process click the link below.

Application Process

Application Process

Eligibility:
  • Qualified freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible
  • Students must complete a Collegiate High application. Fill out the interest form below to begin the process.
  • Students must score college ready on the ACT or the Chattanooga State Accuplacer*
    An ACT Composite of 19  and subscores of 18 in English, 19 in Reading and 19 in Math is required.
    *Accuplacer score of 250 in Reading, Writing and Quantitative Reasoning is required if a student does not have an ACT score.
  • Students must complete an administrative meeting.
  • Students must apply and be accepted to Chattanooga State Community College

Application Process
The full application and acceptance process can be seen at the link below.

Application Process

Ready to Apply?
Click the link or scan the QR code to the interest form below to begin.

Interest Form

Interest Form

Curriculum Requirements

The Hamilton County Collegiate High represents a collaborative effort between the Hamilton County Department of Education and Chattanooga State. The Collegiate High, located on the main campus of Chattanooga State, opened in August 2001, is an innovate model that allows students to earn college credits while completing a high school diploma. Students also have the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree while earning a high school diploma.

English 4 credits
Math 4 credits
Science 4 credits (must be lab sciences)
Fine Art 1 credit (music drama, art crafts)
Foreign Language 2 credits of same language
Social Studies 3 credits (Including Economics, US Government and US History)
Wellness: or
ROTC		 1 credit
2 credits
Electives 3 credits
Personal Finance 1/2 credit
PE 1/2 credit

Computer Science:  1 credit (beginning with class of 2028)

Collegiate High students will also have access to:

  • Special support and mentoring programs
  • An enriched, rigorous curriculum
  • Small teacher/student ratio

Tuition and Fees

For Chattanooga State Dual Enrollment courses, Collegiate High tuition is based on Chattanooga State’s tuition.  This updates each year for the fall semester.

https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/financial/tuition-fees/high-school-fees

For assistance, please contact Chattanooga State – the Collegiate High office cannot access financial information.
Bursar’s Office: tuition payment, fees payment, refunds
Financial Aid Office: scholarships, FAFSA, TSAC (dual enrollment grant)

Out of State and Out of District students will also be required to pay tuition to Hamilton County Schools. This tuition may fluctuate annually.

The graphic below provides an outline of dual enrollment courses students typically take at MAV. Classes are subject to change based upon requirements for the AAS in Mechatronics and individual student needs.