| Mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering are professional disciplines
that involve the invention, design, and manufacture of devices, machines and
systems that serve the ever-changing needs of modern society.
Mechanical engineering is an exceedingly diverse field that covers an
exceptionally wide range of systems, devices and vehicles. Mechanical engineers
are vitally concerned with all forms of energy production, utilization and
conservation. They deal with everything mechanical, whether it is small or
large, simple or complex--from power lawn mowers to automobiles, fuel cells to
nuclear power plants, gas turbine engines to interplanetary space vehicles,
artificial limbs to life support systems, robotic manipulators to complex
automatic packaging machines, precision instruments to construction machinery,
household appliances to mass transit systems, and heating and air-conditioning
systems to off-shore drilling platforms. In virtually every organization where
engineers are employed, mechanical engineers will be found.
The B.S. degree program in mechanical engineering, together with the
premedical option in mechanical engineering, is accredited by the Engineering
Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology under the criteria for mechanical and similarly named engineering
programs.
Aerospace engineering is concerned with the science and technology of
flight, and the design of air, land and sea vehicles for transportation and
exploration. This exciting field has already led people to the moon and
continues to lead in the expansion of frontiers deeper into space and into the
ocean's depths. Because of their unique backgrounds in aerodynamics, and
lightweight structures, aerospace engineers are becoming increasingly involved
in solving some of society's most pressing and complex problems, such as
high-speed ground transportation and pollution of the environment.
The B.S. degree program in aerospace engineering is accredited by the
Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology under the criteria for aerospace and similarly named engineering
programs.
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Program Outcomes
The outcomes for students graduating from the mechanical and aerospace
engineering B.S. programs are: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
science, and engineering to the mechanical and aerospace engineering
disciplines; (b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, analyze and
interpret data; (c) an ability to design a system, component or process to meet
desired needs; (d) an ability to function on teams, some of which require
consideration of multiple disciplines; (e) an ability to identify, formulate and
solve engineering problems; (f) an understanding of professional and ethical
responsibility; (g) an ability to communicate effectively; (h) an ability to
understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context; (i) a
recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning;
(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues; (k) an ability to use the techniques,
skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Because mechanical engineering is perhaps the broadest of all engineering
disciplines, the program provides not only excellent grounding in all
engineering fundamentals, but also allows some flexibility in selecting
controlled technical electives to suit the student's interests. However, no one
area may be unduly emphasized at the expense of another. For the aerospace
engineering and premedical programs, prescribed course work has been selected to
provide students with more focused development. Graduates of these programs are
fully competent as mechanical or aerospace engineers, including their abilities
in design, but also competent in their areas of concentration.
As a fundamental component of all B.S. programs, engineering design is
strongly emphasized in the junior and senior years. A minimum of 16 credit hours
of design, integrated throughout the curriculum, must be taken by each student.
In fact, most MAE courses at the 3000 and 4000 levels includes some design
content, ranging from a minimum of one-half to a maximum of four credit hours of
design content. Each professional school course builds upon the preceding
mechanical and aerospace engineering courses to develop in the student the
ability to identify and solve meaningful engineering problems. The course work
is specifically sequenced and interrelated to provide design experience at each
level, leading to progressively more complex, open-ended problems. The course
work includes sensitizing students to socially-related technical problems and
their responsibilities as engineering professionals to behave ethically and
protect occupational and public safety. Each program culminates in a senior-year
design course in which students integrate analysis, synthesis, and other
abilities they have developed throughout the earlier portions of their study
into a capstone experience. The design experiences include the fundamental
elements and features of design with realistic constraints such as economics,
safety, reliability, social and environmental impact, and other factors. At this
point, students are able to design components, systems and processes that meet
specific requirements, including such pertinent societal considerations as
ethics, safety, environmental impact and aesthetics. Students develop and
display the ability to design and conduct experiments essential to specific
studies and to analyze the experimental results and draw meaningful conclusions.
An integral part of this educational continuum from basic science through
comprehensive engineering design are learning experiences that facilitate the
students' abilities to function effectively in both individual and team
environments. Moreover, the program provides every graduate with adequate
learning experiences to develop effective written and oral communication skills.
State-of-the-art computational tools are introduced and used as a part of their
problem-solving experiences. Finally, the students' experiences in solving
ever-more-challenging problems gives them the ability to continue to learn
independently throughout their professional careers.
The broad background and problem-solving ability of mechanical and aerospace
engineers make them suited to engage in one or more of the following activities:
research, development, design, production, operation, management, technical
sales and private consulting. Versatility is their trademark. A
bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering is also an excellent
background for entering other professional schools such as medicine, dentistry,
law or business (M.B.A.). The premedical option in mechanical engineering is
available for students wishing to enroll in medical school.
In the professional school, (essentially the junior and senior years of the
program) mechanical and aerospace engineering students extend their study of the
engineering sciences and consider applications of fundamental principles and
analysis tools to the solution of real technological problems of society.
Students make extensive use of modern electronic digital computers in many
courses in their programs. Some design courses involve students in the solution
of authentic, current and significant engineering problems provided by
industrial firms, such as 3M, Charles Machine Works, Halliburton, Hewlett
Packard, Koch Industries, Mercury Marine, Murphy Manufacturing, National
Standard, Purolator, and Seagate. Students may also help smaller firms that need
assistance with the development of new products.
The student designs, with the guidance of an adviser, an individualized
program of study consistent with his or her interests and career plans. Some
students terminate their studies with a bachelor's degree, while others receive
one of several graduate degrees. |
