For someone whose strengths lie in math and science with special interests in materials, design, robotics, high-performance vehicles, manufacturing, and mechanical operations, a career in mechanical engineering may be a good fit. The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at Embry-Riddle prepares graduates for a wide variety of engineering careers in fields such as aerospace, robotics, energy, automotive, biomedical, and manufacturing. There will always be a demand for those who can maintain, improve, adapt and redesign mechanical systems, which makes this the broadest field in engineering.
Because mechanical engineering is the broadest of engineering professions, a degree in this discipline opens a world of opportunity. The demand for mechanical engineers is high and demand typically remains stable — despite fluctuations in the global economy.
Pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree at ERAU provides access to state-of-the-art labs solely for use in undergraduate education and student-centered research. Plus, students are part of a program that has become one of the top-ranked in the nation in just a few years.
The B.S. in Mechanical Engineering builds on the success of ERAU’s highly acclaimed Aerospace Engineering program, so students benefit from the same resources and professional networking opportunities.
Students will integrate their knowledge into robotics, propulsion, or energy capstone design project — or choose an aircraft or spacecraft design project in cooperation with colleagues in the Aerospace Engineering major.
At ERAU, students have the opportunity to participate in engineering competitions locally, nationally, and even globally through a number of different professional organizations represented on campus. These include the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. There are also organizations and clubs that are dedicated to specific projects, research, and engineering-related recreational pursuits.
The Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
About Mechanical Engineering at the Daytona Beach, FL Campus
Part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the College of Engineering, the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering program at ERAU’s Daytona Beach Campus provides a strong foundation in all of the fundamental areas of mechanical engineering. With access to state-of-the-art engineering analysis, design and research, and extensive practical experience to supplement and enhance the theoretical foundation, students graduate with the tools they need to succeed as engineers and innovators in one of the most in-demand career fields.
Mechanical engineers work in almost every technical area and are employed in a wide variety of industries and organizations, including areas of rapid employment growth such as high-performance vehicles, robotics, bio-mechanical systems, and clean energy systems.
The Mechanical Engineering program offers four areas of emphasis or tracks:
- Biomedical Systems: Prepares students to become knowledgeable and skilled mechanical engineers with an understanding of the fundamental principles that lead to scientific discovery and technological innovation in the bioengineering and biomedical fields.
- Energy Systems: For students looking for a career in the growing field of renewable energy with a specific emphasis on kinetic energy systems (e.g., wind/water turbines) and thermal energy systems (e.g., solar thermal, combustion).
- High-Performance Vehicles: Prepares students for employment in vehicle design and manufacturing, from competition vehicles to fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicles.
- Robotic Systems (with an emphasis in Unmanned and Autonomous Vehicle Systems): For students interested in the rapidly expanding robotics field, including applications to the aerospace industry.
Specialized labs and facilities prepare graduates for work in their chosen fields.
Students begin this program by completing the College of Engineering’s Freshman Engineering Program. The program includes a General Education core of Speech and College Success, introductions to Engineering and Computing, plus courses in Calculus, Analytical Geometry, and Physics for Engineers.
The second year is the same as Aerospace Engineering, which gives the student great flexibility when deciding on a major field of study.
The curriculum includes a base of Engineering, Math, and Sciences and culminates with a two-semester design project involving Mechanical Engineering, working in a team environment.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers an accelerated program that allows well-qualified students the chance to begin their graduate work for the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) while finishing their Bachelor of Science in Engineering at Embry-Riddle.
About Mechanical Engineering at the Prescott, AZ Campus
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree program at the Prescott Campus provides a strong foundation in basic engineering that enables students to explore advances in mechanical engineering, ranging from the small world of nanotechnology and micro-electromechanical systems to the vastness of space systems. Along with a basis in engineering fundamentals, the program gives students the opportunity to learn about robotics, controls, machine design, and numerical modeling.
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree is housed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering.
With curriculum tracks in robotics, propulsion, or energy, students can focus on uninhabited aerial vehicles, planetary rovers, and autonomous space vehicles, design propulsion systems like jet engines, or develop new energy conversion systems.
Access to highly scientific and specialized labs prepares graduates to work in their chosen field.
The freshman year in Mechanical Engineering is common to the Aerospace Engineering degree program. The second year in ME builds fundamental skills in math and physics while introducing students to Engineering Mechanics and Thermal Sciences.
During the second semester of their sophomore year, Mechanical Engineering students in Embry-Riddle’s program in Prescott will start taking courses aligned within the focus areas of:
- Robotics : Emphasizes the design and analysis of autonomous vehicles that include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous space vehicles, and planetary rovers.
- Propulsion : Emphasizes the thermal sciences and design and analysis of turbomachinery. Jet aircraft engines are the primary area in which coursework goes in-depth, but piston and rocket propulsion are also studied.
- Energy : Emphasizes the design of renewable energy systems.