Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at West Virginia University

Mechanical engineering is a broad technical discipline.  It integrates knowledge of the physical sciences and mathematics for the design, construction, and manufacture, testing, analysis, use, and operation of a device, structure, a machine, a process, or a system in service to humanity.  Its development parallels the growth of industry.  Modern society needs mechanical engineers who have broad and deep training in the fundamentals of engineering and related sciences and who have developed versatility in analyzing and solving complex problems.  The mechanical engineer must not only possess a high level of professional expertise but also have an appreciation for the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context, including ethical and economic considerations.

Mechanical engineers are problem-solvers who are scientifically informed and mathematically minded.  The mechanical engineering curriculum prepares students to deal effectively with a broad range of engineering problems rather than with narrow specialties.  Graduates find employment in a wide range of industries, government agencies, and educational institutions where they are concerned with many functions:

• The use and economic conversion of energy from natural sources into useful energy for power, light, heating, cooling, and transportation;
• The design and production of machines to lighten the burden of human work;
• The planning and development of systems for using energy machines and resources;
• The processing of materials into products useful to mankind; and
• The education and training of specialists who deal with mechanical systems.

The curriculum consists of a judicious combination of fundamentals, including mathematics and sciences, and practical laboratory experience which provides access to modern engineering tools.  Mechatronics, which is a study of the interdependence between mechanical engineering and electrical/electronics engineering, is a key part of the mechanical engineering curriculum.  Graduates will be able to critically analyze mechanical engineering problems and execute practical solutions.  In addition to being able to function independently, it is expected that graduates will be able to function with effective written and oral communication within multidisciplinary teams and be prepared to address several issues such as environmental, social, and economic considerations due to a thorough education in the humanities, social sciences, ethics, safety, and professionalism.

While the undergraduate curriculum is sufficiently broad to permit graduates to select from a wide variety of employment opportunities, it contains sufficient depth to prepare students to enter graduate school to pursue advanced degrees.  As modern science and engineering become more complex, the desirability of graduate-level preparation is being recognized by most advanced industries and government agencies.

Students can simultaneously pursue B.S. degrees in both aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering by completing additional courses.  Information on this 158 credit-hour, four-and-one-half-year option can be seen at the end of this section.

Students who plan a career in medicine, dentistry, or related areas, but who desire a mechanical engineering degree before entering the appropriate professional school, may substitute eight hours (from a combination of biology and organic chemistry courses) for the required six hours of technical electives.  This selection will help the student satisfy admission requirements to the professional schools in the health sciences.

The mechanical engineering program at WVU is administered by the faculty of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org.

Program Educational Objectives

It is expected that, within a few years of graduation (3 to 5 years), graduates will attain the following Program Educational Objectives (PEO's):

PEO-1. Proficiency in practicing one or more areas of mechanical engineering.

It is expected that after a few years of graduating (3 to 5 years), graduates will have consolidated professional proficiency as practitioners in at least one technical area of mechanical engineering, as reflected by the responsibilities and accomplishments of their professional practice.

PEO-2. Success in adapting to the demands of the workforce in the dynamic technological arena.

It is expected that, within a few years of graduation (3 to 5 years), graduates will have successfully adapted to the demands of the workforce in a dynamic technological arena through a professional practice that reflects high credentials or development of new technical skills and acumen for administrative functions.

PEO-3. Progress in their personal career development through professional service, continuing education and/or graduate studies.

It is expected that, within a few years of graduation (3 to 5 years), graduates will have made meaningful progress in their professional career, either by promotions to positions of higher responsibility with their employers, by participation in professional service activities, or by technical self-improvement through continuing education or graduate degree programs.

PEO-4. Meaningful involvement in a team that tangibly contributes to industry and/or society through the engineering discipline.

It is expected that, within a few years of graduation (3 to 5 years), graduates will have the experience of being or having been members in a team of professionals successfully making tangible technical contributions to industry or society through an engineering discipline.

Spring Semester Study Abroad Opportunity in Rome, Italy

Primarily For Junior Year ME and AE Undergraduate Students

All MAE undergraduates are invited to consider spending the spring semester of their junior year studying abroad at the University of Rome Tor Vergata ("UTV", for short). This very successful program is taught fully in English at UTV to both Italian undergraduate engineering students and students from other countries all over the world.  Through this program WVU students have the opportunity to earn credits towards their WVU BSME or dual BSME/BSAE degrees for a full semester of equivalent WVU engineering courses towards their degrees. Please see the following link for the UTV description of this program:

https://engineering-sciences.uniroma2.it/course-structure/

In order to ensure that, upon successfully passing the UTV class examinations, the credits earned at UTV will transfer back to WVU for the equivalent courses within the MAE degree programs, it is recommended that students should select from the following list of UTV courses only those courses that are regularly taught during their spring semester:

Upon graduation, all Bachelors of Science students in Mechanical Engineering will have:

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.

The primary learning goal of the BSME program is to implement state-of-the-art instructional materials, methods and technologies in order to prepare engineers who are highly proficient in their field of specialty and ready to contribute to the well-being of society through competent practice of the engineering profession, leading to economic development and innovative technological advancements.

The graduates of the BSME program are well prepared to engage in the long-life pursuit of successful engineering careers by quickly adapting to the changing demands of the workforce in a dynamic global environment, by enhancing continuously their professional abilities or skills, and by contributing effectively in multidisciplinary teams to the advancement of existing or anticipated industrial, economical and societal needs.