Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Major
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Major
Mechanical engineers turn ideas into machines, products and technologies that help people live, work and explore, from medical devices and robots to electric vehicles, aircraft and clean energy systems. At St. Thomas, you'll learn mechanical engineering by doing it.
You'll work with faculty, classmates and industry partners to design, build and test mechanical systems while developing practical skills in computer-aided design (CAD), robotics, manufacturing, materials and energy systems.
U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of St. Thomas College of Engineering #1 in Minnesota for engineering schools without a doctoral program.
All first-year students are offered a St. Thomas scholarship, which you can use to pay any of your costs of attendance at St. Thomas. Scholarships are available for eligible first-year and returning undergraduate engineering students.
All mechanical engineering students are employed full-time or enrolled in graduate school within 6 months of graduation.
From introduction to engineering design, electronics, fluid mechanics, materials, manufacturing processes and more, these courses and lab experiences help you build core mechanical engineering skills.
Students are introduced to the engineering disciplines and the design process through a semester-long design challenge. Student-led teams identify a need, interview clients, plan tasks and propose engineering solutions with consideration for the common good.
Students will learn to read and create engineering drawings using computer-aided design (CAD). Topics covered will include the engineering design process, rapid prototyping, principles of projection, and more.
Students will learn advanced mechanics topics, static and dynamic failure theories and basic machine components by means of a design project. Through hands-on lab exercises, students will create machine designs by understanding machine components including springs, screws, bearings, basic 4-bar linkages, cams and gears.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of materials theory, properties and applications. Students will learn about characteristics of materials including the properties and applications of metals, polymers, ceramics and composite materials through hands-on labs.
During your senior year, you'll bring together what you've learned throughout your mechanical engineering courses in a two-semester capstone project called the Senior Design Clinic. Working as part of a team, you'll apply engineering principles, design methods and problem-solving skills to develop a solution to an engineering challenge.
Engineering Majors Tackle Real-World Challenges
Put your engineering knowledge to work through the Senior Design Clinic, a two-semester capstone experience where you'll collaborate with classmates and industry or community partners to solve real engineering challenges. Mechanical engineering projects may involve product development, robotics, manufacturing, energy systems or other needs identified by project partners.
The College of Engineering offers scholarships for incoming first-year students, transfer students and returning engineering students, in addition to scholarships and financial aid offered by the University.
The $12,500 Engineering Board of Governors Scholarship is awarded competitively to an incoming first-year student planning to major in engineering. The scholarship is renewable for three additional years, for a total of $50,000.
Admitted transfer students planning to major in engineering are automatically considered for Summit Engineering Scholarships, with awards of up to $10,000 per year.
Each year, the College of Engineering awards more than 50 scholarships ranging from $250 to $4,000 to eligible returning engineering students.
From state-of-the-art engineering facilities and labs, strong connections with faculty to student clubs and study abroad opportunities, explore the places and experiences our mechanical engineering students engage with.
With over 400,000 square feet dedicated to STEM education, St. Thomas engineering students have plenty of room to conceptualize, collaborate, create and innovate. Mechanical engineering facilities and labs at St. Thomas include the Blattner Robotics and Automation Lab, 3D Visualization Studio, Machine Design Lab, Machining and Manufacturing Center, Rapid Prototyping Center, Thermodynamics Lab, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Lab and many more.
St. Thomas engineering faculty are student-focused real-world experts who build strong personal and professional connections with students both inside and outside of the classroom. Students can engage in clubs, activities, field trips and research projects with faculty and their peers.
Nearly 80% of our students graduate with internship experience. Our outstanding relationships with Twin Cities companies create great opportunities for students to gain real-world experience. Every year, at an event called "Meet the Engineers - a Reverse Career Fair", over 75 companies send their representatives to seek out our engineering students for internships and jobs at their companies.
Engineering is about solving problems that ultimately improve people's lives. At St. Thomas, a broad Liberal Arts education develops students' ability to deeply appreciate and understand the people, perceptions, policies and business environment that define technology's success.
Get involved in engineering clubs and competitions such as Tommie Motorsports, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Biomedical Engineering Club, Engineers Without Borders and the Robotics Club. Build technical skills, collaborate with classmates and connect with engineering professionals beyond the classroom.
Mechanical engineering students have opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research involving robotics, advanced materials, manufacturing, energy systems and other engineering challenges. These projects allow students to apply classroom knowledge, develop research skills and explore solutions to real-world problems.
Through our Roman Structures, Engineering and Society study abroad course, students spend the month of January traveling throughout Italy to discover the origins and evolution of engineering and design, from Roman aqueducts to cutting-edge, contemporary Italian infrastructure. Mechanical engineering students also have the option to study abroad in South Korea, Australia, Spain or Germany.
St. Thomas mechanical engineering faculty combine industry experience, research expertise and a commitment to hands-on learning. Students have opportunities to work with faculty on research involving robotics, advanced materials, energy systems and mechanical design.
Dr. David Forliti teaches and conducts research in the thermal-fluid sciences, with a focus on how fluids move, mix, and break apart, from the atomization of liquid fuel sprays to turbulent flows to blood flow in the body. At St. Thomas, students get hands-on experience using laser technology, computer simulations and experiments to investigate real-world engineering challenges, including how to make rocket engines safer and more efficient. Dr. Forliti's students gain hands-on experience in both experiments and simulation, which prepares them for graduate study and research and development careers.
Dr. Brittany Nelson-Cheeseman helps students explore how engineers can design "smart materials" to do things they normally can’t, from changing shape in response to heat or magnetic fields to creating new possibilities for soft robotics. Through hands-on research with 3D-printed composites, students investigate how a material’s structure affects its strength, movement and performance. Working with Dr. Nelson-Cheeseman, undergraduate researchers gain experience experimenting with new materials and developing ideas that could shape future technologies.
Dr. Tom Secord explores how sensors, robotics and automated systems can improve technologies ranging from medical devices to advanced manufacturing. In the Blattner Robotics Lab at St. Thomas, Dr. Secord's undergraduate students work with industry-standard robots, sensors and machine vision systems to learn how machines respond to their environments and perform complex tasks. He enjoys mentoring students in a variety of design and hands-on research projects inside and outside of the classroom.
Dr. Jeong Ho You specializes in computational nanomaterials, mechanics of materials, and acoustic energy conversion. His research focuses on exploring advanced material properties at the nanoscale and developing innovative energy solutions. Dr. You mentors students directly in advanced computational modeling, helping them build analytical capabilities for solving complex engineering challenges.
To earn a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, you'll complete the University of St. Thomas Core Curriculum, Mechanical Engineering major requirements and allied requirements outlined in the Undergraduate Course Catalog.
You will start your studies at St. Thomas by being introduced to engineering design and mechanical engineering graphics, along with calculus, programming, physics and three St. Thomas core requirements. You will then progress to courses focusing on statics, mechanics of materials, fabrication skills, dynamics, introduction to electronics, manufacturing processes and statistical control, machine design, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, control systems and automation, heat transfer, engineering materials, additional math and science courses, and St. Thomas core requirements.
You will wrap up your studies with the Senior Design Clinic, a team-based two-semester capstone course your senior year that focuses on designing and developing a solution to an engineering problem in partnership with industry, non-profits or community partners.
If you are interested in transferring to St. Thomas with an Engineering major, read this information for undergraduate Engineering transfer students.
Your faculty adviser will personalize a four-year plan with you based on your goals. This is one snapshot of how the plan of study for this major can look. Additional plans of study exist for students who wish to study abroad, double major or for ROTC.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering (accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET)
The University of St. Thomas bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering is accredited by the EAC Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
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 program are expected to achieve one or more of the following:
Adopted: August 13, 2002. Revised: May 6, 2022.
Graduates of the program have:
Our optional five-year International Engineering Program includes a full year abroad. You'll study at the Technical University Darmstadt in Germany for one semester followed by a semester-long paid internship in Germany.
In this university-industry collaboration, you earn two degrees - one in German and one in Engineering - plus you graduate with globally focused industry experience.
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.
