Oct 05, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Mechanical Engineering, B.S.

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The Mechanical Engineering major is the broadest of all of the engineering disciplines and spans nearly every sector of our economy including energy systems, advanced materials, biomedical devices, environmental products and enhancements, manufacturing and automation machines and processes, and the solutions to an endless array of technical problems. The mechanical engineering program places strong emphasis on hands-on experience and the art of engineering design. The curriculum provides for both breadth and depth through required major courses and elective engineering courses. The Mechanical Engineering major is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

A wide array of career options are available for graduates from the Mechanical Engineering major including applied engineers in industry, design engineers, research, consulting, and graduate study leading to advanced degrees.

Mechanical Engineering, B.S. Learning Outcomes

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements

Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Mechanical Engineering must complete a minimum of 124 credits. A grade of 2.0 or higher is required in all major courses.

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

FYS 115 First Year Seminar: Exploring Engineering 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirement

Communication course:

FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours

Advanced Communication course:

Satisfied by major (ME 380 , ME 400 , ME 402 )

Quantitative Fluency course:

Satisfied by major (MAT 171 )

Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:

ECO 201 Principles of Economics (Micro) 3 credit hours
HIS 111 American History from Colonization to Civil War 3 credit hours
HIS 112 American History from Civil War to Global Power 3 credit hours
PS 101 American Government and Citizenship 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Natural and Physical Sciences course:

Satisfied by major (PHY 160 )

Constellation Requirement

The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Students who transfer in 60 credits or more at the time of admission to the college will be waived from the Constellation requirement, except for Education majors. The waiver applies to the requirement for graduation but does not waive the credits to graduate; students need to meet the overall bachelor’s degree credit requirement.

All student majoring in Mechanical Engineering will take ME 402 (a High Impact Practice and Innovation course) which will fulfill both a major requirement and 3 credits of the constellation requirement for any constellation.

Required Courses

Required Major Courses

CHM 134 General Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 135 General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
EGR 150 Computational Methods in Engineering 2 credit hours
EGR 240 Mathematical Methods in Engineering 3 credit hours
EGR 250 Statics 3 credit hours
EGR 264 Strength of Materials 4 credit hours
EGR 265 Materials and Solids Laboratory 0 credit hour
EGR 290 Engineering Career Training Preparation 1 credit hour
EGR 342 System Modeling and Control 3 credit hours
EGR 360 Fluid Mechanics 3 credit hours
MAT 171 Calculus I 4 credit hours
MAT 172 Calculus II 4 credit hours
MAT 272 Differential Equations 4 credit hours
ME 100 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering 2 credit hours
ME 252 Dynamics and Vibration 4 credit hours
ME 260 Materials Science 4 credit hours
ME 261 Materials Science Laboratory 0 credit hours
ME 270 Mechatronics 4 credit hours
ME 320 Thermodynamics 4 credit hours
ME 351 Instrumentation and Microprocessor Laboratory 1 credit hour
ME 361 Thermo/Fluids Experiments 1 credit hour
ME 380 Machine Design 4 credit hours
ME 400 Capstone Design I 3 credit hours
ME 402 Capstone Design II 3 credit hours *
*ME402 satisfies one constellation requirement.
ME 410 Heat Transfer 4 credit hours
ME 411 Thermal System Design 2 credit hours
ME 450 Finite Element Analysis 3 credit hours
ME 491 Engineering Cooperative Work Experience (Co-op I) 2 credit hours
ME 492 Engineering Cooperative Work Experience (Co-op II) 2 credit hours
PHY 160 Engineering Physics: Mechanics 5 credit hours
PHY 260 Engineering Physics: Electricity & Magnetism 5 credit hours

Engineering Elective

Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

EGR 442 Applied Control 3 credit hours
ME 420 Advanced Thermodynamics 3 credit hours
ME 430 Applied Energy Systems 3 credit hours
ME 432 Applied Thermal Science 3 credit hours
ME 452 Advanced Dynamics and Vibration 3 credit hours
ME 460 Applied Kinematics and Dynamics 3 credit hours
ME 462 Applied Mechanics and Materials 3 credit hours
ME 470 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering 3 credit hours
ME 472 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering 3 credit hours
ME 474 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering 3 credit hours
ME 476 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering 3 credit hours
ME 480 Independent Study 1-6 credit hours
ME 482 Independent Study 1-6 credit hours

Math or Science Elective

Students must complete 3 credits of the following:

BIO 112 Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology 3 credit hours
BIO 204 Exploring Biology 3 credit hours
BIO 212 Environmental Biology 3 credit hours
BIO 226 Food and Nutrition 3 credit hours
BIO 227 Pandemics and Public Health 3 credit hours
CHM 136 General Chemistry II 4 credit hours
CHM 137 General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
ESS 254/255 Sustainability in Environmental Geology 3 credit hours
MAT 250 Statistics 3 credit hours
MAT 260 Linear Algebra I 3 credit hours
MAT 350 Probability and Statistics 3 credit hours
MAT 470 Numerical Analysis 3 credit hours
PSC 202 Sustainability: Linking Science and Society 3 credit hours
PSC 203 Sustainability: Linking Science and Society Lab 0 credit hours

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year

Fall (17 credits)

CHM 134 General Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 135 General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
FYS 115 First Year Seminar: Exploring Engineering 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
MAT 171 Calculus I 4 credit hours
Foundations - American Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Global Citizenship course 3 credit hours

Spring Semester (16 credits)

EGR 150 Computational Methods in Engineering 2 credit hours
FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
MAT 172 Calculus II 4 credit hours
ME 100 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering 2 credit hours
PHY 160 Engineering Physics: Mechanics 5 credit hours

Sophomore Year

Fall (16 credits)

EGR 250 Statics 3 credit hours
MAT 272 Differential Equations 4 credit hours
ME 320 Thermodynamics 4 credit hours
PHY 260 Engineering Physics: Electricity & Magnetism 5 credit hours

Spring (16 credits)

EGR 240 Mathematical Methods in Engineering 3 credit hours
EGR 264 Strength of Materials 4 credit hours
EGR 265 Materials and Solids Laboratory 0 credit hour
EGR 290 Engineering Career Training Preparation 1 credit hour
EGR 360 Fluid Mechanics 3 credit hours
ME 270 Mechatronics 4 credit hours
ME 361 Thermo/Fluids Experiments 1 credit hour

Summer (2 credits)

ME 491 Engineering Cooperative Work Experience (Co-op I) 2 credit hours

Junior Year

Fall (15 credits)

ME 252 Dynamics and Vibration 4 credit hours
ME 351 Instrumentation and Microprocessor Laboratory 1 credit hour
ME 380 Machine Design 4 credit hours
ME 450 Finite Element Analysis 3 credit hours
Math or Science Elective course 3 credit hours

Spring (2 credits)

ME 492 Engineering Cooperative Work Experience (Co-op II) 2 credit hours

Summer (9 credits)

Study Abroad

Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours

Senior Year

Fall (17 credits)

EGR 342 System Modeling and Control 3 credit hours
ME 260 Materials Science 4 credit hours
ME 261 Materials Science Laboratory 0 credit hours
ME 400 Capstone Design I 3 credit hours
ME 410 Heat Transfer 4 credit hours
Engineering Elective course 3 credit hours

Spring (17 credits)

ME 402 Capstone Design II 3 credit hours
ME 411 Thermal System Design 2 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Engineering Elective course 3 credit hours

Mechanical Engineering, B.S.

Mechanical Engineering, B.S. Learning Outcomes

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

Foundations Requirement

Communication course:

Advanced Communication course:

Quantitative Fluency course:

Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Social and Behavioral Sciences courses:

Natural and Physical Sciences course:

Constellation Requirement

Required Courses

Required Major Courses

Engineering Elective

Math or Science Elective

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year

Fall (17 credits)

Spring Semester (16 credits)

Sophomore Year

Fall (16 credits)

Spring (16 credits)

Summer (2 credits)

Junior Year

Fall (15 credits)

Spring (2 credits)

Summer (9 credits)

Senior Year

Fall (17 credits)

Spring (17 credits)