Mechanical engineers make an impact in almost every aspect of modern society. It's hard to think of something that exists in our world that a mechanical engineer hasn't had a hand in designing or producing.
As a mechanical engineering major, you can look forward to good job prospects, a high salary and varied work.
We offer areas of study in machine design, robotics, manufacturing processes, thermodynamics, fluid flow, composite materials and much more. You can study anything from biomechanics and assistive technologies for people with disabilities to automation and robotics systems. You can even learn about the design of ships, submarines, aircraft and spacecraft.
You'll gain hands-on experience working on projects alongside world-class faculty members, whose research activities cover a wide range of areas, from optimizing luge sleds for the U.S. Olympic Luge Association to creating the newest ducted wind turbine technology.
As a mechanical engineering graduate, you'll leave Clarkson with the ability to apply principles of engineering, science and mathematics to model, analyze, design and realize physical systems.
During your first year, you'll take courses that are part of the Coulter School of Engineering's common curriculum. Subject areas include:
Mechanical engineering majors are required to complete a range of courses, including:
You'll choose a three-credit-hour engineering elective in mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering or engineering science, as well as upper-division courses in mathematics, physics, other engineering disciplines and mechanical engineering. In addition, you'll have at least six credit hours to use toward courses of your choice.
This concentration expands your knowledge of manufacturing‐related topics, such as production management, statistical quality control and manufacturing processes. Learn more about the advanced manufacturing engineering concentration.
The following courses are required for all students, irrespective of their program of study. These courses are offered during the fall semester, with FY100 First-Year Seminar being required of only first-year students. Both FY100 and UNIV190 are typically taken during the fall semester of the first year at Clarkson.
FY100 First-Year Seminar (1 credits)
UNIV190 The Clarkson Seminar (3 credits)
All students majoring in a program offered by the School of Engineering (excluding engineering & management majors) take courses that are part of a common curricula during the first year. Therefore, students may defer the selection of a major field of study until the sophomore year. Beginning with the junior year, a significant amount of specialized material is incorporated into each curriculum. In the senior year, coursework is concentrated in the student’s chosen field. Courses in humanities and social sciences are taken throughout the 4-year program as part of the Clarkson Common Experience.
During the first year, students majoring in a program offered by the School of Engineering (excluding engineering & management majors) must complete the following courses:
Students majoring in mechanical engineering are required to complete the following courses:
Core Electives
The following are electives students are required to complete for the mechanical engineering major. Students must select a 3-credit engineering elective in mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering or engineering science. Typical courses include ME444 Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD), ME443 Optimal Engineering, ES380 Biomechanics, ME390 Additive Manufacturing or ME429 Welding and Metallurgy.
Professional Electives
This requirement can be satisfied with upper-division courses in mathematics, physics, other engineering disciplines and mechanical engineering (e.g., STAT383 Applied Statistics, MA339 Fourier Series and Boundary-Value Problems).
Knowledge Area/University Course Electives
Students majoring in mechanical engineering are required to take at least 15 credit hours to satisfy the Knowledge Area and/or University Course electives requirement. This, for mechanical engineering majors, must include ES110 Engineering & Society and a course in economics, such as EC350 Engineering Economics.
Free Electives
Students majoring in mechanical engineering have at least 6 credit hours available to use toward courses of their choice.
Any undergraduate student at Clarkson can get involved in hands-on research with a faculty expert. Research experiences for undergraduate mechanical engineering majors include both on-campus research in the fall and spring semesters and paid summer internships funded by government agencies or foundations. Learn more about research at Clarkson.
Twice a year, nearly 200 employers come to campus to recruit undergraduate Clarkson students for internships and co-ops. In Spring 2020, more than 100 companies were looking for mechanical engineers. Many students who have internships or co-ops with companies they meet at one of our Career Fairs receive full-time job offers before graduation. Learn more about co-ops and internships.
Our undergraduate mechanical engineers are among the most active students on our hands-on, competitive SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) teams. Any major can join any of our 13 SPEED teams. Mechanical engineers represent our department on a number of teams like Baja SAE, SAE Clean Snowmobile, Formula SAE/Formula SAE Electric and Human-Powered Vehicle.
You'll find leadership opportunities and lifetime friendships through over 200 student groups. Explore all clubs and organizations.
As various fields of medicine and healthcare increasingly depend on advances in technology, graduates with combined expertise in biomedical engineering principles and knowledge of biological sciences will be in high demand. Learn more about the biomedical engineering minor.
The business minor provides broad exposure to the foundations of major business functions and is an excellent complement to a technical major. Learn more about the business minor.
An electrical engineering minor provides a foundation in energy systems, basic electrical science and digital design. Learn more about the electrical engineering minor.
Increasing demands on the mechanical and environmental durability of national infrastructure require improving the strength and useful life of steels, concrete, ceramics and other engineering/structural materials. Learn more about the materials engineering minor.
The minor in robotics provides a solid and coherent introduction to the field with four required core courses and three elective courses. Learn more about the robotics minor.
Mechanical Engineering Student Wins National Grid Scholarship
Syed Bazif, a junior Clarkson mechanical engineering student from Queens Village, NY, was awarded the National Grid “Charging Our Future” DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Engineering Scholarship. He received $10,000 with a paid internship opportunity.
According to Payscale, the average mechanical engineer salary is currently over $70,000 per year. A bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson starts graduates out strong — 2022 graduates had an average starting salary of over $69,100, with the highest starting salary reaching $83,000.
Entry-level mechanical engineering careers can be found in areas such as:
Clarkson Grad Helps Design New Medical Instruments
Monica Bomze ’22 presented research for a new instrument to be used for minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery (MILS). Her findings were published in the ASME Journal of Medical Devices as part of the conference proceedings.
By applying the problem-solving skills developed at Clarkson, graduates go on to leadership positions across many different industry sectors. Many mechanical engineering majors also choose to continue their studies at graduate schools.
A Clarkson SPEED Team consisting of 25 students from several different majors won a first-place finish in the Diesel Utility Class at the 2020 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge.
Clarkson University's undergraduate aerospace, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and software engineering programs and undergraduate engineering and management program are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. Read more on Engineering Program Objectives.
Learn how to apply principles of engineering, science and mathematics in a hands-on environment with experienced and accessible faculty.
