Industry-approved instrumentation and automation training
In the Instrumentation Engineering Technology program, you can expect to gain the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in instrumentation technology. The program involves detailed studies of the principles and application of pneumatic, electronic, and microcomputer measurement and control systems.
Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and a hands-on approach to learning provide students with job-ready experience.
Skills you will acquire
Over the course of the program, you will learn how to:
- Apply principles of process control to analyze and optimize the performance of industrial processes.
- Install and maintain process instruments.
- Install and maintain analytical instruments and sampling systems.
- Configure and troubleshoot industrial controllers.
- Install, program and troubleshoot industrial controllers.
- Design and specify measurement, safety and control systems for industrial applications.
- Use computer hardware and software relevant to instrumentation.
- Work in a safe and professional manner following regulatory and industry specific work practices.
- Communicate effectively through written and verbal means.
- Use tools appropriate to the instrumentation field in a safe and effective matter.
- Participate as a member of an effective team
Practicum/Co-op/Work Experience
Students may be eligible to participate in a 4 or 8 month co-op placement once they complete all level 1 courses, and before they complete all the level 2 courses. Successful co-op students work in a program-related industry position and gain advanced job-readiness skills. Acceptance into our co-op program is based on successful completion of first term coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.7.
- Length: 1 or 2 semesters
- Salary: Determined by participating employers
- Dates: May to August, January to August, or May to December
For more information about our co-op program, please contact IET-Coop@nait.ca.
Career Outcomes
Job Opportunities
- Application Engineering Technologist
- Automated Systems Specialist
- Control Systems Integrator
- Field Service Technologist
- Instrumentation & Controls Designer
- Maintenance Planner
- PLC/HMI Programmer
- Technical Sales
- Testing and Commissioning Technologist
Industries
- Engineering firms
- Automation equipment and services providers
- Building automation and HVAC
- Power, gas, and water utilities
- Manufacturing and processing plants
- Energy producers
- Mining companies
Median Starting Salary
The expected starting salary for individuals with a(n) Instrumentation Engineering Technology Diploma is $58,445.
This salary information was based on graduate data from the past 3 years and reflects annual salaries for graduates who claimed they were working more than 30 hours per week. Graduates who quoted salaries below $10,000 and above $200,000 per year have been excluded. Note that NAIT publishes the median salary instead of the average to minimize the potential of outlying salaries distorting the mean. Data represented here may differ from other data sources due to differences in definition or differences in timing.
Grad Employment Rate
Employment rates are reported by NAIT alumni, are for information purposes, and do not guarantee future employment opportunities. Please note that data for newer programs may not be included within this report.
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Take your career planning to the next level
This program can be used as a step toward earning higher credentials and/or certifications.
Further education at NAIT
Once you complete your credential, explore the programs below to specialize further or develop management skills.
Apprenticeship
After graduation and required work experience, you may also be eligible for the following professional designations:
- Instrumentation Technician Journeyman: This certification may be obtained after indentured field experience and appropriate qualification exams are completed
Certification(s)
After graduation and required work experience, you may be eligible for the following professional designations:
- Certified Engineering Technologist (CET): Graduates may seek certification through ASET after 2 years of suitable work experience
- Professional Technologist (P.Tech): Graduates may seek certification through ASET once further qualifications are met
Other Opportunities
Post-secondary articulation agreements within Alberta are approved by the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT). To view the details of specific agreements, please visit transferalberta.ca or contact articulations@nait.ca For questions regarding transfer agreements or to obtain a course description/outline that is no longer available on our website, please contact articulations@nait.ca.
Build your resume before you even graduate
Explore work experience opportunities that help grads get hired even sooner.
View Work Integrated Learning
Work Experience Placements
Students in this program gain valuable work experience with Work Integrated Learning (WIL). WIL is a form of experiential learning that integrates academic studies with relevant work-based learning. The WIL placement in this program is a Co-op.
Co-op
A Co-op provides experience in a workplace setting related to the student's field of study. The number of required work terms varies by program; however, the time spent in work terms must be at least 30% of the time spent in academic study for programs over 2 years in length, and 25% of time for programs 2 years and shorter in length.
| Duration |
15 weeks |
| Compensation |
Yes |
| International Students |
Co-op Work Permit required |
| Placement Identified By |
Student - Submits resume to employers to apply for WIL positions. |
| Student Interview Required |
Yes |
Benefits of a Co-op
- Understand more about career opportunities, expectations and requirements of the professional field
- Gain the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world environment
- Create networking opportunities in your chosen industry
- Develop and improve communication, interpersonal and employment skills
- Gain confidence in your professional skills
- Practice job placement skills including job search, resume preparation, interviewing
- Explore career options and program specialization within the industry
- Improve application for future positions by gaining industry experience and increasing your employability
- Possibility of employment after graduation
- Potential financial benefits if the placement is paid
Finding a placement
- Create a profile on NAIT's job board, Career Connect
- Create and maintain a current resume, cover letter and list of references
- Apply for positions on Career Connect
- Prepare for, and attend, employer interviews
- Coordinate and communicate with your WIL Coordinator
- Be flexible, professional, and participate fully in the recruitment process
- Be aware of the anticipated outcomes of the placement
- Notify the coordinator for your program once you have an employment offer and sign a WIL Agreement
Courses and Advanced Credit
Current and recently admitted students can find information and updates about their program on their My Program page in the MyNAIT Portal. To monitor your course progress and the courses still needed to graduate, visit your Academic Progress Report.
Advanced Credit
You may apply for advanced credit once you have been accepted into the program. Advanced credit can be Transfer Credit (for completed post-secondary courses) or PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition).
Transfer Credit
In addition to the common guidelines outlined on the Transfer and Credit Options section, your program has other advanced credit requirements that are applied to each request including:
- You must have completed the course or program no more than 7 year(s) ago unless a formalized articulation agreement is in place
- You must have a minimum mark of C in the course(s) or program
- The mark required for a course credit may be higher than that of a passing grade submitted for credit and will depend on rigor and outcome similarity to our course.
- The 7 year time limit may vary depending on technology changes and outcome retention in the decision of receiving such credit.
Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR)
Read more about advanced credit or contact us about applying for credit for this program.
Courses
This content is specific to the selected Sep 02, 2025 intake.
Expand each course below to see details about credits, requisites, scheduling, and more.
Term 1
CHEM1133Industrial Chemistry
This course covers inorganic and organic chemistry concepts. Inorganic topics include: the periodic table, chemical nomenclature, balancing equations, the mole concept, chemical bonding, acids and bases, oxidation-reduction, stoichiometry, and corrosion. Organic topics include: an introduction to the structure, classes, properties and potential hazards of organic compounds. In addition, overviews of chemical processes selected from Alberta Industry are studied.
ELEC1130Electrical I
This course covers electrical AC and DC Circuits. Topics covered: circuit element definitions, Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff's Voltage Law, Kirchhoff's Current Law, Resistive voltage and current dividers, independent sources, time domain behavior of inductance and capacitance, energy storage, sinusoidal signals, complex numbers, phasor and impedance concepts.
INST1110Process Instruments I
This course teaches troubleshooting and commissioning of mechanical instruments, pneumatic instruments, and pressure transmitters. Core topics include instrumentation terminology, standards, accuracy, pressure fundamentals, pressure standards, link & levers, pressure to force converters, baffle-nozzle, transmitters, pressure transducers, dp level calculations, and pressure transmitter configuration/calibration.
INST1120Industrial Practices
Use appropriate tools to install, service and commission transmitters, and valves. Topics include: safety practices, tube bending, pipe fittings, mounting brackets, fasteners, valve bodies & actuators, valve positioners & accessories, bench set, control valve setup/calibration, fluid power symbols & operation and instrument air supply systems.
MATH1155Technical Mathematics and Calculus I
This course is for Instrumentation Engineering Technology students. In this course we will identify the fundamentals of mathematics, enabling students to solve problems and manipulate equations involving algebra, transcendental functions, and derivatives.
PHYS1160Physics for Instrumentation
This course will cover physical principles, laws and mathematical relationships relating to basic mechanics, waves, and gasses. Topics include unit conversions, translational and rotational motion, Hooke's Law, conservation of energy, electromagnetic radiation, refraction, reflection, polarization, sound, inverse square law, gas laws, and energy and mass concepts relating to ideal and real gasses.
Term 2
CPSC1240Introduction to Programming
This course will cover the basics of digital electronics and programming to solve problems. Topics include: Boolean logic, microcontroller components, I/O instructions, IF statements, case statements, loop instructions, functions, arrays, and data types/structures.
ELEC2231Electrical II
Basics of semiconductors, how electrical power is distributed, and the control of motors. Topics include: semiconductor devices, single & three phase power, transformers, DC motors, AC motors, power generation, Delta & Wye configurations, contactors, motor starters, VSD, and UPS.c
ENGL1257Effective Communications
This course provides students with the fundamentals of effective communications skills. The course concentrates on skills in writing, reading, researching, speaking, and critical thinking, within the context of technical and business communications in the workplace.
INST1211Process Instruments II
Students will learn to troubleshoot and commission controllers and instruments used for level, temperature, and flow measurement. Topics include: selected contact and non-contact level, temperature and burner flame sensing technologies, differential pressure flow metering systems (elements, installation, and simplified flow calculations), standardized instrument loop diagrams, feedback control loop components and wiring, operation of a single loop digital controller (SLDC), and PID control algorithm.
INST1260Introduction to Unit Operations
This course examines basic operation of selected industrial units and equipment. Topics include: fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer applied to: boilers, heat exchangers, turbines, pumps, compressors, evaporators, condensers, distillation, absorption, adsorption units and separators.
MATH1255Calculus II and Statistics
This is a course for Instrumentation Engineering Technology students, developing the concepts of calculus, enabling the student to solve problems and manipulate equations involving differentiation and integration of common algebraic and transcendental functions. Simple differential equations and Laplace and Fourier transforms are also discussed. Students will also acquire knowledge of introductory statistics.
Term 3
CMTC2341Data Communications
Assess the movement of digital information in industry. Topics include: transmission media, serial communication, networking devices, the Open System Interconnection (OSI) layered network architecture, the TCP/IP protocol suite and network security.
CNTR2371Process Control I
Analyze and implement control strategies to improve loop stability, protect equipment & personnel, and minimize disturbances. Topics include: process transfer functions, frequency response, Bode plots, stability, tuning, and non-linearity.
INST2310Process Measurements III
Troubleshoot and commission instruments used for flow, density and storage vessel measurement. Assess technical and regulatory requirements and uncertainty for industrial measurement. Topics include: turbines, vortex meters, magnetic flow meters, ultrasonic flow meters, PD meters, mass flow meters, flow computers, Millar & AGA #3, flow proving, densitometers, hydrostatic tank gauging, radar tank gauging, strapping tables, random error, systematic error, confidence intervals, student T's, and measurement systems.
INST2340Industrial Programming
Configure and commission industrial computers to control a process using the 1131 standard. Topics include: PLC's & RTU's, I/O wiring, ladder logic, function block, structured text, and sequential function chart.
INST2361Instrumentation Engineering I
This course examines the operation of selected industrial processes and use of engineering tools and technical documents in instrumentation. Students will learn to identify the key operation parameters of the major industrial processes, apply project management techniques, and create engineering drawings. Topics include: oil refining and upgrading, natural gas processing, power generation, pulp & paper operations, computer aided drafting, installation documents, team building, project life cycle, project scheduling, and valve selection.
INST2380Analyzers I
Describe general analyzer terminology and calibration methods. Describe and assess health and safety legislation, workplace safety, safe work practices and protective equipment. Assess, calibrate, and validate industrial analyzers used to measure: hazardous gases, fire signature, water quality, and physical properties. Discuss mass spectrometry techniques and applications.
Term 4
CNTR3470Process Controls II
Design and implement advanced control strategies to deal with excessive process disturbances and complex industrial processes. Configure a DCS and test an SIS system. Topics include: non-linearity, excessive dead time, cascade, selective control, feed forward, ratio, fuzzy logic, compressor control, boiler control, SAMA, burner management, distillation control, decoupling, modeling, interlocks, SIS & SIL, HAZOP, and LOPA.
INST2440System Integration
Configuration and operation of Control systems. Topics include: HART, Foundation Fieldbus, DeviceNet, MODBUS, Ethernet, SCADA, DCS, HMI scripting, tag databases, historical databases, and OPC.
INST2450Technical Report
Research, preparation & presentation of a formal technical report related to instrumentation.
INST2460Instrumentation Engineering II
Design, select instruments and valves for an industrial project. Use project management techniques, in a team, to create an instrumentation engineering package. Topics include: project costing, code of ethics, contracts, computer aided drafting, specification of instruments, schedules, and drawings.
INST2480Analyzers II
Assess, calibrate, and validate industrial analyzer systems used for air quality, moisture, stack emissions, vibration, and composition of a process stream. Topics include: analyzer performance and uncertainty, sample handling system components and design, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, Beer's law, UV & IR detectors, humidity, chromatography, oxygen wet & dry measurements, proximity probes, and accelerometers.
MATE2453Instrumentation Materials
An introduction to materials, mechanical properties, destructive & non-destructive testing, and corrosion mechanism for evaluating materials to be used in instrumentation applications. Topics include: metallurgy, strength of materials, hardness, cold-working, heat treating, welding effects, and hydrogen embrittlement.
Tuition & Fees
This content is specific to the selected Sep 02, 2025 intake.
The tuition and fee amounts are estimates based on current academic year's rates. For financial planning purposes, please use these totals as an approximate estimate of your costs. Actual fees may vary by term and enrolment activities. Please refer to the tuition and fees page for more detailed information.
Books, Supplies & Program Fees (est.)
Level 1 Term 1: $2,200
Level 1 Term 2: $2,200
Level 2 Term 1: $800
Level 2 Term 2: $800
Scholarships & Awards
NAIT awards over $6 million in scholarships and bursaries to more than 4,000 students each year, with the support of donors and the government. A variety of awards are available, including ones for academics, community involvement, equity/diversity grants, bursaries for financial need, program-specific awards and more!
Learn how to apply for awards
Admission Requirements
This content is specific to the selected Sep 02, 2025 intake.
Minimum entrance requirements
The specific academic requirements you must meet to be considered for admission. Where applicable, the minimum accepted Alberta high school courses are listed in round brackets ( ). Equivalent or higher-level courses are also accepted.
- Grade 12 Language Arts (English 30-2)
- Grade 12 Mathematics (Math 30-1)
- Grade 11 Chemistry (Chemistry 20)
- Grade 11 Physics (Physics 20)
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
Additional requirements & considerations
Alternative entrance pathways
If you are missing one or more of the minimum entrance requirements, you may be eligible for an alternative entrance pathway. For any pathway listed below, English language proficiency is also a requirement.
Successful completion of a minimum of 24 post-secondary credits or 8 post-secondary courses* within an accredited or recognized degree or diploma in a related field (engineering or engineering technology) with an Admission GPA of 2.0 based on the most recently completed 24 post-secondary credits.
*Please note that acceptance into the program does not guarantee transfer credits. Transfer credits evaluation will take place after the student is accepted into the program.
Dates & Deadlines
International
Applications Open:
Aug 01, 2024
International
Applications Deadline:
Once the program is full
Domestic
Applications Open:
Oct 01, 2024
Application Deadline:
Once the program is full
Term Start Date:
Sep 02, 2025
Seats are limited - Apply early! Applications will remain open for at least one month from the open date. If the program/waitlist fill after that date, applications will close.
International Applicants
This program accepts international students.
PGWP Eligibility
This program does not meet eligibility criteria for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), following Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) field of study requirement. Students who applied for a study permit before November 1, 2024, are not affected by the new field of study rule and may be eligible for a PGWP.
While graduates are currently ineligible to apply for a PGWP, NAIT still welcomes international students to this program to gain valuable knowledge and skills to pursue your career goals, whether in Canada under another type of permit or in your home country or other international markets.
Co-Op Work Permit
Mandatory Co-op: This program has a mandatory work-integrated learning component. International students must apply for a co-op work permit and have it approved before the start of their work placement.
Optional Co-op: Students in this program can choose to move into a co-op pathway, which includes a mandatory co-op work practicum. International students who plan to participate in this option must apply for a co-op work permit and get approval before starting the work placement.
Learn more about PGWP and explore eligible NAIT programs.
