The Mechanical Engineering BS degree provides the broadest background of any discipline in the field of engineering. Mechanical Engineering graduates are prepared to pursue careers in such widely diverse industries as aerospace, agricultural equipment, automotive, biotechnical, chemical processing, composite materials, computerequipment, defense, electrical utilities, food processing, industrial equipment, manufacturing, materials processing, nuclear, petroleum, robotics, and solar energy. Most Mechanical Engineering graduates are prepared for graduate studies and enhanced career prospects in engineering or other areas, such as consulting, law, medicine, business management, or teaching. In addition, students who are preparing to apply for admission to medical school will find that Mechanical Engineering provides an excellent foundation for the increasingly technology-oriented field of medicine.
The Aerospace Engineering emphasis within the Mechanical Engineering BS degree serves to focus mechanical engineering fundamentals on the mechanics and dynamics of both flight within the atmosphere and space flight. Included within its scope are studies in aerodynamics, aircraft flight dynamics and control, aircraft design, spacecraft orbital mechanics, spacecraft attitude motion and control, and space systems design. Graduates who complete the aerospace engineering emphasis are prepared to pursue careers in aircraft design and development, aircraft flight testing, spacecraft and space systems design, and spacecraft trajectory design and analysis. As fully qualified Mechanical Engineers, graduates with the aerospace engineering emphasis are also well-prepared to pursue graduate studies or careers in the industries listed above under Mechanical Engineering.
The Manufacturing Engineering emphasis within the Mechanical Engineering BS degree prepares students to be proficient in the fundamentals of engineering, as well as in materials and manufacturing processes; process, assembly, and product engineering; manufacturing competitiveness; manufacturing systems design; lean manufacturing; and laboratory experience. Graduates will understand the behavior and properties of materials as they are altered and influenced by processing in manufacturing; the design of products and the equipment, tooling, and environment necessary for their manufacture; the creation of competitive advantage through manufacturing planning, strategy, and control; the analysis, synthesis, and control of manufacturing operations using statistical and calculus based methods; and how to measure manufacturing process variables and make technical inferences about the process. Graduates will have the necessary background to pass the Certified Manufacturing Technologist and Certified Manufacturing Engineer exams. Graduates who complete the Manufacturing Engineering emphasis are prepared to pursue graduate studies or careers in any industry that manufactures a product. For example, the aerospace, automotive, electronics, machine tool, petroleum, and electronics industries all employ manufacturing engineers as product designers, process designers and managers, maintenance engineers, and quality control engineers.
The first two years of the MAE curriculum are structured to concentrate on the fundamentals of mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science, and basic engineering science. During the second two years, students apply these fundamentals to more concentrated courses in the essentials of mechanical, aerospace, and/or manufacturing engineering. Laboratory activities and computer usage are integrated throughout the curriculum to give students opportunities for hands-on exposure to modern computer hardware and software, as well as other modern hardware and laboratory facilities. Engineering design activities begin during the first two years and progress in depth as the student’s proficiency increases. The engineering design experience culminates in a capstone senior design course, integrating the engineering coursework into a focused, realistic design project.
The Mechanical Engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Aerospace Engineering emphasis and Manufacturing Engineering emphasis are included within the Mechanical Engineering degree.
Course Requirements
The specific course requirements for the MAE preprofessional program and the MAE professional programs are quite extensive and may occasionally change. For these reasons, the complete requirements are not listed here. For more information, contact the department or send an Internet e-mail request to joan.smith@usu.edu.
A passing grade on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, the first step in becoming a licensed professional engineer, is required for graduation. Past experience has shown that the USU Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering students are well-prepared for this locally administered, national exam.
For additional information on academic requirements, see the College of Engineering and the Undergraduate Graduation Requirements sections of this catalog.
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