ENGINEERING ­
MECHANICAL
College of Engineering and Computer Science

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
MASTER OF SCIENCE
CAREER POSSIBILITIES
FACULTY
CONTACT
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Mechanical Engineering involves the design of all types of machines and equipment including vehicles used in ground, air and space transportation; machines for the conversion of fuels into energy; consumer products; robots; biomedical devices; the machines used to manufacture all of the above; and the climate control of buildings. Mechanical engineers bring together the fields of design graphics, manufacturing, engineering materials, thermodynamics and heat transfer, and the principles of mathematics and science to find solutions to human needs. They often work directly in the design and operation of food processing plants, power plants, manufacturing plants, refineries and other industrial operations. A major goal of the curriculum is to provide the graduates with the analytical and practical skills needed to perform mechanical design in a variety of fields, thus taking advantage of the many employment opportunities.

The Mechanical Engineering Program includes courses on design, energy conversion, manufacturing, properties and selection of materials, and the application of computers to these topics. The curriculum maintains a balance among basic fundamentals, analytical methods and design applications of current knowledge, preparing the graduates for both entry into the profession and a life-long career.

The employers of Mechanical Engineering graduates include aircraft and automobile companies, food processing companies, machinery and equipment companies, gas and electric utilities, architectural and engineering firms, and many agencies in federal, state and local governments. Some graduates continue their education by completing advanced degrees in Engineering or Management.

• MS: Design and Dynamic Systems; Manufacturing; Thermal and Fluid Systems

• The Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET), 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, (410) 347-7700. In keeping with its accreditation, the Mechanical Engineering program has strong engineering design content. In particular, the program includes a four-semester sequence on modern design and manufacturing methods.
• Faculty members have backgrounds in Mechanical, Aeronautical, Manufacturing, and Materials Science engineering. The faculty has a variety of research interests; the majority has industrial experience which contributes to the applied emphasis in the Mechanical Engineering program. Most of the faculty has doctorates; some are registered engineers.
• With most lecture classes having enrollments of 30 to 35, students can participate in meaningful discussions and a real exchange of ideas between students and faculty.
• Upper division students do cooperative work on team projects and often develop study groups in other courses.
• Courses taken in the freshman and sophomore years form a foundation for the upper division (Junior-Senior) program; e.g., the dynamics and strength of materials studied in the junior year depend on the sophomore statics, calculus, and physics courses. Building on analytical and communications skills learned in the lower division, students take a four semester design-project sequence which includes the study of design methods, and the procedures for developing a design solution from concept through a fully-developed design and finally to production. The courses in mechanics, energy transformation, manufacturing and materials support this sequence.
• Students can achieve a level of specialization through elective courses in computer analysis, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning, manufacturing methods, and systems and materials engineering.

Program Educational Objectives  

The objectives of this program are to prepare graduates to:

• enter professional employment and/or graduate study in the following areas of mechanical engineering practice: machine design, thermal and fluid systems, materials, and manufacturing;
• identify, formulate, and solve practical problems, making use of appropriate computer technology;
• apply creativity in the design process, functioning cooperatively within multi-disciplinary teams;
• communicate effectively through speaking, writing, and graphics; and
• use their understanding of professional, ethical, and social responsibilities and the importance of life-long learning in the conduct of their professional careers.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Course Repeat Policy - Undergraduate engineering and mechanical engineering courses that are used to meet the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree requirements may be repeated only twice (for a total of three attempts). Grades of the second and third attempts will be averaged in grade point calculations.

Incomplete Grades - Incomplete grades are issued only in accordance with University policy. The student must be passing the course at the time an "Incomplete" is requested. An Incomplete Petition must be submitted to the Department with the student's and the course instructor's signature. The Incomplete Petition (obtained in the Department office) must specify the work to be completed, the basis by which the student's final grade will be determined, and the last date for completion of the incomplete work. An incomplete grade that is not cleared by the set date will lapse to an "F" grade.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

REQUIREMENTS - BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE

Units required for Major: 56
Units required for Pre-Major: 45
Minimum total units required for the BS: 137
A grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses applied to a Mechanical Engineering major.
Additional units may be required to meet the Sacramento State foreign language requirement.
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

A. Required Lower Division Courses (Pre-Major)

Lower division requirements are essentially common for Civil, Electrical and Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering.

*Course may also satisfy General Education requirements. A second year foreign language course may also satisfy 3 units of GE when the course is being taken to comply with the Sacramento State foreign language requirement. Students should consult with an advisor for exact GE eligibility of these courses.

Note: Courses are listed in a recommended sequence, and may be interchanged among semesters to accommodate the student's schedule, as long as prerequisites are met.

Students are allowed to enroll in upper division Engineering or Mechanical Engineering courses with the Department's approval. Pre-Major students must complete a Change of Major form and submit it to the Mechanical Engineering Department Office during the application filing period.

*Course may also satisfy General Education requirements.

C. Mechanical Engineering Electives

	ME 136	Numerical Control Programming (ME 37; and ME 175 or MET 173; ME 175 or MET 173 may be taken concurrently)
	ME 137	Product Design for Manufacturing and Automation (ME 119 or MET 166)
	ME 143	Vehicle Design (ME 119 or MET 166 ; may be taken concurrently)
	ME 151	Fundamentals of Combustion (ME 127 or MET 142; may be taken concurrently)
	ME 152	Turbomachinery Design (ME 127, ME 175 )
	ME 153	Thermodynamics of Combustion Engines (ME 175 , ENGR 124, ENGR 132; or MET 140, MET 141, MET 173)
	ME 155	Gas Dynamics (ME 127, ME 175 )
	ME 156	Heating and Air Conditioning Systems (ENGR 124, ENGR 132 )
	ME 157	Solar Energy Engineering (ME 126; may be taken concurrently)
	ME 159	High Efficiency HVAC (ME 156 or instructor permission)
	ME 165	Introduction to Robotics (ME 114, ME 115 )
	ME 170	Introduction to Computer Aided Design (ENGR 6, ENGR 110, ENGR 112, ME 175 )
	ME 173	Applications of Finite Element Analysis (ENGR 112, ME 175)
	ME 176	Product Design and Pro/Engineer (ENGR 6, ME 115 , ME 175 )
	ME 182	Introduction to Composite Materials (ME 180 )
	ME 184	Corrosion and Wear (ME 180)
	ME 186	Fracture Mechanics in Engineering Design (ME 180)
	ME 188	Engineering Design with Ceramics (ME 180)
OR upper division courses in Engineering, Mathematics and Science may be selected with prior approval by the student's advisor.

Note: Elective courses are offered on a four semester rotation. The Mechanical Engineering Department Office maintains a listing showing when particular courses will be offered.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
(pre-work experience)

The Department of Mechanical Engineering encourages students to participate in the Cooperative Education Program, which provides alternate periods of university study and major-related, off-campus, paid employment in industry. Most students who elect to participate in cooperative education will complete the equivalent of two 6-month work periods before graduation. Students interested in the Cooperative Education Program should apply in the satellite office in Riverside Hall 2004, or the main office in Lassen Hall 2008. For information, call (916) 278-7234.

GRADUATE PROGRAM

The Master of Science program in Mechanical Engineering prepares students for leadership in the practice of mechanical engineering. The program includes the study of scientific and technical principles underlying modern engineering practice and advanced mathematical techniques needed for their application in research and design.

Specializations

Three areas are offered as specializations: Design and Dynamic Systems; Manufacturing; and Thermal and Fluids Systems. In each area there are specific course requirements to be met; all three specializations encompass Engineering Design.

Elective courses allow for the development of each student’s particular interests. An individual’s applied research or design study, presented in a Master's thesis or project, complements the formal class work and completes the program.

Admission as a classified graduate student in Mechanical Engineering requires:

• a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or Computer Science;
• a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper division engineering courses, and
• (for foreign students only) a TOEFL score of 550.

Applicants who do not meet the three admission requirements listed above because they have a Baccalaureate degree in a field other than Engineering or Computer Science, and/or because their GPA is below 3.0 but above 2.5 in the last 60 units of undergraduate work, may be admitted with conditionally classified status. Any deficiencies will be noted in a written response to the applicant.

If a student lacks some of the undergraduate courses needed for successful completion of the graduate program, such prerequisite courses must be taken before the student can be fully accepted to the program.

Admission Procedures

Applications are accepted as long as space for new students exists. However, students are strongly urged to apply by April 1 for the following fall or October 1 for the following spring in order to allow time for the registration deadline. All prospective graduate students, including Sacramento State graduates, must file the following with the Office of Graduate Studies, River Front Center 206, (916) 278-6470:

• an online application for admission;
• two sets of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended other than Sacramento State; and
• (for foreign students only) TOEFL scores.

Approximately six weeks after receipt of all items listed above, a decision regarding admission will be mailed.

Advancement to Candidacy

Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy, indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure should begin as soon as the classified graduate student has:

• removed any deficiencies in admission requirements;
• completed at least 12 units in the graduate program with a minimum 3.0 GPA, including at least 9 units at the 200 level;
• obtained approval of a thesis/project topic using the Department of Mechanical Engineering Master's Thesis/Project Approval Form; and
• passed the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) or secured approval for a WPE waiver.

Advancement to Candidacy forms are available in the Office of Graduate Studies. The student fills out the form after planning a degree program in consultation with a faculty advisor. After approval by the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Coordinator, the form is then returned to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.

REQUIREMENTS - MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE

Units required for MS: 30
Minimum required GPA: 3.0

B. Additional Requirements for Specializations (9 units)

Thermal and Fluid Systems

This area concentrates on the principles of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics as applied to such products as heat exchangers, internal combustion engines, gas turbines, and solar energy systems. Courses make use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) software tools to explore the behavior of a variety of thermal energy conversion systems and components. In this area of interest, innovative system design is becoming more important as progress is made toward increasing the efficiency of thermal systems while reducing the adverse effects on the environment.

C. Electives (9-12 units)

Select 9 or 12 units of courses in consultation with faculty advisor. Upper division undergraduate courses may be used as elective courses. However, no course can be used for both undergraduate and graduate credit. Students choosing the thesis option must take 9 units of electives and students taking the project option must take 12 units of electives.

D. Culminating Requirement (2-5 units)

Select one of the following two options:

PLAN A: Master's Thesis (5 units). Under Plan A the student's program consists of the following minimum requirements:

	Core courses	(7 units)
	Specialty Area	(9 units)
	Electives	(9 units)
	ME 500	(5 units)
	Thesis defense/presentation: The Thesis (Plan A) must be orally presented and defended, approved by the student's Thesis Committee and approved by the ME Graduate Coordinator or the Department Chair prior to submittal of the thesis to the Office of Graduate Studies.

PLAN B: Master's Project (2 units). Under Plan B the student's program consists of the following minimum requirements:

	Core courses	(7 units)
	Specialty Area	(9 units)
	Electives	(12 units)
	ME 500	(2 units)
	Project presentation: The Project (Plan B) is to culminate in a Master's Project Report that must be orally presented. The Project Report must be approved by the ME Graduate coordinator or the Department Chair prior to submittal to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Notes:

• The student cannot register for the culminating experience (ME 500), until he/she has passed the Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE), and has been advanced to candidacy. Prior to registering for ME 500, the student must choose Plan A, Master's Thesis (5 units), or Plan Master's Project (2 units), by submitting a proposed topic form to the department office. In subsequent semesters, students will enroll in ME 299, after qualifications for enrollment have been verified. As soon as possible after the student has registered for ME 500, it is expected that the student will select a committee appropriate to the chosen plan of study.
• The Thesis Committee consists of the student's Thesis Advisor, who is the Chairperson of the Thesis Committee, and two other faculty members.
• The Project Committee consists of the student's Project Advisor, who is the Chairperson of the Project Committee, and one other faculty member.
• Advising: The Department of Mechanical Engineering has a Graduate Coordinator who is the liaison between each graduate student and the Office of Graduate Studies. After advancing to candidacy (see above), the student proceeds with research for the thesis/project. Guidance of this phase of study is done by a faculty member with expertise in the particular thesis/project topic.

CAREER POSSIBILITIES

Aeronautical Engineer · Automotive Engineer · Design Engineer · Development Engineer · Engineering Manager · Environmental Engineer · Machine Designer · Manufacturing Engineer · Plant Engineer · Project Engineer · Research Engineer · Technical Sales Engineer

FACULTY Robin Bandy, James Bergquam, Jose Granda, Joseph Harralson, Susan Holl, Akihiko Kumagai, Tien-I Liu, Thinh Dinh Ngo, Frederick H. Reardon, Kenneth Sprott, Yong Suh, Tong Zhou CONTACT INFORMATION Robin Bandy, Department Chair Karen Cardozo, Administrative Support Coordinator Riverside Hall 4024 (916) 278-6624 www.ecs.csus.edu/me

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