Mechanical engineering involves the design, analysis, testing, and manufacture of mechanical and thermal systems. Mechanical engineers are employed in nearly every industry, from basic research through mass production of energy systems, computer software/hardware, robotics, and automobiles.
Mechanical engineering is a versatile and broadly based engineering discipline that also provides pathways into many exciting fields of specialization. Its foundation is in the basic sciences, but mechanical engineers must further understand such subject areas as mechanical design, solid and fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, vibrations, manufacturing processes, instrumentation and automatic control. Design projects throughout the curriculum develop student skills in handling practical real-world problems. Because of the broad engineering foundation and design training in this program, graduates are found in nearly every industry and at different levels of research, design, and management.
PROGRESSION POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS
Progression
The first two years of the curriculum are considered to be lower-division and the two remaining years upper-division. Students must apply for progression to departmental upper-division courses, which depends on academic performance. Factors considered include overall grade point average, performance in selected lower-division courses and evidence of orderly progression through the prescribed curriculum.
Full Status
A lower-division student may apply for progression to upper-division after completing EF 152 * or EF 158 *, CHEM 122 * and CHEM 123 * or CHEM 128 *, MATH 231 , ME 202 , ME 231 , and ME 321 , with a grade of C or better in each, and an overall GPA of at least 2.4 in these courses. Students who have not satisfied the requirements for full status will be dropped from departmental class rolls in upper-division courses.
Provisional Status
Students who have completed EF 152 * or EF 158 *, CHEM 132 * and CHEM 133 * or CHEM 138 *, MATH 231 , ME 202 , ME 231 and ME 321 , with a grade of C or better and have a GPA between 2.0 and 2.4 in these courses may apply for provisional status. The granting of provisional status is based on the availability of space in departmental programs after full status students have been accommodated. Provisional status students are required to demonstrate their ability to perform satisfactorily in upper-division by attaining a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the first 12 hours of 300-level required engineering courses. Award of upper-division full status is dependent upon this performance. Students with a UTK GPA less than 2.0 will not be admitted to upper-division. Students who have not progressed to upper-division will be dropped from departmental class rolls in upper-division courses.