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CU-Boulder's fully accredited
undergraduate degree program includes options in environmental
and biomedical engineering. Air pollution control, environmental
aspects of energy conversion, and pollution prevention through
product and manufacturing process design are important areas
in which mechanical engineers contribute to environmental
protection. Students who select the biomedical engineering
option take technical electives in areas such as biomechanics,
neural systems, biomaterials, organic chemistry, and cardiovascular
fluid dynamics. Alternatively, students may elect to use their
technical electives to gain a broad undergraduate education.
Students
gain relevant, hands-on design experience through working
on design projects beginning their freshman year. As in all
of the engineering majors, students also have excellent opportunities
to become involved in discipline-related activities outside
of the classroom through the student chapters of several professional
societies, including the Society for Automotive Engineers,
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and American Society for
Mechanical Engineering. |
Career
Opportunities
Mechanical
engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines.
The undergraduate program in mechanical engineering prepares
students for careers in a wide range of industries through
the study of engineering design, manufacturing, and systems
engineering.
Mechanical
engineers are employed in the automotive, aerospace, chemical,
computer, electronic, industrial machinery, manufacturing,
mining, oceanographic, petroleum, pharmaceutical, power, printing,
publishing, and textile industries. Specific technical areas
include biomedical engineering, micro- and nano-technology,
environmental engineering, design and manufacturing, fluid
mechanics, industrial engineering, materials science, solid
mechanics, systems engineering, and thermal science.
Types
of Work
The characteristics which best define mechanical engineering
are breadth and flexibility. Mechanical engineering is a core
discipline that encompasses the general areas of design and
manufacturing, fluid and solid mechanics, and thermal and
materials science. Many career directions are open to mechanical
engineers. They work in industry, government, and universities,
as well as in other professions, including business, law,
and medicine.
Employment
Most mechanical engineers are employed in a wide range of
industries, including automotive, aerospace, chemical, computer,
electronic, industrial machinery, manufacturing, mining, oceanographic,
petroleum, pharmaceutical, power, printing, publishing, and
textile. Mechanical
engineers typically engage in one or more of the following:
research, development, design, testing, manufacturing, operation
and maintenance, and marketing, sales and administration.
Job
Outlook
Mechanical Engineers are expected to have an average growth
rate with employment projected to increase 9-17% through 2014.
Salaries
Average starting salary nationally is $51,732 |
