- Choose from two options: robotics and automation, or product design.
- Recent graduates are employed at GE, General Motors, Honda, Stanley Black & Decker, and Universal Instruments.
- Accelerated Bachelor/Master's Option: Earn two degrees in less time by pursuing your BS in mechanical engineering technology and your MS in manufacturing and mechanical systems integration.
From consumer products to high-performance automobiles, aerospace systems, bioengineered devices, and energy technologies, mechanical engineering technology has an enormous influence on our society. Understanding how products and machinery work, as well as how to design, manufacture, or use technology to develop mechanical systems is the focus of RIT's mechanical engineering technology degree.
Mechanical engineering technology involves understanding how products and machinery work and how to design, make or use them. From aerospace systems (rockets, jets, drones) to high-performance automobiles (electric vehicles, autonomous driving), smartphones and robotics, mechanical engineering technology have changed society for the better.
RIT's Mechanical Engineering Technology Degree
In our mechanical engineering technology degree, you'll study the foundations of mechanics, materials, and energy. You will learn technical skills such as computer-aided design (CAD), generative design, materials characterization, mechanical system analysis and design, thermal-fluid system design, and product design and development. You also will learn to apply these principles and skills to the various fields of mechanical engineering technology--such as product and machine design, power generation, energy management, and advanced manufacturing--through laboratories and design projects. Full-time students gain valuable industrial experience through the required cooperative education program. Students may select an option in robotics and automation or product design.
The major develops well-rounded engineers as lifelong learners with the ability to adapt, grow, and succeed in a highly competitive workplace. The required cooperative education experience enables students to be well-prepared to step into professional positions after graduation and be immediately productive in jobs that include product development, machine design, and analysis, alternative energy, manufacturing engineering, or systems engineering.
The mechanical engineering technology degree offers select concentrations in one of the following areas: alternative energy, heating/ventilating/air conditioning (HVAC), machine design and analysis, materials engineering, product development, or thermofluids engineering. The curriculum offers some flexibility in enabling you to customize your own concentration based on your career objectives or personal interests.
Options
The mechanical engineering technology major offers two options that enable you to further develop an area of expertise.
- The product design option allows for specialized study in all engineering aspects of product ideation, innovation, design confirmation, and design validation.
- The robotics and automation option allows for specialized study in all engineering aspects of industrial and collaborative (cobots) robotics along with automation/controls.
Jobs in Mechanical Engineering Technology
A mechanical engineering technology degree can lead to a range of exciting jobs in mechanical engineering technology, including positions such as mechanical engineer, digital manufacturing engineer, process engineer, quality engineer, algorithm engineer, sales engineer, and more. Graduates are in demand, and companies such as GE, General Motors, Stanley Black & Decker, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and many others seek out our graduates.
High-Performance Teams and Professional Organizations
Many of mechanical engineering students participate in high-octane performance teams, including the RIT Formula SAE Racing Team, the SAE Aerodesign Club, the RIT Baja SAE Team, RIT SAE Clean Snowmobile Team, and the Human-Powered Vehicle Competition team. They also are encouraged to participate in the student chapters of professional societies such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Engineering vs. Engineering Technology
Two dynamic areas of study, both with outstanding outcomes rates. Which do you choose?
What's the difference between engineering and engineering technology? It's a question we're asked all the time. While there are subtle differences in the course work between the two, choosing a major in engineering vs. engineering technology is more about identifying what you like to do and how you like to do it.
Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees
Today's careers require advanced degrees grounded in real-world experience. RIT's Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees enable you to earn both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years of study, all while gaining the valuable hands-on experience that comes from co-ops, internships, research, study abroad, and more.
+1 MBA: Students who enroll in a qualifying undergraduate degree have the opportunity to add an MBA to their bachelor's degree after their first year of study, depending on their program. Learn how the +1 MBA can accelerate your learning and position you for success.