Mechanical Engineering, B.S. (Engineering)

Mechanical-Nuclear

Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines and is central in many new technological developments. Mechanical engineers create things that help improve the health, happiness and safety of our everyday lives such as biomedical devices, aircraft and cars, and ways to store renewable energies. Mechanical engineering is divided into two broad areas: mechanical systems and thermal systems. Mechanical systems include the design of mechanisms and the analysis of the strength and wear of materials. Thermal systems include methods of energy conversions, heat transfer and fluid flow.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is the largest and broadest engineering discipline. It uses a combination of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and materials science to study mechanical, fluid, and thermal systems. Mechanical engineers are problem solvers: They use their foundational knowledge to apply scientific and engineering methods to the design, construction, and testing of products and components to ensure that they are safe, reliable, and cost effective. Mechanical engineering differs from mechanical engineering technology in that it emphasizes the math and science behind the theoretical development of engineering analysis and design process principles rather than the application of these principles. Mechanical engineers design everything from athletic equipment, medical devices, theme park rides, and personal computers to engines and power plants.

You Might Like This Program If.

You think outside the box to develop solutions to everyday problems. Mechanical engineers contribute to our health, happiness and safety, and often change the way we think about the world.

Entrance to Major

University Park (ME_BS)

This program currently has administrative enrollment controls. Administrative Enrollment Controls are initiated when limitations of space, faculty, or other resources in a major prevent accommodating all students who request them. Students must follow the administrative enrollment controls that are in effect for the semester that they enter the university.

First-Year Students Entering Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements:

Students Who Entered Prior to Summer 2024

Students who entered the University from Summer 2018 through Spring 2024 should view the administrative enrollment controls in the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin archive. Students who entered the University prior to the summer 2018 semester should consult with their academic adviser about the administrative enrollment controls in effect for the semester they entered the university.

Scranton (MEENG_BS)

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements by the end of the semester during which the admission to major process is carried out:

In the event that the major is under enrollment control, a higher minimum cumulative grade-point average is likely to be needed and students must be enrolled in the College of Engineering or Division of Undergraduate Studies at the time of confirming their major choice.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, a minimum of 131 credits is required:

Program Requirements
Requirement Credits
General Education 45
Requirements for the Major 113-114

27 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 9 credits of GWS courses.

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Three rotations of Engr Co-op ( ENGR 295 , ENGR 395 , and ENGR 495 ) can be used as 3 credits of GTE.

Students who complete Basic ROTC may substitute 6 ROTC credits for 3 credits of GTE and 3 credits of GHW.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

Keystone/General Education Course

The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

Integrative Studies

Exploration

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Program Educational Objectives

The overall educational objective of the Mechanical Engineering program is to help prepare our graduates to succeed and provide leadership in a range of career paths within their first five years. To that end we endeavor to maintain and continuously improve a curriculum that prepares our graduates to:

  1. Apply foundational knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in engineering practice or in other fields.
  2. Grow as leaders while maintaining the highest societal responsibility and ethical standards in the global workplace.
  3. Develop thoughtful solutions through effective communication, collaboration, inclusivity, and teamwork.
  4. Seek advancement in their knowledge and careers through continuing technical and/or professional studies.

Program Outcomes (Student Outcomes)

The program must have documented student outcomes that support the program educational objectives. Attainment of these outcomes prepares graduates to enter the professional practice of engineering. Student outcomes are outcomes (1) through (7), plus any additional outcomes that may be articulated by the program.

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. an ability to 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
  3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

University Park

Undergraduate Programs
140 Reber Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-1503
undergrad@me.psu.edu

Scranton

Majid Chatsaz
Assistant Professor, Engineering
120 Ridge View Drive
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2578
chatsaz@psu.edu

Altoona

Grant A. Risha, Ph.D.
Professor and Program Chair, Mechanical Engineering
203 Force Advanced Technology Center
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
814-949-5074
gar108@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Mechanical Engineering, B.S. at University Park Campus (Last Names Starting with A-K)

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

If you are starting at a campus other than the one this plan is ending at, please refer to: https://advising.engr.psu.edu/degree-requirements/academic-plans-by-major.aspx

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
First-Year Seminar 1 1Science Elective 2 3
ENGL 15 ‡† 3ECON 102 or 104 (GS)3
EDSGN 100 *# 3MATH 141 *‡#† 4
General Education Course † 3General Education Course † 3
MATH 140 *‡#† 4PHYS 211 *#† 4
CHEM 110 *#† 3
17 17
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CMPSC 2003EMCH 212 * 3
CAS 100A or 100B ‡† 3EMCH 213 * 3
EMCH 211 * 3ME 300 * 3
MATH 251 * 4MATH 2312
PHYS 212 *† 4MATH 220 * 2-3
General Education Course † 3
17 16-17
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
IE 3123ME 454 * 3
MATSE 2593ENGL 202C ‡† 3
ME 330 * 3ME 340 * 3
ME 370 * 3ME 360 * 3
ME 348 * 3ME 320 * 3
ME 3900.5ME 4900.5
General Education Course (GHW)1.5
15.5 17
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Engineering Technical Elective (ETE)3ME 440W3
ME 410 * 3General Education Course † 3
ME 450 * 3General Education Course † 3
Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective (METE)3General Technical Elective (GTE)3
ME 435 (Mechanical Engineering Lab) *3 3Engineering Technical Elective (ETE)3
General Education Course (GHW)1.5
16.5 15
Total Credits 131-132

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

Students who did not take a 1-credit College of Engineering First-Year Seminar should verify completion of this requirement with ME adviser

Science Elective Choices: CHEM 112 , BIOL 141 , BIOL 161 , or CHEM 111 and PHYS 214 (3 credits total)

Recommend ME 410 before or concurrent

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

College Notes: