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Mechanical Engineering

The mechanical engineering curriculum is designed to prepare students for productive careers in industry, government, education and private consulting as well as for graduate study. Thus, it is based on the fundamental principles of science and engineering. These provide a strong foundation that enables students to apply what they have learned to the complex technological problems of today and to teach themselves the new technologies of tomorrow. Since mechanical engineering is a broad field of endeavor, the curriculum offers a strong technical elective program to allow each student to craft a broad educational experience and to develop the flexibility to pursue diverse career goals.

No less than any professional, the mechanical engineering graduate must work within the social and environmental context of our world. To be effective and successful, he or she must be aware of the roles of engineering and science in solving complex technological and social problems as well as of the impacts of social and environmental factors on engineering activities such as design. To foster this awareness, the curriculum allows the student an unusually wide choice of social science and humanities electives and emphasizes the links between society and engineering.

The strength of any department is its faculty. The mechanical engineering faculty is committed to providing a dynamic and innovative learning environment and to maintaining and increasing their technical competence in a rapidly changing world. Stereotypes notwithstanding, they understand that people are more important than things. Thus, they encourage each student to seek them out when he or she has academic problems or needs guidance in career planning.

The freshman year of the mechanical engineering program includes courses in mathematics, physics, humanities and social science as well as introductory courses in engineering and design. The sophomore year features courses in mathematics, chemistry and the engineering sciences. The final two years of the program stress the design and analysis of systems, machines and their components, and the transfer and transformation of energy. 

The required courses provide the basic mathematical and scientific fundamentals underlying the practice of mechanical engineering, while the technical elective courses and free elective courses allow flexibility in adapting the program to the interests and abilities of the individual student.The student is not encouraged to specialize in a particular area but rather to seek a broad background in basic engineering principles. For the student who wishes to pursue a career in the field of aerospace engineering, however, extensive sequences of courses are available as elective offerings.

The mechanical engineering program is designed to encourage the best students to continue their education at the graduate level. For those who choose to study at Rose-Hulman, graduate work leading to a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering is offered by the department.

Mission: To provide the curriculum, the educational environment, and the individual support necessary to graduate mechanical engineers who are technically competent, effective in practice, creative, ethical and mindful of their responsibility to society.

Vision: To graduate the best baccalaureate mechanical engineers.

Mechanical Engineering Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives

The mechanical engineering curriculum is designed to prepare students for productive careers in industry, government, education, and private consulting as well as for graduate study. Thus, it is based on the fundamental principles of science and engineering. These provide a strong foundation that enables students to apply what they have learned to the complex technological problems of today and to teach themselves the new technologies of tomorrow. Thus, we expect our graduates to attain the educational objectives listed below within a few years of graduation. Our educational objectives are based on the needs of our constituencies.

1. Our alumni will be successful in their careers.
2. Our alumni set and meet their own goals for career fulfillment.
3. Our alumni will continue professional development.
4. Our alumni will be cognizant of the international dimensions of their profession.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program.

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
3. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
7. an ability to communicate effectively
8. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
10. a knowledge of contemporary issues
11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice

Minor* in Thermal-Fluids

To complete the requirements of the thermal-fluids minor, a student must fulfill the following three expectations:

(1) Completion of a set of 2 courses covering basic fluid mechanics and basic thermodynamics. These are commonly required for most engineering majors. Acceptable sets include:

• ES 201 Conservation & Accounting Principles
  ES 202 Fluid Systems or ES 212 Fluid Systems
  or
• CE 205 Thermodynamics
  EM 301 Fluid Mechanics
  or
• CHE 201 Conservation Principles & Balances
  CHE 301 Fluid Mechanics

(2) One of the following foundational prerequisites.

• ME 301 Applications of Thermodynamics
• CHE 303 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
• ME 302 Heat Transfer
• CHE 320 Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer

(3) Three of the thermal-fluids electives listed below.
Thermal Fluid Systems

• ME 407 Power Plants**
• ME 408 Renewable Energy
• ME 409 Air Conditioning***
• ME 410 Internal Combustion Engines
• ME 411 Propulsion Systems**
• ME 426 Turbomachinery
• ME 462 Thermal Design

Thermal Fluid Sciences

• ME 401 Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
• ME 405 Theoretical Aerodynamics
• ME 427 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics
• ME 450 Combustion
• ME 501 Advanced Thermodynamics**
• ME 510 Gas Dynamics

Successful completion of a minor is indicated on the student's transcript. A student interested in pursuing a minor in thermal-fluids should consult with the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
____________________________
* ME Majors do not qualify for the Thermal Fluids Minors, but may pursue ME Concentrations.
** Requires one of the thermodynamics prerequisites from section 2 above.
*** Requires one of the heat transfer prerequisites from section 2 above.

Areas of Concentration

Students who complete recommended courses in an area of concentration may receive, upon request, a letter from the Department Head attesting to the fact that the student has completed the requirements in the selected area of concentration in the Mechanical Engineering Department. With proper planning, students should be able to take these course offerings without overload. Students may add special topics courses or new courses not yet listed in the catalog to the list of acceptable courses for a concentration with written permission from the mechanical engineering department head

Advanced Transportation Area of Concentration
To better prepare our students for the interdisciplinary field of Advanced Transportation, an area of concentration is offered to expose students to modern automotive, aviation, and off-highway design methodologies and technologies. Five elective courses are required which permit students to provide either depth or breadth according to their interests.

Elective Courses

• EM 402 Three Dimensional Dynamics
• CHEM 470 Combustion Chemistry
• ECE 320 Linear Control Systems
  or
• ME 406 Control Systems
• ECE 420 Nonlinear Control Systems
  or
• ME 506 Advanced Control Systems
• ECE 370 Machines & Power
• ECE 410 Communication Networks
• ECE 452 Power Electronics
• ME 401 Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
• ME 405 Theoretical Aerodynamics
• ME 408 Renewable Energy
• ME 410 Internal Combustion Engines
• ME 411 Propulsion Systems
• ME 422 Finite Elements for Engineering Applications
• ME 426 Turbomachinery
• ME 427 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics 
• ME 447 Visualizing Data
• ME 450 Combustion
• ME 497 Three Dimensional Dynamics
• ME 522 Advanced Finite Element Analysis

Aerospace Engineering Area of Concentration
The aerospace industry provides job opportunities each year for many mechanical engineering graduates. The aerospace engineering area of concentration is intended to provide specialty courses which focus the application of basic mechanical engineering skills to aerospace systems.

The courses required to complete the concentration are as follows:

• ME 305 Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
• Plus any 4 of the following
  • MA 336 Boundary Value Problems
  • EM 505 Theory of Elasticity
  • ME 401 Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
  • ME 405 Theoretical Aerodynamics
  • ME 410 Internal Combustion Engines
  • ME 411 Propulsion Systems
  • ME 422 Finite Elements for Engineering Applications
  • ME 426 Turbomachinery
  • ME 427 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • ME 461 Aerospace Design
  • ME 510 Gas Dynamics
  • ME 522 Advanced Finite Element Analysis
  • PH 322 Celestial Mechanics

Industrial Leadership Area of Concentration
Many mechanical engineering students are attracted to industry for both technical and leadership opportunities. Graduates often are responsible for project management and may develop over time into more significant leadership roles. This area of concentration is intended to take advantage of Rose-Hulman offerings in Mathematics, Engineering Management, and Humanities and Social Sciences to provide skills and knowledge that would be useful for graduates with increasing managerial responsibilities. Since part of leadership is also practice, the area of concentration requires one industrial internship and one significant leadership experience.

To complete the requirements of the area of concentration in industrial leadership, each student must take a total of six courses, two from List 1, two from List 2, and two from List 3.

List 1

• EMGT 445 Quality Methods
• EMGT 446 Statistical Methods in Six Sigma
• MA 487 Design of Experiments 

List 2

• EMGT 330 Introduction to Engineering Management
• EMGT 427 Project Management
• EMGT 432 Technical Entrepreneurship
• EMGT 467 Economic Analysis of Engineering Projects
• EMGT 486 Supply Chain Management
• EMGT 520 Accounting for Technical Managers
• EMGT 522 Organizational Management
• EMGT 523 Marketing in New Product Development
• EMGT 524 Production/Operations Management
• EMGT 525 Human Resources Management
• EMGT 526 Innovation Management and Forecasting
• EMGT 533 Intercultural Communication
• EMGT 535 Strategies and Globalization
• EMGT 551 Intellectual Property for Engineers and Scientists
• EMGT 587 Systems Engineering
• EMGT 588 Quality Management l
• EMGT 589 Manufacturing Systems

List 3

• GS 350 International Trade and Globalization
• GS 351 International Finance
• GS 361 Economics for Technical Managers
• IA 230 Fundamentals of Public Speaking
• IA 352 Game Theory
• SV 150 Introduction to Microeconomics 
• SV 152 Introduction to Macroeconomics
• SV 351 Managerial Economics
• SV 357 Labor Economics
• SV 303 Business and Engineering Ethics
• SV 304 Bioethics
• SV 352 Money & Banking
• SV 353 Industrial Organization
• SV 354 Environmental Economics
• SV 356 Corporate Finance

In addition to coursework, students must complete one Industrial Internship (of approximately three month duration) and one significant co-curricular leadership experience. To get credit for the leadership experience, the student must submit an application with reference support which is approved by the department head. Possible examples of qualifying leadership could include leadership experience in design-build competitions or serving as a Resident Assistant in the residence halls.

Manufacturing and Production Engineering Area of Concentration
Many mechanical engineering graduates will work in tasks related to the manufacture of various products. The manufacturing and production engineering area of concentration is intended to bridge the gap between the analytical and design courses which are the heart of the professional program and the practical problems of producing acceptable hardware, on time, at a profit.
The courses that comprise this area of concentration are:

List 1:

• EMGT 330 Introduction to Engineering Management
• EMGT 524 Production/Operations Management 
• EMGT 427 Project Management
• EMGT 432 Technical Entrepreneurship
• EMGT 445 Quality Methods
• EMGT 446 Statistical Methods in Six Sigma
• EMGT 588 Quality Management
• EMGT 589 Manufacturing Systems
• EMGT 598 Lean Six Sigma
• MA 385 Quality Methods
• MA 387 Statistical Methods in Six Sigma
• ME 317 Design for Manufacturing
• ME 412 Lean Manufacturing
• ME 435 Robotics
• ME 497 Lean Manufacturing
• ME 517 Mechanics of Metal Forming
• ME 520 Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing

When choosing humanities and social science electives (HSS), we suggest that the following are most pertinent to the manufacturing/production working environment:

List 2:

• SV 150 Introduction to Microeconomics 
• SV 152 Introduction to Macroeconomics
• SV 171 Principles of Psychology
• SV 351 Managerial Economics
• SV 356 Corporate Finance
• Students must complete five courses from List 1 and three of the recommended HSS courses from List 2 to obtain the concentration in manufacturing and production.

Dynamic Systems & Control Area of Concentration
Mechanical engineering graduates may work in industries, such as the automotive and aerospace industries, in which the understanding and control of a system’s dynamic response is critical.  The dynamic systems & control concentration provides students with experiences in modeling, analysis, and simulation of the dynamic behavior of systems with and without feedback control, as well as opportunities to explore data collection for vibratory systems and control algorithm implementation in a laboratory setting.

To complete the requirements of the area of concentration in Dynamics Systems & Control, students must complete five courses from this list:

• EM 402 Three-Dimensional Dynamics
• ME 403 Kinematics of Machinery 
• ME 406 Control Systems 
• ME 445 Robot Dynamics and Control
• ME 497 Three-Dimensional Dynamics
• ME 506 Advanced Control Systems   
• ME 536 Computational Intelligence in Control Engineering
• EM 406 Vibration Analysis  
• EM 502 Advanced Dynamics
• EM 503 Advanced Vibration Analysis
• PH 322 Celestial Mechanics

Thermal Fluid Area of Concentration
Many Mechanical Engineering graduates will work with engineering systems that are based on the principles of thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. The Mechanical Engineering curriculum offers an opportunity for the student to concentrate his studies on the analysis and design of these systems. The courses that comprise the thermal fluid area of concentration may be classified according to whether the main emphasis is on the system or on the thermal or fluid concepts which underpin its design and operation.

Thermal Fluid Systems

• ME 407 Power Plants
• ME 408 Renewable Energy
• ME 409 Air Conditioning
• ME 410 Internal Combustion Engines
• ME 411 Propulsion Systems
• ME 426 Turbomachinery
• ME 462 Thermal Design

Thermal Fluid Sciences

• ME 401 Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
• ME 405 Theoretical Aerodynamics
• ME 427 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics
• ME 450 Combustion
• ME 501 Advanced Thermodynamics
• ME 510 Gas Dynamics

In order to complete the requirements in the thermal fluid area of concentration a student must select five elective from the lists such that at least one course is taken from the **Thermal Fluid Systems**list and at least two courses are taken from the **Thermal Fluid Sciences**list.

The mechanical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,