Mechanical Engineering, WPI’s oldest and largest department, continues to attract renowned faculty and top students because what we do here is remarkable. The department’s resources allow for diverse research and exploration that give faculty and students opportunities to directly impact areas of most concern to them.
In a collaborative and challenging environment, students and faculty work together on projects and research that form the foundation of our commitment to learning while doing. Faculty help students explore and choose the academic path that matches their interests, and then students dig deeper with transformative projects and independent research. From their first courses here, students sharpen their critical thinking skills and put their problem-solving abilities to real use—giving them a distinct career advantage.
The academic degrees offered in the Mechanical Engineering program are:
| Area of Study | Bachelor | Minor | Certificate | Master | PhD | ||
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For degrees, research and facilities in Aerospace Engineering (AE), Manufacturing Engineering (MFE), Materials Process Engineering (MPE), Materials Science and Engineering (MTE), and Robotics Engineering (RBE) please visit the individual program websites. The Mechanical Engineering department consists of five programs:
Netflix engineering leader Karen Casella ’83 is advancing the technology that delights millions and working to make the field more inclusive.
Having begun his career at WPI studying energy efficiency, Rob Cruickshank took a 21-year detour into the cable industry, helping create some of the most pioneering innovations in the field. Now he’s focusing on energy management once again.
For mechanical engineering alumnus Arthur Hyde ’77, saving the Mustang became his mission during his career at Ford.
The Worcester Business Journal quoted Assistant Professor Pratap Rao, mechanical engineering, on how technological advancements have dropped prices of hydrogen and made it more feasible to store hydrogen for fueling stations.
The Robotics Business Review highlighted work by Major Qualifying Project (MQP) teams, ranging from an autonomous vehicle platform to a robot that can guide prospective students around a campus.
Students in WPI’s mechanical engineering department have many choices for projects and research including those in aeronautics, astronautics, biomechanical engineering, mechanics, manufacturing, materials science and engineering, mechanical design, robotics, and thermal-fluid engineering.
Mechanical engineering students also have access to several collaborative alliances between WPI and industry.
With the varied skills and problem-solving capabilities of a mechanical engineering education, graduates find careers in industries from aerospace to academia to automotive. Our graduates find their project-based work gives them the hands-on experience needed to hit the ground running after graduation.
Outstanding mechanical engineering students may opt to earn a BS/MS degree in an accelerated time. Students interested in the program are encouraged to complete an online graduate admissions application during their junior year, noting they want the BS/MS program for mechanical engineering.
Matthew's team, made up of six students with majors ranging from mechanical engineering to interactive media and game development, worked together to assess the feasibility of Bar Harbor becoming an International Dark Sky Community (IDSC). He and his team compared the ordinances of the town to the mandatory requirements for an IDSC, created a map of businesses that were dark-sky friendly, and gathered information on the current status of the night sky, allowing future teams to help work with the town to continue the process of making Bar Harbor an IDSC.
