Mechanical engineering is concerned with energy and its transformations and the design of objects and structures that move. Mechanical engineers are responsible for conceiving, designing, manufacturing, testing, and marketing devices and systems that alter, transfer, transform and utilize the energy form that ultimately causes motion.
Employment opportunities range over product design, development, manufacturing, sales, management, teaching, and research. Employers include industrial companies, consulting firms, and government agencies and non-governmental organizations. The UNF Office of Career Services provides information on companies seeking mechanical engineering graduates for permanent positions or current students for employment in cooperative education positions.
Accreditation
are highly effective in multidisciplinary teams,
exhibit leadership skills in business, the profession and their communities, are able to thrive in a dynamic global environment, and
know and uphold the ethical standards of the profession.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the BSME Program have:
an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data;
an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; an understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities; an ability to communicate effectively;
the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;
a recognition of the need for, and ability to engage in, life-long learning; a knowledge of contemporary issues;
an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice;
a knowledge of chemistry and calculus-based physics with depth in at least one; the ability to apply advanced mathematics through multivariate calculus and differential equations; familiarity with statistics and linear algebra; and
the ability to work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas including the design and realization of such systems.
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Admission Prerequisites
Must be taken prior to entering the Mechanical Engineering program. Admission is based primarily on a student’s overall GPA and GPA in the prerequisite calculus and physics courses. Grades of “C” or better are required in all prerequisite courses; a 2.5 GPA is required in both the physics and calculus sequences. Once admitted, students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, and may not take a mechanical engineering course without having earned at least a “C” in all of its prerequisite courses.
Students are encouraged to register for EGN 3311 Statics as soon as satisfying its prerequisites.
Major Requirements
The Mechanical Engineering program requires 128 credit hours.
In addition to 50 credits of Common Engineering Prerequisites and 65 credits of program requirements, the remaining 13 credits of lower division coursework are used to satisfy the remaining three credits of the English General Education requirements, COP 2220 Computer Science I, EGN 3311 Statics, Intro to Engineering I and Intro to Engineering II.
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Graduate Program Information
Mission
The mission of the School of Engineering Master of Science Programs is to prepare students to function in a demanding technical environment where their advanced engineering education will allow them to solve substantial problems in their field of expertise. Through our commitment to engineering application and research and encouraging students to participate in such activities we will provide opportunities for expanded content knowledge and development of critical thinking skills inside and outside of classroom settings. Students graduating with an M.S. in Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering will receive the education that allows them to pursue a doctoral degree.
Learning Outcomes
Content/Discipline Specific Knowledge Upon program completion, students will:
Ability to engage in Independent Learning or Scholarship Upon program completion, students will:
be able to form conclusions and recommendations of results obtained through advanced engineering analyses, modeling, and/or experimentation.
Demonstration of intermediate to advanced level Professional Skills Upon program completion, students will:
be able to communicate technical data, analyses, and conclusions to a technical audience.
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Outcomes Assessment
The learning outcomes listed above involve depth of knowledge within a specific area of the student’s chosen engineering discipline, critical thinking ability, and communications skills. These outcomes are achieved by the successful completion of a cohesive program. Students choose to either complete a thesis (thesis option) or take additional courses approved by the program (non-thesis option). The master’s thesis is an original work that adds to the understanding of an engineering problem. It requires the deep knowledge and critical thinking skills developed in the program of study to advance engineering knowledge or solve an engineering problem. The successful completion of a thesis requires well-developed writing and oral communications skills. This capstone experience in conjunction with successfully completed course work measures the outcomes enumerated above for the students choosing the thesis option. Students choosing the non-thesis option will complete additional course work in place of the thesis to further deepen their understanding of the engineering discipline. Successfully completed course work measures the outcomes enumerated above.
Graduate Admission
Special Notes about the program:
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree in Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program or its demonstrable equivalent to be admitted into the Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical programs, respectively. University requirements:
1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study.
Additional program requirements:
1. Official transcripts from all attended institutions 2. GRE scores
Prior to July 1, 2011: 380 verbal, 630 quantitative score After July 1, 2011: 145 verbal, 150 quantitative 3. Three letters of recommendations
At least one letter must come from a professor at the applicant's undergraduate institution
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) minimum requirements are as follows for applicants from non-English speaking countries:
550 paper-based test, or 213 computer-based test, or 80 internet-based test
Students should be aware that admission into any graduate program is granted on a competitive basis. Students meeting minimum requirements may be denied admission based on such factors as program capacity or academic discretion. Likewise, students may be considered for admission as an exception if stated admissions criteria are not met.
For complete details on graduate admission, refer to the UNF Graduate School's webpages for:
Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering
General Requirements
MS Engineering Requirements: (30 credit hours)
The Engineering master's degree consists of a minimum of 30.0 credit hours. Students select from one of two degree options: (1) thesis or (2) non-thesis.
1. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained. If the GPA falls below 3.0, probation will result. 2. At least 18.0 hours of coursework at the 6000-level must be applied toward the degree.
3. All coursework for a graduate or post-baccalaureate professional degree must be completed within six years of a master's degree- seeking student being admitted to a graduate program. All exceptions must be approved by the student's Graduate Program Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.
School of Engineering Conditions for the degree:
1. All coursework must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better.
2. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained. If the GPA falls below 3.0, academic probation will result.
3. A No more than 6.0 hours of transfer coursework can be applied to the degree, with the following exception:
A student may transfer up to 12 credit hours from online graduate courses taken within the Florida State University System, provided that the total of all transferred courses does not exceed 12 credit hours.
4. A student may not receive 5000-level credit for a cross-listed 4000/5000-level course previously completed at the 4000-level. Exceptions to this rule may be considered with documented evidence of significant and appropriate differences in content between the courses.
Student Graduate Advisor and Graduate Committee
Each graduate thesis student will need a graduate advisor. This advisor should be chosen based on the student’s area of interest and the faculty member's area of expertise. The program of study should list the graduate advisor no later than by the end of the second semester of graduate study. Before a graduate advisor is chosen, the School of Engineering graduate program director will serve as the graduate advisor. The graduate advisor must be a member of the Graduate Faculty and a tenure-track or tenured professor in the appropriate engineering program. The graduate advisor and student will choose a supervisory committee that will be made up of two tenure-track or tenured UNF engineering professors in the student’s chosen discipline and members of the Graduate Faculty, and one outside member who must be a tenure-track or tenured professor at UNF or other regionally
accredited academic institution. Additional members may be added from industry or affiliated faculty in the School of Engineering, if approved by the graduate advisor. The graduate advisor will serve as chair of the committee. The graduate advisor also approves the selection of the thesis.
Each graduate non-thesis student is advised to have a graduate advisor in the student’s field of study. The School of Engineering Graduate Program Director will serve as the advisor for those students who have not yet selected a Graduate Advisor in their field of study.
Thesis Option
The master’s thesis is an original work that adds to the understanding of an engineering problem. The supervisory committee approves the thesis topic. Completion of a thesis is an intense experience and most students will find that much of their academic effort for at least two semesters will focus on its completion. The thesis is presented at an oral defense that includes the supervisory committee and others from the university community. The supervisory committee determines if the defense was successful and the thesis is acceptable.
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