Auto mechanics courses began at Weber College with the completion of the vocational arts building in August of 1938, which was built to meet the needs of the occupational, trade, and semi-professional community. The Automotive Technology Department was established by 1966 as the Automotive Engineering Technology Department and later the Automotive and Mechanical Technology Department. Weber State College purchased commercial instruction systems designed to assist in the teaching of automotive body repair and automotive finishing in the fall of 1975. While the initial instruction system was successful, it left gaps in instructional areas. Further automotive modules and courses were developed to fill the need of the department. Rick DeMoss, an instructor in the department, proposed a $3620 program to employee a faculty member to create the modules, course materials, and to collect data at the completion of the expanded program in 1977. The success of the expansion led to an apprenticeship program in 1978 between Weber State College and National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), which helped reduce a shortage of mechanics. The degrees offered by the Automotive Technology Department became certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) in 1989.