Undergraduate
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering (ME) is a discipline in which principles of physics are applied to solve problems in mechanical systems. These systems can involve fluids, solids, or both, and the problem solving approach often includes elements of analysis, design and manufacture.
ME is a foundational degree, in the sense that ME students are exposed to fundamental engineering principles that can be applied to a multitude of problems both within and outside the traditional boundaries of the discipline. In fact, the technologies and types of problems in ME today are challenging the very idea of boundaries among engineering disciplines. The modern ME student is as likely to find him/herself engaged in the development of precision mechanisms and systems for biomedical robotics as he/she is in designing large-scale robot systems for the factory floor.
The eclectic portfolio of the ME department at BU provides students with exposure to a broad range of engineering activities in the classroom and in the laboratory. The common core curriculum in engineering has students learn basic principles in science, mathematics, and the engineering sciences. With this core curriculum as a foundation, technical depth and focus are established through electives and a design thread that carries through the sophomore, junior, and senior years. The curriculum culminates in the senior “capstone” design project in which teams of students tackle difficult multi-faceted design projects, often stemming form the needs of faculty research or industry partners.
Enrichment opportunities including undergraduate research, coop programs, and internships abound within the department. The majority of our faculty actively mentor undergraduates on cutting edge research projects in the laboratory, and the Career Development Office links students with opportunities in engineering industries.
Our students leave Boston University boasting a balance of fundamental knowledge and specialized training. Graduates go on to successful careers in such fields as structural and materials engineering, product manufacturing, environmental engineering, electrical power and energy-system engineering, thermal and fluids engineering, chemical and petroleum processing, automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, bioengineering, micro- and nanotechnology, robotics, automation, electronics packaging, and acoustics and noise control.