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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 broadlybased 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 3823 Machine Element 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.

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 andmay receive up to 3 semester credit hours for their experience.

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The educational objectives of the Bachelor of Science degree in the Mechanical Engineering program are to provide students with opportunities to:

  • acquire the ability to apply the fundamentals of mathematics, sciences, and engineering to quantitatively analyze problems
  • develop innovative design skills, including the students' ability to formulate problems, to think creatively, to synthesize information, and to communicate effectively
  • develop the ability to use modern experimental techniques; collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data; and effectively communicate the results
  • prepare students with the diverse skills needed to be successful 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 in this catalog.

Core Curriculum Requirements

Courses that Satisfy Core Curriculum and Degree Requirements
Rhetoric (6 semester credit hours) All students must take the following six hours to meet this core requirement:
WRC 1013 Freshman Composition I
WRC 1023 Freshman Composition II

Domain I: Mathematics and Science

Mathematics (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.
Science (6 semester credit hours)
Three hours from Level One and three hours from Level Two will satisfy this core requirement.
Note: MAT 1214, CHE 1103, and PHY 1904 may be used to satisfy the Core Curriculum requirements for Domain I, as well as several of the General Engineering requirements.

Domain II: Society and Culture

United States History and Diversity (6 semester credit hours)
Any six hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.
Political Studies (6 semester credit hours)
POL 1013 plus 3 additional hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.
Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.
Economics (3 semester credit hours)
ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics

Domain III: Literature and the Arts

Literature (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.
The Arts (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Domain IV: World Society and Issues

(3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

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General Engineering Requirements

All degree-seeking candidates in engineering must complete the following 26 semester credit hours, as well as the Core Curriculum requirements and major requirements:

CHE 1103 General Chemistry I
EGR 1303 Exploring the Engineering Profession
EGR 2323 Applied Engineering Analysis I
MAT 1214 Calculus I
MAT 1223 Calculus II
PHY 1904, 1911 Technical Physics I and Laboratory
PHY 1924, 1931 Technical Physics II and Laboratory

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. 34 semester credit hours of required foundation and general mechanical engineering courses:

ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics
EE 2213 Electric Circuits and Electronics
EGR 2103 Statics
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

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C. 17 semester credit hours of required courses in the “structures and motions of mechanical systems” stem:

ME 3103 Kinematics and Dynamics
ME 3813 Mechanics of Solids
ME 3823 Machine Element Design
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 III, 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 3593 Alternative Energy Sources
ME 4183 Compressible Flow and Propulsion Systems
ME 4323 Thermal Systems Design
ME 4343 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Design
ME 4613 Power Plant System 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 3513 Mechanism 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.

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