2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

serve humans and their many needs; construction and operation
of production machinery for the manufacture of materials and
consumer products; and instrumentation, control and regulation
of these and other types of manual and automatic mechanical
systems.
The mechanical engineering undergraduate curriculum at Florida
Tech presents the fundamentals underlying modern mechanical
engineering and prepares the student for a lifetime of continued
learning. During the freshman and sophomore years, the emphasis
is placed on mathematics and physics. An introduction to
engineering in the freshman year previews the field and gives the
students their first experience in engineering design. The sophomore
and junior years direct the student toward the engineering
sciences, including mechanics of solids, thermodynamics and
fluid mechanics. During the junior and senior years, the study
becomes progressively centered on the specific issues facing
practicing mechanical engineers. The student uses the basic tools
imparted during the first two years and applies them in studies of
machine systems, instrumentation, automatic controls, thermal
systems and design projects. Other courses taken during the last
two years expand the student’s knowledge in the fields of heat
transfer, electronics, vibrations and mathematics. Technical electives
taken during the senior year allow the student to direct the
program toward specific areas of personal interest.
Laboratory experiences are essential to the education of engineers,
and these are provided in chemistry, physics, computeraided
design, materials, fluids and heat transfer. The capstone
of the educational process is the senior mechanical engineering
design project, which synthesizes and focuses elements from the
various disciplines into a design activity of current mechanical
engineering interest. The faculty serve jointly in the supervision
and consultation for these projects.
After graduation, the mechanical engineering student is prepared
to pursue a career either in industry or government as a practicing
engineer, or to enter graduate work in engineering, applied
mechanics or mathematics. In some cases, mechanical engineering
graduates also enter professional schools of medicine, law or
business.
Students are encouraged to define career objectives early in
the program (preferably during the sophomore year) so that in
consultation with faculty advisers, electives can be selected that
are best suited to the achievement of specific goals.
Educational Objectives
The broad educational objectives of the mechanical engineering
program at Florida Tech are:
Academic Fundamentals: Graduates are to achieve a sufficient
mastery of the academic fundamentals that underpin
a successful career related to mechanical engineering. These
fundamentals include knowledge of chemistry, calculus-based
physics, advanced mathematics, engineering sciences, humanities,
social sciences, information technology and experimental
methodologies.
Engineering Practice: Graduates are to develop sufficient
competence in the application of engineering skills for the practical
solution of problems related to the mechanical engineering
profession. These skills include systematic problem formulations,
techniques for their solutions, and methodologies for designing
systems in the two main stems of mechanical engineering: energy
systems and mechanical systems.
Teamwork and Communication: Graduates are to develop the
confidence and ability to work both independently and as productive
members of a team. Graduates are to attain a mastery of
communication skills and practice the interpersonal and organizational
skills required to work effectively in multidisciplinary
teams.
Professional Development: Graduates are instilled with the
desire to contribute to the profession and to society on a continuing
basis. They are encouraged to pursue various options
consistent with lifelong learning: maintain ethical professional
conduct, have knowledge of contemporary issues, participate
in professional organizations, and contribute to diversity in the
community.
Degree Requirements
Candidates for a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
must complete the minimum course requirements as outlined in
the following curriculum.
For definitions of electives for engineering programs, see the
Academic Overview section of this catalog.
Freshman Year
FALL CREDITS
ASC 1000 University Experience ..........................................................1
CHM 1101 General Chemistry 1 ............................................................4
COM 1101 Composition and Rhetoric ...................................................3
MAE 1024 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering .............................3
MTH 1001 Calculus 1 ............................................................................4
Social Science Elective ........................................................3
18
SPRING
COM 1102 Writing about Literature ......................................................3
CSE 150x Introduction to Software Development ................................3
MTH 1002 Calculus 2 ............................................................................4
PHY 1001 Physics 1 ..............................................................................4
PHY 2091 Physics Lab 1 .......................................................................1
15
Sophomore Year
FALL CREDITS
CHE 3260 Materials Science and Engineering ......................................3
CHE 3265 Materials Lab .......................................................................1
COM 2223 Scientific and Technical Communication ............................3
MAE 2081 Applied Mechanics: Statics ..................................................3
MTH 2001 Calculus 3 ............................................................................4
PHY 2002 Physics 2 ..............................................................................4
18
SPRING
MAE 2024 Solids Modeling and 3-D Mechanical
Design Principles .................................................................3
MAE 2082 Applied Mechanics: Dynamics ............................................3
MAE 3083 Mechanics of Materials........................................................3
MAE 3191 Engineering Thermodynamics 1 ...........................................3
MTH 2201 Differential Equations/Linear Algebra ..................................4
PHY 2092 Physics Lab 2 .......................................................................1
17
Junior Year
FALL CREDITS
HUM 2051 Civilization 1 ........................................................................3
MAE 3064 Fluid Mechanics Lab ...........................................................1
MAE 3090 Design of Machine Elements ...............................................3
MAE 3161 Fluid Mechanics ..................................................................3
MAE 3192 Engineering Thermodynamics 2 ...........................................3
MTH 3201 Boundary Value Problems ....................................................3
16
Degree Programs—College of Engineering 93