Department of Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Academics
Reflecting the wide diversity of subject matter found in the present-day practice, our flagship undergraduate program in mechanical engineering offers a multitude of opportunities for study and research.
The design and production of machines have been traditional concerns for mechanical engineers, working to the basic criteria of price, efficiency and delivery date. Safety and environmental considerations add new dimensions to the task, like improved mileage and cleaner engines coupled with weight and size reduction in automobile design, and greater emphasis on highway safety. In a time of severe energy shortage, the world looks to mechanical engineers for improved utilization of resources and for new forms of energy conversion.
Major areas of interest in mechanical engineering include:
mechanics and materials
nano- and micro-electrical-mechanical systems
robotics and autonomous systems
sustainable energy
biomechanics and biomechatronics
additive manufacturing
energy conversion
design and manufacturing
heating, ventilation and air conditioning
solid mechanics
automatic controls
dynamics
fluid mechanics
machine design
heat transfer
turbomachinery
combustion
If you have a particular interest or highly specific objective, you can customize your curriculum with elective courses and appropriate project work.
Career opportunities are found in such diverse areas such as power generation, design of machinery, manufacturing, research and development, guidance systems, product design and development, robotics, propulsion engineering, system analysis and design, and many others. Graduates of the program have been successful in gaining admission to the top graduate schools of their choice in the country.
Undergraduate Programs
Stevens encourages undergraduate students to become licensed engineers. Licensed engineers are a select group and those who achieve licensure enjoy the professional benefits that accompany this distinction. In order to be licensed, students must pass the FE Exam and the PE Exam.
Learn more about licensure >
Undergraduate Student Life
Mechanical Engineering students are well-rounded, with a diversity of interests, skills, and talents. With many activities including athletics, music and theater, undergraduates have a number of opportunities to extend their learning outside of the classroom.
Undergraduate Research
The department has many opportunities to participate in research programs, including the Stevens Pinnacle Scholars Program. Each program has a fall exhibition open to the public and where students present their research results.
Additional opportunities (some paid) to conduct research may also be available. Interested undergraduates should review the department research page to identify faculty working in their area of interest.
Undergraduates may attend the weekly seminar series where researchers from industry and academia discuss state-of-the-art topics.
Real-World Experience and Hands-On Projects
During your time at Stevens, you'll have the opportunity to work on industry-funded design projects under the co-supervision of faculty members and industry experts to gain experience working on real world problems, and explore a number of other opportunities for professional development.
Society of Automotive Engineers
The Stevens chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) – also known as the SAE Baja Club – competes in a yearly competition held by SAE, a professional organization that promotes student participation in automotive engineering. The competition encourages young engineers to apply the theory they’ve learned in the classroom to a complex, real design problem ― designing, building, and testing an offroad vehicle, then racing it in competition with other schools.
Senior Design Projects
In Senior Design, you'll work together with a design team made up of three to five students to develop innovative design solutions for infrastructure, structural and civil/site projects. Teams work with professional industry mentors to establish goals, schedules, and deliverables. Projects conclude at the end of the spring semester during the annual Innovation Expo and are judged by faculty and experts in a highly competitive and fun environment.
Entrepreneurial Environment
At Stevens. entrepreneurship is a part of our DNA – and as an undergraduate student, you'll have numerous avenues to explore it. One of our recent graduates hosted his own international venture capital summit and launched his own VC organization, Rocket Fuel Ventures.
[email protected] is a multi-year coaching program that dramatically raises your odds of entrepreneurial success with faculty members, mentors, and peer-groups that guide you through every step of your entrepreneurial journey.
Engineering Cooperative Education
Approximately 30% of undergraduate engineering students participate in the Stevens Cooperative Education Program The Stevens Cooperative Education Program, or Co-op, is a five-year educational program, which provides engineering and science students with the opportunity to alternate between semesters of full-time work and full-time study in areas related to the student's academic major and career interests. The Co-op program is designed to provide experiences that prepare students to connect their academic studies with the world of work, explore career interests and clarify goals.
Innovation Expo
The Stevens undergraduate experience culminates with Senior Design, a year-long collaborative project in which you will apply all they have learned to the solution of urgent, real-world problems, displayed at the annual Innovation Expo.
Accelerated Master's Program
Stevens' Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) enables you to apply credits from your undergraduate coursework toward a master’s degree, allowing you to earn your bachelor's and master's degrees in just five years.
Visit Undergraduate Admissions
Want to learn more about our campus? Visit the undergraduate admissions web page. Ready to take the next step? Apply below.
Academic Advising
Supporting the overall Stevens strategic goal of excellence, Stevens' mechanical engineering student advising provides a holistic student resource center committed to promoting the success and encouraging the retention of all students in the mechanical engineering undergraduate program. Recognizing that student advising needs evolve through the course of study, the center focuses on facilitating a positive experience at each stage of the undergraduate program.
Key Goals for Each Academic Year
First Years (First Semester and Transfers)
Goal: To promote each student getting off to a good start at Stevens
First semester activities and support introduce students to the Stevens mechanical engineering community, their academic advisors, and the academic and social support structure available to ensure their success and well-being.
First Years (Second Semester)
Goal: To ensure that each student completes the first year with a strong academic foundation and feeling of belonging to the mechanical engineering community, hence maximizing retention into the sophomore year
Second semester activities and support focus on academic excellence and ensuring an understanding of the Stevens mechanical engineering academic model.
Sophomores
Goal: To keep up the momentum academically, continue mechanical engineering community development, and begin professional development
Second year activities bridge theory with practice and encourage students' professional development through initial exposure to upcoming professional choices, e.g. co-op and internship assignments, research experience, international opportunities, electives and specialization options, and professional society memberships. Support for academic excellence also continues.
Juniors
Goal: To look ahead to senior year choices and plan for post-graduation opportunities
In the junior year, the student-advisor relationship shifts from group encounters to individual focus on strategizing post-graduation options (e.g. graduate school vs. industry), selecting a final co-op assignment, and picking a senior design project. Support for academic excellence also continues.
Juniors also have an opportunity to give back to the Mechanical Engineering Student Support Center by becoming freshman mentors.
Seniors
Goal: To successfully finish the undergraduate degree, transition to post-graduation career, and lay the foundation for a lifelong relationship with Stevens
The culmination of the Stevens mechanical engineering education is the successful preparation of students for the next step in their careers: graduate school or industry employment. Seniors complete a "Lessons Learned" exercise for personal reflection and continuous improvement of the Mechanical Engineering Student Support Center and can continue to mentor sophomores.
Contact Mechanical Engineering Student Advising
Ann Petrigliano
Carnegie 212
201-216-5410
[email protected]