THE SAYLOR FOUNDATION
Rationale for the Mechanical Engineering Course Map
The courses included in the Mechanical Engineering major are designed
to prepare an aspiring student to become a competent entry-level mechanical
engineer in, essentially, any subfield. They strive to follow the guidelines set
forth by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. This
council has established certain goals that college-level engineering programs
must meet in order to best prepare students for the working world.
At the heart of any technical education—mechanical engineering being no
exception—there needs to be a solid understanding of higher-level math and
science. Therefore, students following the mechanical engineering pathway will
be required to complete math up through the level of differential equations, a
basic chemistry course, and two physics courses that cover the basics of
mechanics and electromagnetism. Without the knowledge gained from these
classes, one simply will not be able to fully understand engineering concepts and
progress through the program at an acceptable rate. Essentially, these core
math and science courses are the fundamentals of a mechanical engineering
education, and they will serve as the student’s foundation. All future concepts
will be built on what is learned from these subjects.
ABET standards require all accredited mechanical engineering programs
to prepare their graduates so that they can successfully “apply principles of
engineering, basic science, and mathematics…to model, analyze, design, and
realize physical systems, components or processes; and work professionally in
both thermal and mechanical system areas.” This particular curriculum is
accordingly designed to teach students how to understand the basic elements
and building blocks of physical systems.
The first block of the program includes a number of introductory study
areas that are included by all the top engineering programs in the United States.
Computer-aided design (CAD) has grown into the main method of creating 2and 3-D models; it is therefore imperative that future engineers have at least a
working knowledge of this technique. Mechanics I combines the topics of statics
and solids, the comprehension of which is crucial when learning how to evaluate
mechanical systems. Thermodynamics is the first course in the energy
sequence. And, finally, Introduction to Engineering covers several fundamental
areas: drafting, programming with C++ and MATLAB, ethics and
communications, and a general introduction to the mechanical engineering
profession.
The second block expands upon the technical skills and concepts learned
in the previous section. Mechanics II teaches students how to evaluate dynamic
mechanical systems by building on what they learned in Mechanics I. Fluids and
Heat Transfer are the next courses in the energy systems curriculum. The focal
points of these courses are pertinent topics in HVAC and facilities creation and
maintenance. Engineering Materials and Materials Processing introduce
materials science and how materials used in mechanical systems are
The Saylor Foundation 1
manufactured. Numerical Methods for Engineers delves deeper into the
programming concepts that were previously taught and in this course, students
learn how to develop useful programs that can be incorporated into advanced
systems.
The third block of courses includes the more advanced, higher-level
classes that really pull together the previous concepts into possible real-world
situations. Thermal-fluid systems combines everything learned in
Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer and teaches students how to
evaluate full energy systems that might be seen in a building or a vehicle.
Mechatronics reintroduces the concepts taught in Physics II: Electromagnetism
and covers electrical/mechanical systems. This course couples well with the
Measurements and Experimentation Laboratory, which educates students in the
area of physical research and teaches them how to effectively communicate
results. Finally, the Engineering Communications course provides more in-depth
instruction in technical communication techniques—both written and oral—which
are crucial when one is trying to convey matters such as the outcome of a project
or the uses and dangers of a machine.
The fourth course group wraps up electrical-mechanical systems with
Dynamic Systems and Controls, which is perhaps the most advanced course the
students will be required to take. Design Decisions in Engineering introduces
students to tactics commonly used by teams of engineers working together on a
project. This course also covers basic engineering finance, statistics, and revisits
the area of ethics. To complete the program, students will be required to develop
an individual design project of their choosing. Essentially, students should be
able to select a focus area (for example, energy systems that can be used in
some type of regenerative brake design) and use what they have learned about
the subject in order to complete the assignment.
In a traditional university education, mechanical engineering
undergraduates are asked to pick a sub-field that interests them and take several
electives that are focused on this field of choice. This becomes a student’s
“concentration,” and all courses taken in the sub-field are designed to prepare
him or her for a career in that field upon graduation. Examples of concentration
areas include robotics, renewable energy systems, and biomechanics. Because
no electives are offered through this program, students will instead receive a
solid, well-rounded education in all basic mechanical areas. They should be
adequately prepared to enter into any chosen subfield.