Undergraduate Major Mechanical Engineering

Learn How Things Work with a Mechanical Engineering Major from SNHU

Student and instructor in a SNHU mechanical engineering classroom

Prepare yourself for a future engineering career with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern New Hampshire University. Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines, and SNHU's program will ensure that you gain the design, analysis, development, and manufacturing knowledge that you need to succeed in a variety of different fields.

You'll gain a thorough understanding of mechanical systems, and be prepared to enter the engineering field in the areas of advanced materials, robotics, thermal-fluid systems, power and energy systems, propulsion systems, manufacturing, and more. 

SNHU has modelled its engineering programs in accordance with the international CDIO initiative, "an innovative educational framework for producing the next generation of engineers that stresses engineering fundamentals set in the context of Conceiving, Designing, Implementing, and Operating real-world systems and products." CDIO is a prominent engineering educational philosophy and is intended to achieve a fine balance between project-based, hands-on learning and traditional, theory-based engineering education. No matter your interest, the program will help you develop the necessary skills to begin your chosen career.

The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Concentrations

Robotics: Explores the future of robotics across a wide range of applications. Within this concentration, you will study both mobile and industrial robots, with opportunities for hands-on experience. You will also study ways to integrate, research, and implement robotics-related projects, with topics including advanced gripper mechanisms, control algorithms, humanoid robots, warehouse robots, and mobile robots.

Telecommunications: Examines the theory and design of telecommunications, including digital communication systems. Topics covered include principles of information theory, digital signals and digital channels, digital modulation, continuous and discrete systems, time system theory, difference and differential equations of systems, sampling theory, digital filtering, and more. You will also understand the principles of photonics, with a focus on lasers, optical fibers, and solid-state detectors.

Unmanned Aerial Systems: Focuses on understanding and designing unmanned aerial systems. This concentration will convey the fundamentals of systems engineering and unmanned aerial systems, as well as how they can be applied to the development of complex systems as applied in the aeronautics industry. You will learn how systems engineering differs from standard engineering as you study the conceptual design of unmanned aerial systems. The concentration includes a UAS design project with UAV mission sets.

Not available for international students.

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See Yourself Succeed in Mechanical Engineering

At SNHU, you'll have plenty of opportunities to put engineering theory into practice. SNHU's faculty and staff will work to provide you with experiential learning opportunities, and help you to find jobs and internships that allow you to get real, hands-on experience in the field. At SNHU, we are dedicated to providing you with the support and guidance that you need to find the education and career path that is right for you.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of majoring in Mechanical Engineering at SNHU include:

  • Supportive community. Join the SNHU campus community of students who are closely connected with faculty and staff dedicated to your success.
  • Affordability. SNHU is one of the most affordable private, nonprofit universities in New Hampshire, and students who qualify could receive up to $20,000 in grants and scholarships. (This scholarship amount is only for students who do not need a visa to study in the U.S.)
  • Innovative programs. Study abroad at little or no extra cost.
  • Accessible faculty. Learn from highly credentialed faculty members who are experts in their fields and interact with you in the classroom, dining hall, fitness center, and anywhere else you need them.
  • Opportunity. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni and strong connections with employers for internship and career opportunities.
  • Campus experience. Enjoy more than 50 student clubs, Division II athletics, and fun events on our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH, named a "Best Place to Live" by Money magazine.

Program Educational Objectives

  • Professional careers in Mechanical Engineering or other disciplines utilizing the knowledge and problem-solving skills they developed in the SNHU Mechanical Engineering program;
  • Increasing responsibility in technical and/or management areas;
  • Recognition or affirmation from their managers and peers as effective and valued members of their work team;
  • Increasing discernment and sensitivity in the consideration of global and societal contexts and consequences when making engineering decisions;
  • Expansion of their professional, personal, and interpersonal skills and engagement in lifelong learning activities, including post-graduate education for some graduates;
  • Involvement with professional and other service activities that contribute to industry and society.

​Internships & Outcomes

Graduates from SNHU’s Mechanical Engineering program will have a thorough understanding of both the technical and economic issues faced by engineers and engineering projects. Students will be well prepared to enter the engineering field in an entry-level position, but will also have a firm grasp on the skills necessary to succeed at all levels.

SNHU embraces a multidisciplinary approach to education, and encourages opportunities for students to gain new skills and perspective by working with students in other disciplines, such as aeronautical engineering or electrical and computer engineering. Engineering is a field that spans many industries, and SNHU is committed to giving students the resources they need to prepare to enter any of them.

Curriculum

Upon completion of the Mechanical Engineering program at SNHU, graduates should possess:

  • the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
  • the ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
  • the ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
  • the ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
  • the ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
  • a thorough understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
  • the ability to communicate effectively;
  • the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;
  • a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
  • an understanding of contemporary issues;
  • the ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice;
  • the ability to apply principles of engineering, basic science, and mathematics (including multivariate calculus and differential equations) to model, analyze, design, and realize physical systems, components, or processes;
  • the ability to work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas.

Courses To Prepare You For Your Career

SNHU's bachelor's in mechanical engineering program includes:

  • General education
  • Degree-specific courses

General Education Program

Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills - the skills that go beyond technical knowledge - such as:

  • Writing
  • Communication
  • Analysis
  • Problem solving

All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.

View Full Curriculum in the Catalog
BS in Mechanical Engineering and concentrations

Courses May Include
EG 207 Instrumentation & Measurements

This course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles, procedures, and computations regarding modern instrumentation and measurement systems. Students will gain a sound understanding of a language (LabVIEW ) used to describe modern instrumentation, measurement, and control systems and an appreciation of the various types of systems in common use in industry. Students will use this software to create virtual instruments. Particular emphasis will be given to electrical, mechanical, flow, and thermal measurement systems. The course will also cover statistical analysis to evaluate the quality of measurements, standard methods of characterizing measurement results, and methods for characterizing measurement system response. The students work in teams to conceive-design-implement-operate a project incorporating multiple sensors and data acquisition and analysis.

EG 316 Electrical Circuits

This course provides an introduction to the essentials of electrical circuit theory. Topics to be covered include resistive circuits, nodal and mesh analysis using Kirchhoff's laws, superposition, Norton & Th venin equivalences, capacitance & inductance, first and second order transient analysis, RC, RL, and RLC circuits, Laplace transform, and frequency response. A simulation software package is employed throughout this course to analyze various electric circuits.
EG 333 Control Systems Analysis

This course provides students an opportunity to model, analyze, and design control systems. It includes mathematical modeling of linear systems for time and frequency domain analysis, transfer function and state variable representations for analyzing control system's performance and stability; and closed-loop control design techniques by frequency response, and root-locus methods. It also involves computer programming and simulation exercises. This course gives a basic understanding and analysis tools of various control systems used in the aeronautical, mechanical, and electric and electronics industries.

MAT 325 Calculus III: Multivariable Calculus

Many real-world applications of calculus in science, engineering, economics, and business employ functions with many variables. This course extends the basic concepts of single-variable calculus developed in MAT 225 and MAT 275 to functions of several variables. Topics include vectors, the geometry of space, vector-valued functions, motion in space, partial derivatives and multiple integrals.

MAT 350 Applied Linear Algebra

This is a first course in linear algebra and matrices. Topics include systems of linear equations, linear independence, matrices of linear transformations, matrix algebra, determinants, vector spaces, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. After mastering the basic concepts and skills, students will use their knowledge of linear algebra to model a selection of applied mathematics problems in business, science, computer science and economics.
PHY 216 Physics II

This is the continuation of PHY-215 with similar characteristics; i.e., it is a calculus based physics course and stresses problem-solving. Topics covered include temperature, thermal equilibrium, thermal expansion, calorimetry, periodic waves, mathematical descriptions of a wave, speed of transverse waves, sound waves in gases, electric charges, atomic structure, Coulomb's Law, Kirchhoff's rules, magnetic fields and flux, motion of charged particles in a magnetic field, reflection and refraction, total internal refraction, Fermat's Principles of Least Time, geometrical optics, refraction of spherical surfaces, lenses, and an introductory topic of modern physics. The required lab component of this course covers introductory methods and techniques of laboratory experimentation in topics covered in this course. Students learn about procedures for measuring physical quantities and methods for collecting and analyzing experimental data. Students are required to complete 12 experiments in areas such as Thermophysics, Sound and Waves, Electricity, Magnetism, Optics, or Atomic and Nuclear Physics.
PHY 216L Physics II Lab

This is the continuation of PHY-215 with similar characteristics; i.e., it is a calculus based physics course and stresses problem-solving. Topics covered include temperature, thermal equilibrium, thermal expansion, calorimetry, periodic waves, mathematical descriptions of a wave, speed of transverse waves, sound waves in gases, electric charges, atomic structure, Coulomb's Law, Kirchhoff's rules, magnetic fields and flux, motion of charged particles in a magnetic field, reflection and refraction, total internal refraction, Fermat's Principles of Least Time, geometrical optics, refraction of spherical surfaces, lenses, and an introductory topic of modern physics. The required lab component of this course covers introductory methods and techniques of laboratory experimentation in topics covered in this course. Students learn about procedures for measuring physical quantities and methods for collecting and analyzing experimental data. Students are required to complete 12 experiments in areas such as Thermophysics, Sound and Waves, Electricity, Magnetism, Optics, or Atomic and Nuclear Physics.

Total Credits: 123

Program Outcomes

Campus Undergraduate Costs

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Our Manchester campus aims to keep tuition and related costs low for our students so that you can pursue your degree and your goals. More than 90% of our students receive some form of financial aid, and students who qualify could receive up to $20,000 in grants and scholarships.

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University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...