Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is a professional discipline that addresses the utilization of technological and scientific know-how to advance the efficiency, safety, utility and reliability of mechanical and thermal systems for the benefit of humanity. Nowadays, engineering is more interdisciplinary, team-oriented, and environmentally sensitive than ever before. This program encompasses the traditional roles of Mechanical Engineering in areas of analysis, design, manufacturing, and testing of mechanical and thermal systems (i.e. boilers, steam plants, heat exchangers, hydraulic systems, refrigeration, etc.), while also including emphasis in system integration, propulsion systems, concurrent engineering, and other competitive engineering practices. Design for manufacture considers additional elements such as consumer satisfaction, time to market, and others.

This program is designed to provide the necessary foundation in engineering analysis, design, manufacturing and engineering sciences leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. The common program includes courses in fluid and solid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, instrumentation, automatic controls and mechanical and thermal design. Additional instruction is available through the program options that include; power generation, energy systems, manufacturing systems, and system integration. Emphasis is placed in an appropriate combination of theoretical and experimental instruction to enable students to carry out engineering projects that cover concurrent engineering design practices. Therefore, each lab experiment contains elements of design and manufacturing.

Students’ instruction will include the use of modern computer simulation tools such as MatLab, CAD, CAE, Lab-View and others as appropriate in developing their designs. Additionally, students are required to take a two-semester capstone design course that addresses integration of design, manufacturing, reliability, economics, maintainability, and life cycle disposal in their projects.

The BSME degrees in Mechanical Engineering has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for “Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs,” until September 30, 2025.

ME Program Educational Objectives

The objectives of the Mechanical Engineering program at Alabama A&M University are to produce graduates who, within the first few years of their graduation:

1. Are successfully employed in ME related fields or have transitioned into nontraditional career paths.
2. Advance professionally as a result of his/her ability to solve complex technical problems and demonstrate professional engineering competence via promotions and/or positions of increasing responsibility.
3. Continue life-long learning via progress toward, or successful completion of an advanced degree, professional development and/or industrial training course(s), and/or engineering certification.
4. Demonstrate service and sovereignty through involvement with community and/or professional organizations.

Student Outcomes

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics 
2. an 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 
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences 
4. an 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 
5. an 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 
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions 
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.  

Student Enrollment and Graduation Data

Academic Year	Enrollment	BS Degrees Awarded
2023-2024	353	37
2022-2023	298	19
2021-2022	305	30
2020-2021	293	41
2019-2020	298	41
2018-2019	282	27
2017-2018	297	34
2016-2017	283	19
2015-2016	259	18
2014-2015	250	23
2013-2014	228	22
2012-2013	197	22
2011-2012	197	26
2010-2011	201	13
2009-2010	173	14