Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring the integrity of thick section welds during the welding process with electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT). Using induction coils in properly arranged and oriented magnetic fields, EMATs can generate shear horizontally polarized (SH) skimming waves in the base metal adjacent to the weld. A through transmission method is adopted where by a transmitting EMAT is used to generate SH skimming waves on side of the weld while a receiving EMAT is used to sense and assess the ultrasonic signal acquired by a receiver EMAT on the other side of the weld there by indicating the quality of the most recent weld layer applied by the welder.