Scholarships at St. Thomas
97% of first-year students receive merit scholarships that bring the average tuition cost down to $23,068 per year.
BS in Mechanical Engineering
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is a hands-on, industry-oriented and career-focused program that blends theory and research with practical engineering fundamentals to prepare you to succeed in this increasingly autonomous and interconnected world. Mechanical engineers research, design, and manufacture an ever-growing list of products that can range from life-saving medical devices that measure brain activity and insulin levels, rocket propellants and smart clothing sensors for autistic children all the way to solar water purification systems and autonomous vehicles.
Why Study Mechanical Engineering at St. Thomas?
The University of St. Thomas School of Engineering is consistently ranked in the top 50 undergraduate engineering schools in the country by US News and World Report. Your St. Thomas Mechanical Engineering journey consists of a hands-on, experiential learning in small groups facilitated by faculty with real-word experience. You will apply your curiosity and creativity to enhance your understanding of topics in mechanics, energy and thermal systems, manufacturing, materials, and electro-mechanical devices.
At the same time, you will get a strong foundation in the liberal arts to cultivate critical thinking, oral and written communication and problem-solving skills that will accelerate your path, whether you plan to go into industry or further your academic studies after graduation.
Senior year, you will spend two semesters in our Senior Design Clinic working as part of a team to solve a real-world design challenge provided by an industry partner. This practical challenge mirrors what you will do as a professional engineer and is a critical component of the St. Thomas engineering program. With this in-demand degree, you will be prepared to work in industries focused on product design, medical devices, robotics, automotive, aerospace and more.
Ask the Admissions Office for a Visit with Engineering.
Get to know us better, and see why St. Thomas is a great place to study engineering. Request an in-person or virtual visit with our Dean, Dr. Don Weinkauf and/or one of our engineering faculty.
Program Overview
Course Requirements
Students earning a BS in Mechanical Engineering will complete the University of St. Thomas Core Curriculum requirements and Mechanical Engineering major requirements and allied requirements.
If you are interested in transferring to St. Thomas with an Engineering major, read this information for undergraduate Engineering transfer students.
Four-Year Plan
This is one snapshot of how the plan of study for this major can look. Plans of study exist for students who wish to study abroad, double major or for ROTC.
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET)
Senior Design Clinic
The Engineering Senior Design Clinic is a two-semester capstone that challenges students to create novel solutions to engineering problems posed by industry and community partners. This course is a critical component of the St. Thomas engineering curriculum as it requires student teams to engage hands-on with real-world design problems and to gain skills in professionalism, communication and project management, all while applying their engineering knowledge. Projects are selected from a broad range of partners to match varying student interest, from multinational corporations looking for fresh ideas to entrepreneurial ventures hoping to take a prototype to the next level.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements
Students earning a BS in Mechanical Engineering will complete the University of St. Thomas Core Curriculum requirements and Mechanical Engineering major requirements and allied requirements.
If you are interested in transferring to St. Thomas with an Engineering major, read this information for undergraduate Engineering transfer students.
Four-Year Plan
Four-Year Plan
This is one snapshot of how the plan of study for this major can look. Plans of study exist for students who wish to study abroad, double major or for ROTC.
Degrees Awarded
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET)
Senior Design Clinic
Senior Design Clinic
The Engineering Senior Design Clinic is a two-semester capstone that challenges students to create novel solutions to engineering problems posed by industry and community partners. This course is a critical component of the St. Thomas engineering curriculum as it requires student teams to engage hands-on with real-world design problems and to gain skills in professionalism, communication and project management, all while applying their engineering knowledge. Projects are selected from a broad range of partners to match varying student interest, from multinational corporations looking for fresh ideas to entrepreneurial ventures hoping to take a prototype to the next level.
A Community of Problem-Solvers
Brenna Carberry '18
“[At St. Thomas] we are trained in how to learn in addition to what we actually learn. St. Thomas Engineering gave such a foundational set of education, but the real value was in practice solving problems. Senior Design is a great example of this. You have to practice teamwork, collaboration, answering your own questions, using engineering judgement. All of those skills are what I most draw from my time at St. Thomas,” said Carberry.
Lauren Vallez '17
“I found the hands-on skills we learned in labs to be the most useful. I’m having to use those rapid prototyping skills in my current position," said Vallez.
Lindsey (Bollig) Falzone '17
As a student, Lindsey (Bollig) Falzone ’17 worked with a research team to build magnetic transformer cores to transfer electrical energy between circuits. But to build them, they first had to build a specialized 3D printer that was able to handle the corrosive iron particles in the magnetic composite filament used to create transformer cores. “I did things at St. Thomas I never thought I’d accomplish as a student,” Falzone said. “I learned to think creatively and come up with out of the box solutions.” Today, Falzone is a systems engineer at Collins Aerospace.
Dr. Aaron Ames '01
St. Thomas mechanical engineering graduate, Dr. Aaron Ames ‘01 is an expert on the leading edge of robotics, operating a robotics lab out of Caltech and collaborating with entities such as NASA, Disney and Amazon. Dr. Ames is working on robotic prosthetics to help people who have lost lower limbs walk more easily. He gives credit to St. Thomas Engineering faculty who saw potential in him. He said that was incredibly striking and an experience he doesn’t think he would have gotten at other schools.
New STEAM Labs & Classrooms
The new Schoenecker Center will add more than 40,000 square feet of engineering labs, classrooms, and collaboration spaces, including a 900-square-foot state-of-the-art Robotics and Automation Laboratory facility for robotics and research questions involving machine vision, part manipulation and assembly.
Career Paths
- Aerospace Engineer
- Biomedical Engineer
- Control Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Product Design Engineer
- Field Application Engineer
Jobs and Internships
The University of St. Thomas School of Engineering helps you build your resume from day one. You will have the opportunity to engage in research with faculty, become a global learner, participate in co-op and internship programs, connect with potential employers during our annual reverse career fair, build your network with a wide a variety of tech companies, and enjoy lifetime career development support.
Meet the Engineers in a Reverse Career Fair held every fall. St. Thomas engineering students interested in full-time employment and internships represent themselves with a poster board and standby as prospective employers walk and talk with students about their particular goals, interests and talents.
80% of engineering students graduate with a technical internship in industry. (Many with more than one!)
The Twin Cities is one of the leading tech areas in the United States with over 136,000 tech jobs* and over 600 companies are within 20 minutes of campus including: 3M, Honeywell, Ecolab, Polaris, Medtronic, Cargill, Xcel Energy, Cargill, Graco, and Boston Scientific.
*Why the Minnesota Technology Corridor? https://www.mntechcorridor.com/collaboration/why-the-Minnesota-technology-corridor
Access to tools and resources, including career webinars, resume assistance, interview prep and one-on-one advice.
Collaborate with faculty and engage in hands-on research right from the start as a St. Thomas engineering student.
Take advantage of study abroad opportunities to learn and grow through life-changing global experiences.
Affordability and Outcomes
Scholarships for Engineering Students
Several competitive scholarships are available for first-year students planning to major in engineering, science and mathematics. There are also undergraduate scholarships available for returning engineering students each academic year.
$95K
is the median annual pay for mechanical engineers in 2021.
Faculty With Real-World Experience
Dr. Jeong Ho You, Assistant Professor
Dr. Jeong Ho You is working on using sound as electricity. Sound, mainly in a form of noises, is abundant in our urban lives. Acoustic energy from noise is a clean and sustainable energy resource. He has designed and fabricated a harvester, inspired by a mammal’s hearing mechanism to convert noises into electricity.
Dr. Brittany Nelson-Cheeseman, Associate Professor and Program Director, Materials Science and Engineering
Dr. Nelson-Cheeseman has a passion for advanced engineering materials and has collaborated with St. Thomas engineering students to research magnetic responses of 3-D printed magnetic structures. The objective is to produce more efficient transformers that waste less energy in electrical systems.
Dr. John Abraham, Professor
Dr. Abraham along with engineering faculty Brian Plourde , '10, '11, developed a technology to clean drinking water with sunlight and to install these devices at hospitals and organizations in Africa. Next year, they plan to begin a world-wide roll out. He also works in the medical device field, designing implantable medical devices to improve patient care.
Dr. David Forliti, Associate Professor
Dr. David Forliti is a rocket scientist (really) and has worked on many rocket launches. At St. Thomas, Dr. Forliti has researched how propellants mix and blend at high pressure. He hopes that his research will lead to a better understanding of high-pressure combustion systems to enable the development of liquid rocket engines that operate efficiently, safely and reliably.
The St. Thomas Experience
Clubs
The School of Engineering has many student clubs to choose from including:
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Engineers for a Sustainable World
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Projects and Robotics Club
- Society of American Military Engineers
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
- Society of Women Engineers
Hands-On Learning
- Nearly every engineering course is paired with a hands-on laborator.
- Over 90% of engineering classes have 30 students or less. Laboratory sections are designed for 12 students.
- First semester introductory engineering courses are designed for students to work with fellow engineering students on projects and to get to know our engineering faculty.
Student Research
- 50% of engineering students work on research projects outside coursework, and often have a chance to present at a conference as an undergraduate.
- St. Thomas mechanical engineering students have the opportunity to participate in meaningful collaborative research with faculty and to design engineering projects that make a real impact in the world. Three recent examples include:
- Students working with Dr. Tom Secord to develop the prototype of an implantable medical device that may replace the need for pacemaker batteries for the human heart.
- Students developing smart clothing sensors for autistic children.
- Students working on a 3-D printing of magnetic transformers.
Accelerate Your Master’s Degree
The Fast Track Bachelor’s/Master’s Program, offers mechanical engineering students the opportunity to begin their graduate studies during their undergraduate years, accelerating the process of getting their master’s degree. Students earn their bachelor’s degree first and then go on to earn their master’s with as few as 8 additional classes, saving time and money. With careful planning, it is possible to finish both degrees from St. Thomas in as few as five years.
Study Abroad
Engineers get global experience in study abroad programs focused on engineering, social entrepreneurship or cultural immersion. Programs are held worldwide, including in Italy, Peru, Germany, Australia, and Jordan.
Become a Global Engineer
Dual Degree in German and Engineering
The German and Engineering dual degree program prepares graduates for meaningful careers in a globally minded and diverse world. Spending a year abroad, the combination of foreign language and engineering studies lets students apply their language and culture skills to engineering and vice versa.
Accreditation
The University of St. Thomas bachelor's degree programs in Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. ABET, 415 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
The University of St. Thomas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Graduates of the University of St. Thomas Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E) program are expected to achieve one or more of the following:
- Create with Engineering Skills: Use mechanical, materials, energy, thermal, fluids, and environmental principles to create systems, products, and services that meet needs of people, improve the quality of their lives, and use resources wisely in pursuit of the common good.
- Grow in a Learning Profession: Increase personal knowledge and skill through graduate or professional study, appropriate certifications, and work assignments.
- Contribute through Citizenship: Contribute time, knowledge, and skills to the profession, community, and the world.
- Lead through One's Work: Serve as a team member or team leader, demonstrating ethical behavior, professional responsibility, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Adopted: August 13, 2002. Revised: May 6, 2022.
Graduates of the program have:
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
It takes more than theory to transform an idea into useful technology for our society. St. Thomas engineers emerge with practical, hands-on experience, the power of strong communication skills and the broad perspective of a liberal arts education. Our rigorous engineering programs are designed to transform the young creative minds of our students into engineers who can truly make a difference in the world.
Dr. Don Weinkauf, dean of the School of Engineering
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.