Chapter 1: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Discipline
- Page ID
- 103950
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Topics Covered in this Class
(1) Part I: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
(2) Part II: Statics, Dynamics, Vibrations
(3) Part III: Materials, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Controls, and Robotics
First of all congratulations on being accepted into the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cal Poly Humboldt! Mechanical engineering is one of the most difficult engineering disciplines and one of the most broad disciplines in engineering. As such you will be exposed to a tremendous amount of information but also we will go into great depth into a number of different subjects.
Mechanical engineering is a notoriously difficult disciplines at many R1 universities PhD programs will have written qualifying examinations for PhD candidates and the passing rate for these exams can be as low as 10%.
Here at Cal Poly Humboldt we will go into the same depth but we are here to help support you in your academic endeavors. We expect our students to exhibit a tremendous work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and a willingness to learn from both instructors and peers. We want our students to become trusted mechanical engineers and represent yourselves and Cal Poly Humboldt with pride!
Before we get started into the details of Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly Humboldt it is important to consider an overview of Mechanical Engineering and the many different sub-disciplines of mechanical engineering. This is by no means a comprehensive list but here we will try to classify the sub-disciplines of mechanical engineering in three broad categories those being: System Design, Energy, and Biomechanical Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering Subdisciplines and Careers
We can break down mechanical engineering classes and careers into three broad categories as seen below in Fig.1
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Mechanical Engineering Subdisciplines
System Design
The courses that are related to System Design in a mechanical engineering curriculum
• Statics
• Dynamics
• Vibrations
• Materials
• Manufacturing
• Machine Design
• Controls
• Robotics
• Instrumentation
The careers that one can pursue related to System Design include
• Robotics
• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Defense
• Electronics
Energy
The courses that are related to Energy in a mechanical engineering curriculum
• Thermodynamics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Heat Transfer
• Thermodynamics II
• FEM
The careers that one can pursue related to Energy include
• Heat/Thermal Analysis
• Battery Design
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
Biomechanical Engineering
The courses that are related to Energy in a mechanical engineering curriculum
• Manufacturing
• Materials
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Statics
• Dynamics
• Heat Transfer
• Solid Mechanics
• Advanced Materials
• Robotics
The careers that one can pursue related to Energy include
• Medical School
• Surgical Devices
• Robotic Surgical Systems
• Guiding Surgical Procedures
• Prosthetic Devices
Fundamental Mechanics
There are essential 5 fundamental mechanics courses that make up the foundation of the mechanical engineering curriculum which can be seen below
• Statics
• Dynamics
• Thermodynamics
• Solid Mechanics/Materials
• Fluid Mechanics
Statics will cover Newton’s laws specifically Newton’s 1st law and will deal with rigid objects under various loading states. You will learn about forces, reactant forces, bending, shear diagrams, trusses, and many many more topics. Dynamics will deal primarily with Newton’s 2nd Law and you will consider bodies in motion and accelerating both translationally rotationally. Thermodynamics is a critical field of study that aims to find the lowest energy state of system and identifying the values of extensive thermodynamic variables that will lead to such a state. Solid Mechanics and Materials considers how materials deform under applied loads, thus taking fundamental statics concepts but now considering objects that are no longer rigid but instead are deforming. Fluid Mechanics considers the mechanics of fluid but it will also extend to concepts of heat transfer and material kinetics as well.
Cal Poly Humboldt Mechanical Engineering Curriculum
You can find the a typical curriculum plan for an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Cal Poly Humboldt as seen in Fig.2 and Fig.3
Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Mechanical Engineering Curriculum
It should be noted that these are just some of the possible paths in the mechanical engineering curriculum and there is a lot of flexibility. However, it is critical that you take ownership if you curriculum. You need to be sure to communicate with your advisor if there are any changes that need to be made and we want to make sure that you can graduate in 4 years. It is also important to note that Cal Poly Humboldt does not allow you to fail more than one engineering course so it is critical that you make your best attempt to pass all of your classes and hopefully you do even better.
Degrees in Mechanical Engineering
B.S.
You all will be receiving your Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering after 4 years at Cal Poly Humboldt. It is critical that you try to maintain as high a GPA as possible and try an industry internship or research experience during your time at Cal Poly Humboldt. You can also join one of the engineering clubs on campus as well and that will be very helpful to develop your resume.
M.S.
You can pursue a Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering and that will typically 1-2 years to complete. Some Master’s programs are more focused on taking classes whereas other programs are more research focused. Most Master’s programs require a thesis to complete the program. The benefit of a Master’s degree is that it open up more opportunities for jobs in industry and typically you will start at a higher salary. The downside is typically there is limited financial aid for Master’s Degrees.
PhD
A PhD is a terminal degree for mechanical engineering and is very research focused. A PhD degree will typically take anywhere between 5-8 years. This degree is required for a career in academia and you should pursue a PhD if you have a passion for research. The benefit is typically a PhD program can be funded.