COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering
The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering
(ME) offers students the opportunity to prepare for careers in traditional,
new, and emerging technologies of mechanical engineering. Mechanical
engineering is a versatile and broadly-based engineering discipline.
Basic sciences and mathematics form the foundation of mechanical engineering,
which requires an understanding of such subject areas as solid and fluid
mechanics, thermal sciences, mechanical design, structures, material
selection and processes, mechanical systems and control, and instrumentation.
The two main stems within mechanical engineering are: (1) energy (thermal/fluid
sciences) and (2) structures and motion in mechanical systems. Through
required coursework, the mechanical engineering curriculum provides
educational training in both stems.Through the selection of technical
elective courses to augment required courses, students may develop a
degree of specialization and depth in one of the two main stems. Design
experience is integrated throughout the program. Development of open-ended
problem solving skills is a part of all mechanical engineering courses.
Design projects with formal report writing are included in many of the
required courses, including ME 1403 Engineering
Graphics and Design, ME 3513 Mechanism Design,
ME 4293 Thermodynamic II, ME
4313 Heat Transfer and Rate Processes, and
ME 4603 Finite Element Applications in Mechanical Design. A substantial
portion of each technical elective course is devoted to design of systems
and components. A capstone design sequence at the senior level provides
an opportunity to apply and integrate the knowledge gained throughout
the curriculum to the development of an instructor-approved project.
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The laboratory requirements are designed to provide the hands-on experience
of application of classroom theory. The required laboratories expose
undergraduate students to modern measurements and instrumentation techniques.
The design of experiments is integrated in both the mechanical systems
and control, thermal, and fluid laboratories. Students may receive additional
hands-on experiences by selecting technical elective courses with laboratory
components.
In addition, opportunities exist for students to participate in research
and design projects. Those students eligible for honors may work on
more individualized projects. Students also have an opportunity to participate
in an approved co-op program and may receive up to three semester credit
hours for their experience.
The educational objectives of the mechanical engineering program are:
1. to develop the understanding of and ability to apply the fundamentals
of mathematics and physical sciences to practical engineering problems
2. to develop the capacity for lifelong learning needed by professional
engineers
3. to develop the capacity for effective technical communication
4. to prepare students to be effective engineers in the rapidly changing
21st century
5. to prepare students to work in teams and understand the advantages
of teamwork
6. to develop creative problem solving and innovative design skills
for thermal and mechanical systems
7. to instill an appreciation for the role of the engineering profession
and its ethical responsibilities in society Top
The mechanical engineering program has implemented a procedure to assess
the following outcomes:
1. an ability to identify, formulate, and analyze the performance of
thermal and mechanical systems using principles from chemistry, calculus-based
physics, statistics, linear algebra, multivariate calculus, and differential
equations
2. an ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply technical advances
in science, mathematics, and engineering
3. an ability to use modern computer-based tools for engineering applications
4. an ability to communicate effectively through written, oral, and
graphical presentations
5. an ability to design and conduct experiments to gauge or verify the
performance of systems, as well as analyze and interpret experimental
data
6. an ability to work effectively on a team project
7. an ability to creatively develop designs that achieve desired performance
criteria within specified constraints and limitations
8. an understanding of ethical and societal responsibilities of professional
engineers
All candidates for this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements,
the general engineering requirements, and the degree requirements, which
are listed below.
Core Curriculum requirements:
Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering
must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner
as other students. The courses listed in the table below satisfy both
major requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these
courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students will need
to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester
credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses
that satisfy the Core Curriculum requirements see pages 9-13 of this
catalog. Top
General Engineering
Requirements
Degree Requirements
All degree-seeking candidates in Mechanical Engineering must complete
the following semester credit hours, as well as the Core Curriculum
requirements and general engineering requirements:
A. 31 semester credit hours of required foundation and general mechanical
engineering courses:
ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics
EE 2213 Electric Circuits and Electronics
EGR 3323 Applied Engineering Analysis
II
ME 1403 Engineering Graphics and Design
ME 3173 Numerical Methods in Mechanical
Engineering
ME 3241 Materials Engineering Laboratory
ME 3243 Materials Engineering
ME 3312 Electronics and Data Acquisition
Laboratory
ME 4811 Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Planning
ME 4813 Mechanical Engineering Design Project
STA 2303 Applied Probability
and Statistics for Engineers
3 semester credit hours of approved mathematics or science electives.
A list of acceptable courses is available in the College of Engineering.
B. 14 semester credit hours of required courses in the "energy" stem
of mechanical engineering:
ME 3293 Thermodynamics I
ME 3663 Fluid Mechanics
ME 4293 Thermodynamics II
ME 4313 Heat Transfer and Rate Processes
ME 4802 Thermal and Fluid Laboratory Top
C. 17 semester credit hours of required courses in the "structures and
motions of mechanical systems" stem:
ME 3103 Kinematics and Dynamics
ME 3513 Mechanism Design
ME 3813 Solid Mechanics
ME 4523 Dynamic Systems and Control
ME 4603 Finite Element Applications in Mechanical
Design
ME 4702 Mechanical Systems and Control Laboratory
D. 9 semester credit hours of mechanical engineering elective courses.
Each student must choose one of the technical area options listed below.
Students are encouraged to select either option I or option II to develop
technical specialization in one of the two main stems of mechanical
engineering. However, students who wish to obtain a broader engineering
training may choose option 3, general mechanical engineering. The combined
course selection from each option area must contain a minimum of 4 semester
credit hours of design. Information on design content hours for mechanical
engineering courses is available in the College of Engineering. With
prior approval, EGR 4993 Honors Research, ME 4953 Special Studies in
Mechanical Engineering, or ME 4963 Topics in Bioengineering may be used
as a technical elective. Exceptional undergraduate students may enroll
in a graduate course and apply the credit earned to the undergraduate
degree requirements. Approval forms are available in the Dean's Office.
Option I-Specialization in Energy (Thermal/Fluid Systems):
ME 4183 Compressible Flow and Propulsion
Systems
ME 4323 Thermal Systems Design
ME 4343 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration
Design
ME 4613 Power Plant Systems Design
ME 4623 Internal Combustion Engines
ME 4663 Fluid Systems Design
ME 4963 Topics in Bioengineering
Option II-Specialization in Structures and Motions of Mechanical Systems:
ME 3263 Materials Processing
ME 3323 Dynamics of Mechanical Systems
ME 3823 Machine Element Design
ME 4243 Intermediate Materials Engineering
ME 4723 Reliability and Quality Control
in Engineering Design
ME 4963 Topics in Bioengineering
Option III-General Mechanical Engineering:
Courses selected from any of the previous two option areas. Top
