Sequence of Study: Courses taken in the Freshman and Sophomore years, either at Sacramento State, or at a Community College or transfer college, directly contribute to the upper division (Junior-Senior) program. For example, upper division work in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) develops skills introduced in freshman graphics and CAD courses; upper division analytical courses depend on the freshman and sophomore calculus and physics courses. Communication skills learned in the lower division are developed through the writing of reports and oral presentations.

Mechanical Engineering design involves far more than solving the types of problems found in chemistry, physics, and calculus courses; design work involves a large measure of analytical and creative work. The principles of mathematics and science are extremely useful when developing a detailed design solution but contribute little to the critical issues of correctly defining the problem, specifying the solution, and locating and organizing needed information. In addition, the design cannot violate fundamental physical laws and must be built from real materials using real manufacturing methods at a reasonable cost while satisfying safety and environmental factors.

The work in the four semester design-project sequence and other courses addresses these issues by including the study of design methods, procedures for developing a design solution from concept through a fully-developed design, and construction of a prototype. The courses in mechanics, thermodynamics, manufacturing, and materials complement the design sequence. The design work includes a mixture of problem and project work in individual courses; some of the course-level projects are team projects to help the student develop the ability to efficiently and effectively work with other engineers making decisions, use the abilities of different colleagues, and distribute the work of large projects. The design sequence includes classical as well as computer aided design and analysis techniques. The work in the two-semester, capstone and senior project sequence involves team effort on a significant design problem. Students interested in furthering their skills in analysis, including finite element analysis, and dynamic modeling of systems, can choose from a number of elective courses which rely heavily on computer methods.

Advising: Each student has a faculty advisor who meets with him/her at least once a semester to discuss academic progress, plan the following semester, explain University requirements, and answer questions about the Mechanical Engineering program.

Note: Students graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering will not be subject to the University’s Foreign Language Graduation Requirement. Students who change major may be subject to the University’s Foreign Language Graduation Requirement.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses applied to a Mechanical Engineering major.