Agricultural Engineering Technology
9 courses · Butte College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
AET 22 Natural Resources and Agri-Construction
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 34 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces students to the selection and use of farm structural and mechanical equipment. It will cover farm wiring, carpentry, concrete, masonry, plumbing, painting and metal work with emphasis on the actual practices used in agricultural construction.
AET 26 Basic Surveying
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 34 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This is a basic surveying course. Topics will include selection, care and use of tapes and levels; field observations, note taking and office computations; use of surveying instruments and equipment for land measurement and mapping; practice in differential, profile, and contour leveling; building foundation layout; horizontal angles; cut and fill measurements and calculations for land grading. Laser and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology will be introduced at the basic level.
AET 30 Tractors and Crawlers
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 34 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- AG-MA 108L
This course covers design principles, selection, maintenance, adjustment, and safe operation of wheel and crawler type tractors used in agriculture and in the construction industry. (C-ID AG-MA 108L).
AET 34 Farm Machinery
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 42.5 hours lecture, 25.5 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course involves the design principles, uses, maintenance, adjustment, calibration, and repair of machinery used in California agriculture. Emphasis is placed on primary and secondary tillage, planting, chemical application, and harvesting equipment. Selection and operation of both machinery and tractors will be practiced. Safety will be stressed throughout.
AET 35 Heavy Equipment Methods
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 51 hours lecture
- Corequisite
- AET 36
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course will examine construction regulations, erosion control, drainage, environmental mitigations, soils and aggregates, technical report writing, interpreting blueprints and site plans, applied mathematical calculations, management skills, fleet management practices, project organization, and entrepreneurship.
AET 36 Heavy Equipment Operation
- Units
- 6
- Hours
- 34 hours lecture, 204 hours lab
- Corequisite
- AET 35
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course covers selection, operation, service, and adjustment of heavy equipment used in agriculture and construction industries. Also covered are measurement and techniques used in preparing roads, building sites, and other projects as may be required in the field using heavy equipment.
AET 38 Diesel Engines and Machine Systems
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 51 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course presents the theory, operating principles, application, component parts, support systems, maintenance, adjustment, and repair of Diesel engines and related systems used on modern trucks and heavy equipment used in the construction and agricultural industries. The related systems include electrical, power train, hydraulic, and Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.
AET 43 Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 17 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is an introduction to the theory, operating principles, application, graphical symbols, component parts, systems, maintenance, adjustment, and repair of hydraulic and pneumatic systems used on modern trucks and heavy equipment used in the construction and agricultural industries.
AET 44 Grade Setting
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 17 hours lecture, 51 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course will cover reading site plans, interpreting grade stakes, and setting grades to ensure that earth-moving work meets specifications, using both manual and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) methods.