Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Special requirementsStudents must earn a minimum grade of C in all required engineering courses; in all courses used to satisfy technical elective requirements; and in MATH 200 Calculus with Analytic Geometry, MATH 201 Calculus with Analytic Geometry, MATH 301 Differential Equations, MATH 307 Multivariate Calculus and PHYS 207 University Physics I. Students must maintain a major GPA of at least 2.0. |
Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest and broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design and analyze machines of all types, including automobiles, airplanes, rockets, submarines, power generation systems, biomedical instrumentation, robots, manufacturing systems, household appliances and many, many more.
In addition, mechanical engineers design and analyze the energy sources that provide power to machines, fluids that interact with machines and the materials from which machines are constructed. Mechanical engineers also work in cutting-edge fields such as nanotechnology, alternative energy sources and environmentally friendly "green" manufacturing processes. Another important application of mechanical engineering is in medicine, where artificial organs, surgical tools and drug-delivery systems are vital to human well-being.
Mechanical engineers are in continuous demand by virtually all industries and are also employed by state and federal governments and enjoy one of the highest starting salaries of all college majors. Mechanical engineering graduates can, if they wish, continue their studies and obtain advanced degrees in fields such as business, law, medicine and engineering.
The VCU Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is the largest in the School of Engineering and offers an accredited B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, including the option of obtaining a major concentration nuclear engineering.
Degree requirements for Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Learning outcomesUpon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
|
| General Education requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| University Core Education Curriculum (minimum 21 credits) | |
| UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry I | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Focused Inquiry II | 3 |
| UNIV 200 Writing and Rhetoric | 3 |
| Approved humanities/fine arts | 3 |
| Approved natural/physical sciences | 3-4 |
| Approved quantitative literacy | 3-4 |
| Approved social/behavioral sciences | 3-4 |
| Additional General Education requirements (11 credits) | |
|---|---|
| CHEM 101 General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEZ 101 General Chemistry Laboratory I | 1 |
| MATH 201 Calculus with Analytic Geometry | 4 |
| MGMT 319 Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| Collateral requirements (23 credits) | |
| ECON 205 The Economics of Product Development and Markets | 3 |
| MATH 200 Calculus with Analytic Geometry (satisfies quantitative literacy) | |
| MATH 301 Differential Equations | 3 |
| MATH 307 Multivariate Calculus | 4 |
| PHIL 201 Critical Thinking about Moral Problems (satisfies humanities/fine arts) | |
| PHYS 207 University Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 208 University Physics II | 5 |
| STAT 541 Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists | 3 |
| Major requirements (74 credits) | |
| EGRE 206 Electric Circuits | 4 |
| EGRM 101 Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| EGRM 215 Engineering Visualization and Computation | 3 |
| EGRM 201 Dynamics and Kinematics | 3 |
| EGRM 202 Mechanics of Deformables | 3 |
| EGRM 204 Thermodynamics | 3 |
| EGRM 300 Mechanical Systems Design | 3 |
| EGRM 303 Thermal Systems Design | 3 |
| EGRM 309 Material Science for Engineers | 3 |
| EGRM 311 Solid Mechanics Lab | 1.5 |
| EGRM 312 Thermal Sciences Lab | 1.5 |
| EGRM 321 Numerical Methods | 3 |
| EGRM 410 Mechatronics | 3 |
| EGRM 420 CAE Design | 3 |
| EGRM 421 CAE Analysis | 3 |
| ENGR 102 Engineering Statics | 3 |
| ENGR 301 Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| ENGR 302 Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ENGR 315 Process and System Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR 402 Senior Design Studio (Seminar) | 1 |
| ENGR 403 Senior Design Studio (Seminar) | 1 |
| ENGR 410 Review of Internship | 1 |
| ENGZ 402 Senior Design Studio (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 |
| ENGZ 403 Senior Design Studio (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 |
| Technical electives | 12 |
| Total minimum requirement | 130 |
Technical electives
Technical electives are satisfied by completing courses that meet all four of the following criteria:
- School of Engineering course (CLSE, CMSC, EGRB, EGRE, EGRM, EGRN, ENGR)
- Not otherwise required for the major by the effective bulletin
- 300-level or greater
- 3 or more credit hours
INNO 460 Product Innovation: da Vinci Project can be used to satisfy a technical elective requirement.
One course from the following list can be used to satisfy a technical elective requirement:
FIRE 311 Financial Management
FIRE 520 Financial Concepts of Management
INFO 360 Business Information Systems
PHYS 320 Modern Physics
Other courses may be used to satisfy technical elective requirements with prior written approval from the department chair.
All courses used to satisfy technical elective requirements must be completed with a minimum grade of C.
Click here to download a sample outline. ![[PDF]](http://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/Bulletins/images/pdficon_small.gif){kind=small}