The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is a program of study requiring 128-134 credits of undergraduate work, including a two-term senior project capstone requirement completed through oral and written reports and a 400-hour internship. If desired, the candidate may also choose an appropriate sequence of elective courses for a concentration in Manufacturing or Aerospace.
Required coursework can be grouped in four categories: General Education, Major Requirements, Electives or Concentration Requirements, and Additional Requirements.
Outcomes
Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program. The Engineering Department seeks to graduate mechanical engineers who, upon graduation possess:
the ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
the 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;
the ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
the 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;
the 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;
the ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions;
and the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Outcomes
Admission Requirements
First Year Students
Students must be ready to enroll in Calculus I (MATH 152). This requirement can be met by any of the following:
- Earning both a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Mathematics score of 620 or higher and a grade of B or better in a two-semester high school pre-calculus or calculus course. Both the SAT of 620 and the high school course are required. Students can take the SAT test more than once,
- Earning a score of 3 or better on the Calculus AB or Calculus BC Advancement Placement exam. (For AP score equivalency please visit AP Equivalencies),
- Earning a sufficiently high score on Central's Mathematics Placement Exam. The exam is given by Central’s Learning Center. For more information call 860.832.1900, or visit the Learning Center - Placement Testing.
Transfer Students
Students must be ready to enroll in Calculus I (MATH 152). This requirement can be met by:
- Any of the above requirements for first year students, OR
- Credit transfer from an accredited two-year of four-year higher education institution of a Pre-Calculus course and a Trigonometry course with grades of C- or higher, or a combined Trigonometry/Pre-calculus course with a grade of C- or higher, or a Calculus course with a grade of C- or higher. (subject to equivalency evaluation of the courses). For additional transfer credit equivalency information see Transfer Equivalency Database.
Graduates of the "Engineering Science" program from Connecticut Community Colleges
CT Community College students who successfully complete the full "Engineering Science" program and earn their Associates Degree, will be automatically admitted to either the Civil Engineering or Mechanical Engineering program.
CT Community college students who have not completed the full "Engineering Science" program will be considered as regular transfer students, subject to the additional admissions requirements for transfer students explained above.
Requirements
Major Requirements
| ENGR 150 | Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| ENGR 251 | Engineering Mechanics I - Statics | 3 |
| ENGR 252 | Engineering Mechanics II - Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR 357 | Mechanics of Materials | 3 |
| ME 216 | Manufacturing Engineering Processes | 2 |
| ME 217 | Manufacturing Engineering Processes Lab | 1 |
| ME 258 | Engineering Thermodynamics | 3 |
| ME 345 | Engineering Statistical Analysis of Operations | 3 |
| ME 352 | Modeling and Control of Dynamic Systems | 3 |
| ME 354/CE 354 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| ME 367 | Machine Design I | 3 |
| ME 368 | Machine Design II | 3 |
| ME 370 | Instrumentation | 3 |
| ME 454 | Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME 467 | Finite Element Analysis with Applications | 3 |
| ME 497/ETM 497/EE 497 | Senior Project I: Project Research | 2 |
| ME 498 | Senior Project II: Design Project | 3 |
Electives or Concentration Requirements
General Electives:
| ME 458 | Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems Design | 3 |
| or | |
| ME 459 | Energy Conversion Systems | 3 |
| | |
| ME Electives | 6 |
| Tech Elective | 3 |
ME Electives include: ME 340, ME 360, ME 403, ME 452, ME 460, ME 461, ME 463, ME 465, ME 466, ME 470, ME 480, ME 483, ME 485, ME 486, ME 487, ME 488, SE 301, and SE 302
Tech Electives include all ME electives plus: ENGR 490, ETM 340, ETM 360, ETM 461, ETM 464, ETM 466, ET 399, ET 495, MM 226, and TM 464
Manufacturing:
| ME 340 | Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing for Mechanical Design | 3 |
| ME 360 | Manufacturing Operations Analysis and Simulation | 3 |
| ME 460 | Manufacturing System Design | 3 |
| and | |
| ME 461 | Discrete Event Simulation for Manufacturing Systems | 3 |
| or | |
| ME 466 | Inventive Engineering Design | 3 |
Aerospace:
| ME 480 | Propulsion Systems | 3 |
| ME 483 | Aerodynamics | 3 |
| ME 486 | Aerospace Structures and Materials | 3 |
| ME 403 | Aerospace Control Systems | 3 |
Additional Requirements
| CET 236 | Circuit Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 161 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 162 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| ENGR 392 | Engineering Practicum (400 hours) | 1 |
| ENGR 240 | Computational Methods for Engineering | 3 |
| ETM 260 | Computer Aided Design and Integrated Manufacturing CAD/CAM/CIM | 3 |
| ETM 356 | Materials Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 222 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MATH 226 | Linear Algebra and Probability for Engineers | 4 |
| MATH 355 | Introduction to Differential Equations with Applications | 4 |
Required General Education Courses
Natural Sciences
Natural Sciences
| WRT 110 | Introdctn to College Writing | 3 |
| ENGR 290 | Engineering Technical Writing & Presentation | 3 |
Mathematics
Accelerate Central B.S./ M.S. Mechanical Engineering
Eligibility
Students typically apply during their junior year of study and must meet the requirements specified below:
- Have completed ENGR 357, ME 345, ME 352, ME 354, and ME 367 with at least a 3.00 grade point average in those courses.
- Have at least a cumulative 3.30 grade point average. At least 30 credits must have been earned at CCSU.
Eligible Mechanical Engineering majors can apply to the Accelerate Central B.S. / M.S. Mechanical Engineering Program in the second half of their junior year. Students admitted to this program may complete both the B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in as few as five years on a full-time basis. For students who are officially admitted to the Accelerate Central B.S. / M.S. Mechanical Engineering Program, three graduate courses will double-count as courses in the General Concentration for a total of 9 credits double-counted. In addition, students may take a fourth graduate courses before matriculation as a graduate student; this course will be excluded from the student’s B.S. program and transferred into the student’s M.S. program.
Students who successfully complete this program will earn both degrees in 149 credits total, versus the 158 credits required to complete both degrees separately.
How to apply:
Students will submit Change of Major form, a resume, and the name of two professors from the Mechanical Engineering department who could serve as a references to their undergraduate advisor by February 10 (for Fall) or October 1 (for Spring). The documents will go through the proper parties for review and approval, including the Graduate Program Director. Once the form has been approved by all required parties, the Registrar’s Office will change the student’s undergraduate curriculum to note the Accelerate Central program.
Note: After acceptance, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.