Mechanical Engineering Department

Mission Statement

The Mechanical Engineering program at WPI is designed to develop graduates who can deal with real world situations that involve technological and humanistic/societal issues. Students develop literacy and competency in utilizing scientific and engineering methods for devising useful products in an economical way, while considering the impacts on society. The Mechanical Engineering program is in harmony with the WPI Plan philosophy of education, in which each student develops competence, confidence and the skill of self-learning.

Educational Program Objectives

  1. A graduate should be able to apply the fundamental principles of mathematics, science, and engineering to solve structured problems in mechanical engineering.
  2. A graduate should be able to combine fundamental knowledge of engineering principles and modern techniques to solve realistic, unstructured problems that arise in mechanical engineering.
  3. A graduate should demonstrate the ability to design and develop useful products, processes, or systems that benefit society.
  4. A graduate should develop interpersonal skills, ethical behavior, a professional attitude and a respect for others to function effectively in a team environment.
  5. A graduate should demonstrate communication skills, written, oral, electronic and graphical, so that they can perform engineering functions effectively.

Educational Outcome

Graduating students should demonstrate the following at a level equivalent to an entry-level engineer or first year graduate student:

  1. An understanding of the fundamental principles of conservation laws, constitutive relations, mechanics and materials science.
  2. The ability to apply mathematics, science and engineering to thermofluid and mechanical systems.
  3. The ability to design a system, component or process to meet design criteria.
  4. The ability to design and conduct experiments and to analyze and interpret the resulting data.
  5. The ability to use modern engineering tools for engineering design and analysis.
  6. The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
  7. The ability to function within multidisciplinary teams.
  8. The ability to function professionally and ethically.
  9. An understanding of contemporary issues and the impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context.
  10. An appreciation for the skills to accomplish life-long learning.
  11. Knowledge of chemistry and calculus-based physics with depth in at least one.
  12. The ability to apply advanced mathematics through multivariate calculus and differential equations.
  13. Familiarity with statistics and linear algebra.
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Last modified: October 22, 2007 14:30:46