Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
In our mechanical engineering program, you can get hands-on training with some of the nation’s leading corporations.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University, you’ll occupy the highest tier in the mechanical engineering job market. Major employers throughout Southeast Michigan regard our mechanical engineering program as a key partner in workforce development, providing you with unique training opportunities for jobs in mechanical engineering. You’ll learn in the classroom, in world-class laboratories on campus, and in professional workplace settings, acquiring advanced technical skills and extensive real-world experience. Our mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, giving you a rigorous academic foundation to support graduate studies in a number of fields or immediate employment in a mechanical engineering job.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University, you’ll occupy the highest tier in the mechanical engineering job market. Major employers throughout Southeast Michigan regard our mechanical engineering program as a key partner in workforce development, providing you with unique training opportunities for jobs in mechanical engineering. You’ll learn in the classroom, in world-class laboratories on campus, and in professional workplace settings, acquiring advanced technical skills and extensive real-world experience. Our mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, giving you a rigorous academic foundation to support graduate studies in a number of fields or immediate employment in a mechanical engineering job.
Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering: The Oakland University Advantage
Oakland’s close partnerships with FCA, Siemens and other global leaders set our mechanical engineering degree apart from competing programs. These industry connections strengthen every aspect of your education in mechanical engineering at Oakland, from the strength of the faculty to the quality of research labs, professional internships and career opportunities.
Our mechanical engineering program offers:
- Exceptional internships. Mechanical engineering students at Oakland routinely gain workplace experience with the Big Three automakers and global leaders in energy, defense, biomedical and other industries. More than 90 percent of our mechanical engineering majors complete at least one internship, building professional contacts that often lead directly to job offers.
- Specialized training programs. Oakland operates two unique mechanical engineering programs with industry partners. The CLIC-form program focuses on sheet metal forming technology, giving you specialized preparation for mechanical engineering jobs in manufacturing environments. The PowerTrain Readiness Engineering Program (PREP) includes summer internships at Fiat-Chrysler and part-time work during the school year, with partial tuition reimbursement for select students.
- Experienced faculty. You’ll learn from industry veterans who combine academic expertise with professional seasoning. All of our mechanical engineering courses are taught by Ph.D. faculty (not graduate students) in small classes that promote interaction between students and professors.
- Hands-on training. Our mechanical engineering degree is built around applied coursework that involves real-world mechanical engineering challenges. You’ll develop superior lab skills and become proficient in computer simulation, while collaborating on design projects with students in other engineering degree programs.
- World-class labs. The School of Engineering and Computer Science operates more than a dozen industry-caliber laboratories equipped with the same tools you’ll use in your first mechanical engineering job. Lab work is woven throughout the program, so you’ll have ongoing opportunities to work in professional-grade mechanical engineering facilities. Examples include the Automotive Tribology Center, Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials, Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab, and Optical Inspection and Non-Destructive Testing Lab.
What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering?
Oakland University is one of the best places in the country to prepare for jobs in mechanical engineering. According to Gradreports.com (a website that tracks graduate earnings), Oakland University ranks in the top 10 nationally in starting salaries for mechanical engineering graduates. Within a year of graduation, 96 percent of our students have jobs in mechanical engineering or are pursuing a graduate engineering degree or a military career.
Employers in the automotive, defense and power industries actively recruit graduates of Oakland’s mechanical engineering program. Our students routinely get their first job in mechanical engineering with global leaders such as:
- Fiat Chrysler
- Ford
- Brose
- General Motors
- BAE Systems
- ZF North America
Our graduates work in a variety of jobs in mechanical engineering, with job titles such as calibration engineer, application engineer, mechanical design engineer, advanced development engineer and design release engineer.
Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering: What You’ll Learn
The mechanical engineering degree provides a comprehensive foundation in the mechanics of solids, thermodynamics, fluid and thermal energy, materials, manufacturing, mechanical systems, electrical circuits, computer programming and software applications. The program includes foundational courses in calculus, physics and chemistry. You’ll also take five introductory courses in engineering, electromechanical systems and computer science.
The following nine professional courses make up the academic core of the mechanical engineering degree:
- Computer-Aided Design
- Engineering Mechanics
- Fluid and Thermal Energy Transport
- Mechanics of Materials
- Properties of Materials
- Vibrations and Controls
- Mechanical Systems Design
- Energy Systems Analysis and Design
- Senior Mechanical Engineering Design Project
The remaining credits in the mechanical engineering program consist of electives. You can distribute electives across multiple content areas, or cluster them to earn an optional specialization in automotive engineering, manufacturing or energy.
Mechanical Engineering Degree Resources
Programs Related to the Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Not sure if the mechanical engineering degree is right for you ? Check out these other [undergraduate programs at Oakland, and contact our admissions team to discuss your options.
- B.S.E. in Industrial and Systems Engineering
- B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering
- B.S.E. in Engineering Sciences