Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (129 hrs.)
The Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering
The mechanical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Mechanical engineering is, perhaps, the most diverse and general of all the engineering fields. Mechanical engineers can be found working in almost any company. Manufacturing, transportation, health care, and insurance are some of the types of firms that employ mechanical engineers. No other field of engineering provides a better professional base for interdisciplinary activities.
Mechanical engineers design tools and machines of all types, from paper clips to space shuttles. They plan, design, and direct the manufacture, distribution, and operation of these items. Mechanical engineers also design the power sources needed to operate the machines and provide for the environment in which they function. In fact, mechanical engineering involves all phases of energy production and utilization: engines, power plants, electrical generation, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning.
Those mechanical engineers who choose to specialize in the aerospace area are particularly suited for employment in vehicle design. They may be involved in the design of aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, automobiles, trucks, buses, trains, or ships. Their specialized knowledge of lightweight structures and efficient, low drag design take on added importance as fuel costs increase.
Other mechanical engineers may specialize in the area of metallurgy and focus on the relationships among the structure, properties, processing and performance of metals. These engineers will be involved in product design, process development, and equipment design in addition to material specification, failure analysis, and implementing manufacturing processes.
Due to the diverse nature of the profession, the mechanical engineering education must provide a very broad base of studies. To be successful a mechanical engineer must be able to communicate knowledge and ideas to others; thus communication skills are an important part of the engineer’s preparation. Studies in the social sciences and humanities develop an understanding of the relevance and impact of engineering and technology on society. Mathematics provides the engineer with the tools needed to build on the scientific foundations of chemistry and physics. The engineering sciences, common to all engineering disciplines, provide a broad foundation for the design of both thermal and mechanical systems, which are at the core of mechanical engineering.
Engineering creativity cannot be developed by theory alone; an engineer learns by doing. Thus, the laboratory courses stress hands-on work and the project design courses involve real-world problems. Multidisciplinary teams, involving students from business, technology, and/or other engineering programs in the senior design projects prepare students for the team design approach common in industry. A cooperative education program, incorporating alternating periods of full-time work and full-time school, is available to enhance the education and provide valuable engineering experience. Students are encouraged to participate in this optional program.
Mission
The mission of the mechanical engineering program at Trine University is to enable students to become productive mechanical engineers, to advance to leadership roles in the profession, and to provide service to society.
Program Objectives
The mechanical engineering program meet the needs of students, alumni, employers, and the faculty by assuring that a few years after graduation:
- Our graduates are prepared for the practice of mechanical engineering and related disciplines at the professional level; and
- Our graduates engage in lifelong learning and serve their professions and community.
Outcomes
As specified by ABET, accrediting body for engineering curricula, the mechanical engineering program assures that graduates will be able to:
- Identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and math.
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions.
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Purposes
The mission of the Trine University mechanical engineering program is fulfilled through a learning environment comprising the following components:
- curriculum: broad yet appropriately in-depth; rigorous, with a mixture of theory and hands-on experiences;
- faculty: committed to an excellence in teaching;
- classrooms: small and personal;
- laboratories: equipped to provide excellent hands-on experiments with direct oversight of full-time faculty and a skilled laboratory technician;
- peer interaction: encouraged and enhanced by team interaction in classwork and laboratories and membership in student organizations.
Degree Requirements
The first year of the mechanical engineering program is devoted to developing knowledge and skills in communication, mathematics, and the natural sciences. Students are introduced to the mechanical engineering profession through the courses Mechanical Engineering Analysis and Engineering Graphics. In the second year the fundamental courses in the engineering sciences provide the foundation for engineering design. The design process is formalized in the junior year in the courses Computer-Aided Machine Design and Thermo-Fluid Component Design. The other courses in the third year emphasize engineering analysis and design in the areas of thermal and mechanical systems. The year-long senior design project integrates the previous studies into the design of a machine or system, most often resulting in fabrication and testing of a prototype. A professional atmosphere is developed through multidisciplinary teams and industry originated projects in the senior design sequence.
Individuals seeking a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering are required to register for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination prior to graduation.
International Transfer Credit: The mechanical engineering program will not accept international transfer credit toward required courses unless the institution granting the credit is either accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g. Higher Learning Commission) or from a program that is ABET accredited. In all cases, the transcripts must be translated into English to the satisfaction of both the Director of Transfer Pathways and Evaluations and the mechanical engineering program chair. In addition, the transcript must be accompanied by supporting documentation in English that clearly indicates course content and prerequisites. Transfer credit evaluation will then be made based on the policy in the Trine University course catalog.
A student may appeal the denial of transfer credit by contacting the mechanical engineering program chair. The program chair will then direct the student to the Registrar’s office, so that the student may arrange to demonstrate course knowledge using the ‘University Credit by Exam’ as spelled out in the University catalog.
General Education Requirements - 41 hours
Communication – 9 hrs.
Humanities and Social Science – 9 hrs.
| ECO 203 | Survey of Economics | 3 |
| | Or | |
| ECO 213 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| | | |
| | Humanities Elective | 3 |
| | Humanities or Social Science Elective | 3 |
Mathematics and Science – 23 hrs.
Additional Requirements - 12 hours
Required
| MA 233 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| MA 313 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MA 393 | Probability & Statistics | 3 |
| EGR 143 | Engineering Graphics | 3 |
Core Requirements - 76 hours
General Engineering – 2 hrs.
| GE 101 | Introduction To Engineering | 1 |
| GE 401 | Professional Practice | 1 |
Electives – 6 hrs.
Engineering Science – 23 hrs.
Mechanical Engineering Concentration Requirements – 36 hrs.
| MAE 202 | Mechanical Engineering Analysis | 2 |
| MAE 201 | Introduction to Programming in MATLAB | 1 |
| MAE 242 | Manufacturing Processes & Equipment | 2 |
| MAE 241 | Manufacturing Processes & Equipment Laboratory | 1 |
| MAE 303 | Mechanics of Machinery | 3 |
| MAE 323 | Thermodynamics II | 3 |
| MAE 3033 | Fluid Dynamics for Mechanical Engineers | 3 |
| MAE 353 | Machine Component Design | 3 |
| MAE 373 | Computer-Aided Machine Design | 3 |
| MAE 413 | Thermo-Fluid Component Design | 3 |
| | | |
| MAE 453 | Mechanical Vibration | 3 |
| | Or | |
| MAE 4023 | System Dynamics & Controls | 3 |
| | | |
| MAE 463 | Mechanical Measure Laboratory | 3 |
| MAE 4053 | Mechanical Engineering Design I | 3 |
| MAE 4063 | Mechanical Engineering Design II | 3 |
Mechanical Electives – 9 hrs.
Electives must be MAE courses of 300-level or higher, unless completing an engineering minor.
| MAE XX3 | | 3 |
| MAE XX3 | | 3 |
| MAE XX3 | | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 129