Mechanical Engineering (B.S. in Engineering)

• Technical Communication
• Engineering Graphics
• Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
• Thermodynamics
• Materials Science
• Mechanics of Materials
• Fluid Mechanics
• Mechanism Analysis
• Engineering Experimentation
• Heat Transfer
• Dynamics

Cooperative education is considered an optional program for a broad engineering education and is highly encouraged by the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering faculty. Cooperative education is not a required component of the ME program.

Procedure to acquire credit for the experience

Students may register for ME 3990 cooperative experience during fall and spring semesters if the cooperative experience is a full time experience. Prior to registration, approval by a mechanical engineering academic advisor is required. Credit may be acquired for summer experiences if they are full time and cover the period of enrollment for both Summer I and Summer II sessions. In this case, the co-op has to be approved before Summer I. For this cooperative education to be a full time experience, during the semester that the student is registered for ME 3990, the student can register for one course.

Cooperative experiences for credit are coordinated through the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

The cooperative experience can start after the freshman year. The cooperative experience will allow students to engage in several periods of work experiences coordinated with WMU studies. These experiences must be directly related to the student’s majors.

During the cooperative semester, which is a full time employment experience, domestic and international students who are registered for ME 3990 will have full-time student status (equivalent full time).

The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, through its career services office will:

• Help the students to apply for these positions
• Provide seminars and workshops on writing skills
• Periodically supervise the students and visit them

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering faculty will evaluate the final reports submitted by students on their cooperative experience. The faculty grading the reports will be selected based on their expertise matching the technical content of the cooperative report. The final report will be graded. A grade of C or better must be received for the report if credit is to be received.

Procedure to apply up to 3 credits of cooperative experience to the ME program graduation requirements

After three semesters of Cooperative experience, students may request substitution of three credits of Cooperative education for one of the required elective courses in the ME program. For this substitution the student must have:

1. Registered and received credit for ME 3990. Credit is received with completion of a full time experience and submission of an acceptable report evaluated by a faculty member.
2. The mechanical engineering program will only allow cooperative education credits earned for full-time experiences counted toward the total credits for graduation.

Concentration in automotive

Students registered in the B.S.E. in mechanical engineering program now may choose this concentration. Students must complete the following courses:

ME 3650 – Machine Design 1 and any combination of 4 courses from the following list of electives:

• ME 3670 - Internal Combustion Engines I Credits: 3 hours

Since elective courses are not offered every semester, interested students must meet a mechanical engineering advisor to plan a path to this concentration before choosing any of their ME electives.

Concentration in solid mechanics and structures

Students registered in the undergraduate mechanical engineering program now may choose this concentration. Students who complete the following courses at WMU with a grade of 'C' or better will qualify for the Concentration in Solid Mechanics and Structures to be recorded in their transcript:

ME 3650 – Machine Design 1 and any combination of 4 courses from the following list of electives:

• AE 4630 – Aerospace Structural Design
• ME 4530 – Machine Design 2
• ME 4570 – Experimental Solid Mechanics
• ME 4700 – Vehicle Structural Design
• ME 5500 – Modern Engineered Materials
• ME 5610 – Finite Element Method
• ME 5690 – Principles of Fatigue and Fracture
• ME 5730 – Materials Selection in Design

Since elective courses are not offered every semester, interested students must meet a mechanical engineering advisor to plan a path to this concentration before choosing any of their ME electives.

If your plans include earning a master's degree after your bachelors, the accelerated master’s degree program may be for you. It allows undergraduate students, upon acceptance, an opportunity to complete the requirements for the  Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at an accelerated pace.

• Undergraduate students may count up to 12 (but not less than six) credit hours of 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies towards a master’s degree in mechanical engineering within 24 months of completing their bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
• Students may choose to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering under either the thesis option or the non-thesis option.
  • Complete either 147 combined undergraduate and graduate credit hours (if choosing the thesis option)
  • 153 combined undergraduate/graduate credit hours (if choosing the non-thesis option).