Oct 04, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Mechanical Engineering Major


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BS degree

The Mechanical Engineering program provides students with both a diverse, broad-based degree that is grounded in fundamental principles of science and engineering and the opportunity to focus in a field of interest (such as energy, manufacturing, robotics, materials science, mechanical systems). Students pursuing the Mechanical Engineering major can elect a concentration in either Advanced Manufacturing or Energy.

The program is characterized by hands-on design projects and the use of computer work stations to address complex problems and enable the design and manufacture of components and systems.  The program culminates in a senior project, solving a real-life engineering problem with realistic constraints of time as well as economic, aesthetic, safety, social and environmental considerations. The students defend their work in an oral presentation before their class, faculty, guests and an invited panel of judges from local industries.

The first two years of the program include basic courses in mathematics, chemistry and physics, together with introductory courses in applied science such as mechanics, materials, and electrical science. Specialization occurs during the last two years with courses available in the areas of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes and systems, control systems, materials behavior, energy, and mechanical design.

Calculation of GPA in the Mechanical Engineering Major

Students must have a 2.000 cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all courses taken at the university in order to graduate. Students must also have a 2.000 cumulative GPA in the major. For purposes of GPA computation in the major the following are included:

  • All MNE courses
  • MTH, EGR, ECE courses at the 2xx level and above
  • Any course taken as a technical elective

Requirements


First Year


Second Year


Third Year


Fourth Year


First Semester: 15 credits


  •  MNE Technical Electives - 6 credits (see Footnote 3 below)
  • University Studies Requirement - 3 credits (see Footnote 1 below)

Second Semester: 14 credits


  • MNE Technical Electives - 6 credits (see Footnote 3 below)
  • University Studies requirements - 6 credits (see Footnote 1 below)

Footnote


[1] See University Studies 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B requirements.

[2] CHM 153, PHY 111, and PHY 112 can be used in place of CHM 151, PHY 113, and PHY 114, respectively.

[3] Taken from approved list (See Technical Electives below). Up to two (2) Technical Electives may be taken from outside department if approved in advance by Department Chair.

Total credits: 123


Technical Electives


Technical electives are 400 and 500 level courses in mechanical engineering, except for those courses already required for the major (listed above). Students should confer with advisors before selecting technical electives to assure that they meet requirements in engineering science and engineering design. Students who wish to select 400-level technical electives from other departments must receive prior approval from the mechanical engineering department. Use of EGR 490 Engineering Internship as a technical elective requires that the course be approved prior to the start of the internship. For this to occur a proposal is first sponsored by a faculty member and then approved by the Department Chair and Associate Dean. Up to three (3) credits of EGR 490 may count towards one Technical Elective requirement.

Advanced Manufacturing Concentration


The Advanced Manufacturing Concentration (AMF) is offered to students who are interested in the broad area of manufacturing, and wish to expand their education on applications of advanced manufacturing, including additive manufacturing and manufacturing automation. The AMF concentration can be declared at any time but in order to graduate with the concentration, students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.700 or better in all AMF courses, and a GPA of 2.000 in the Mechanical Engineering Major.

Requirements


Students in the Advanced Manufacturing Concentration complete the requirements for Mechanical Engineering and choose three of their four technical electives from the approved list of courses below. Courses listed in both AMF Core and AMF Elective categories can only be used to meet one requirement area.

Manufacturing Foundation Core Courses


Completed as part of the MNE major. All three courses are required.

Advanced Manufacturing Core Course


Completed as a technical elective. Complete one course from the following:

Advanced Manufacturing Elective Courses


Completed as a technical elective. Complete two courses from the following list:

  • EAS 531 - Advanced Materials and Applications Credits: 3

Energy Concentration


The Energy Concentration (EC) is offered to students who are interested in the thermal sciences. To declare the Energy Concentration, students must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.000 and have earned a B- or better in MNE 220, Engineering Thermodynamics. Students should declare the concentration no later than the fall of the junior year.

Requirements


Students in the Energy Concentration complete the requirements for Mechanical Engineering and choose three of their four technical electives from the approved list of courses below. Students in the EC will be preferentially assigned to energy-related senior design projects. Courses listed in both EC Core and EC Elective categories can only be used to meet one requirement area.

Energy Foundation Core Courses


Completed as part of the MNE major. All four courses are required.

Energy Concentration Core Course


Completed as a technical elective. Complete one course from the following:

Energy Concentration Electives


Completed as a technical elective. Complete two courses from the following list:

University Studies Requirements for Mechanical Engineering


Degree candidates for the BS degree in Mechanical Engineering must satisfy the University Studies requirements, as described in the Academic Policies section of this Catalog.

  • University Studies requirements in Clusters 1, 2, 4C and 5 are automatically satisfied by the courses shown as required for this major.
  • The University Studies requirements in Clusters  3 and 4A and 4B may be fulfilled by selecting courses from the approved lists in each cluster.

University Studies Departmental Requirements


Students majoring in Mechanical Engineering will meet their departmentally-controlled University Studies requirements as follows:

Math Placement


Students not starting in Calculus (MTH 153) will be placed in Pre-Calculus (MTH 150), Pre-Calculus Enhanced (MTH 150E), or Introductory & Intermediate Algebra (MTH 100) in the first semester. This delays the start of Calculus a semester or more, which may then extend the program beyond four years. 

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