Mechanical Engineering

Components, Power and Information

Mechanical engineering is, more than anything else, the engineering of systems—the interactions of components, power and information. There are incredible mechanical engineering systems in aerospace and automotive hardware, power generation facilities and manufacturing. Because systems bring together the engineering of mechanics and motion, thermodynamics and fluids, materials and structures, and control, mechanical engineering is a broad discipline of design and analysis.

Not sure what engineering discipline to pursue and want to keep your options open? This broad-based foundational major is flexible, allowing a focus in many important disciplines, such as fatigue/fracture mechanics and failure analysis. If understanding, building and using state-of-the-art materials such as composites and ceramics intrigues, or if designing and analyzing structures is your desired focus, this challenging major may be the right one.

The Mechanical Engineering major is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

POTENTIAL JOB ASSIGNMENTS

Within the Air Force

62EX – Developmental Engineer
11EX – Test Pilot
12EX – Flight Test Combat Systems Officer
62EXF – Flight Test Engineer
13MX – Airfield Operation
61AX – Operations Research Analyst
21AX – Aircraft Maintenance
21RX – Logistics Readiness
32EX- Civil Engineering

Outside the Air Force

Mechanical Engineer Industries – Aerospace, automotive, chemical, construction, defense, electronics, materials and metals, pharmaceuticals, and more.

For top performers, graduate school can be an option as a first Air Force assignment, either by winning a prestigious national scholarship like the Guggenheim, Hertz or Rhodes scholarships. Top cadets can also attend medical school programs or become future Academy faculty!

SAMPLE COURSES

Energy Conversion
Sustainable Energy
Automotive Systems Analysis for the Engineer
Aerospace Composite Materials

SUGGESTED COURSE SEQUENCE

4th CLASS YEAR (FRESHMAN)	3RD CLASS YEAR (SOPHOMORE)	2ND CLASS YEAR (JUNIOR)	1ST CLASS YEAR (SENIOR)
For Lang 1 Beh Sci 110 English 111 Math 141 Comp Sci 110 For Lang 2 Chem 100 History 100 Math 142 Physics 110 Leadership 100	Comp Sci 206 Math 243 English 211 Engr Mech 220 Econ 201 Physics 215 Mech Engr 330 Math 245 Pol Sci 211 MSS 251 ECE 315 Leadership 200	Mech Engr 305 Mech Engr 320 Mech Engr 312 Adv Math Option Aero Engr 315 Soc Sci 311 Mech Engr 325 Mech Engr 341 Mech Engr Option I Law 220 Adv SocioCultural Opt Math 356 Leadership 300	Mech Engr 491 Mech Engr 350 Mech Engr 460 Mech Engr Option II Mech Engr Option III Astro Engr 310 Mech Engr 492 Mech Engr 370 Mech Engr Option IV History 300 Philos 310 Leadership 400

For full program requirements and course descriptions, download the current Course of Instruction Handbook.

VALIDATION AND TRANSFER CREDITS

EM 220, EM 320, EM 330

FREQUENTLY USED FORMS & TOOLS

Department of Engineering Mechanics SharePoint
Academy Registrar SharePoint

ACCREDITATION INFORMATION

The Mechanical Engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

To ensure the success of our graduates, we prepare them to achieve the following Program Educational Objectives within two to five years after graduation:

Recognition as successful Air Force officers through demonstration of their ability to:
- Rapidly acquire required knowledge
- Lead others effectively
- Apply ethical and moral standards
- Improve unit performance by application of organizational skills
- Make sound decisions based on critical thinking
- Communicate effectively
Selection for career training on, or ahead of, schedule, and for a progression of assignments of increasing responsibility
Demonstrated ability to solve Air Force technical problems
Success in continuing education

These objectives are assessed through Student Outcomes—the skills, knowledge and behaviors students should acquire before graduation. The outcomes for this program are:

An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Mechanical Engineering Enrollment and Graduation Data

Year	4°	3°	2°	1°	Total Undergrad	Degrees Conferred
2014/15	21	20	41	30	112	30
2015/16	24	32	23	41	120	41
2016/17	36	21	27	22	106	22
2017/18	37	36	21	27	121	27
2018/19	33	37	36	21	127	21
2019/20*		33	37	36	106

*Current academic year numbers as of August 2019

CONTACT US

Lt Col Jason Christopher
Advisor-in-Charge
jason.christopher@afacademy.af.edu
(719) 333-0090

WANT TO STUDY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING?

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