Degrees Offered: BS in mechanical engineering, MS in mechanical engineering, PhD in mechanical engineering
Mission Statement
To provide quality education, research, and service to our graduates and prepare them for successful engineering and professional careers and leadership roles with lifelong learning and ethical conduct that will lead them to be engaged responsible citizens, engineers, and professionals in their community and the world.
Program Educational Objectives (PEOs)
- Our graduates will be accomplished professionals by being able to formulate, communicate, and solve problems using engineering principles, methodologies, and modern tools
- Our graduates will be professionals and leaders in industry, national laboratories, academia, and society by employing engineering fundamentals, design skills, thinking creatively, communicating effectively, working collaboratively, and implementing emerging and innovative technologies
- Our graduates will be professionals and leaders who accept and practice their professional and ethical responsibilities, respect diversity of opinion and culture, and have a proper understanding and consideration for a healthy and aesthetic environment.
The Academic Program
Mechanical engineering (ME) is concerned with the design of all types of machines, conversion of energy from one form to another, instrumentation and control of all types of physical and chemical processes, the manufacturing and utilization of engineering materials, and control of human and machine environments. Mechanical engineers conceive, plan, design, and direct the manufacture, distribution, and operation of a wide variety of devices, machines, instruments, materials, and systems used for energy conversion, heat and mass transfer, biomedical applications, environmental control, control of human and machine environments, physical and chemical process control, materials processing, transportation, manufacture of consumer products, materials handling, and measurements. Mechanical engineers also employ Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Computer Aided Testing (CAT), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), computer modeling and simulations, novel materials, robotics, and mechatronics (integration of computers with electromechanical systems) in their day-to-day activities. Mechanical engineers find opportunities for employment in every branch of industry and in a variety of government agencies. Work may involve research, development, design, analysis, manufacture, testing, marketing, or management.
Undergraduate Study
Students Outcomes (SOs)
- 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.
Professional Components
- A culminating design experience that integrates knowledge and skills acquired throughout the curriculum
- The application of engineering standards and realistic constraints, including consideration of economics, environmental sustainability, manufacturability, ethics, health, safety, society, and politics
For more information: Undergraduate Program
Graduate Study
Outcomes
- Demonstrate mastery of the methodology and techniques specific to the field of study.
- Communicate both orally and in writing at a high level of proficiency in the field of study.
- Conduct research or produce some other form of creative work.
- Perform in their field of study at a professional level.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering with areas of concentration in Thermal and Fluid Sciences (heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, biotechnology, alternative energy conversions, sustainability, boiling and two-phase flow, combustion, multidisciplinary design and analysis optimization, and high-performance computing); Mechanics, Systems, and Controls (robotics, mechanical design, mechatronics, control systems, dynamical systems, space and ocean science and exploration, biomedical engineering, rehabilitation engineering, and renewable energy systems); and Materials and Manufacturing (nanotechnology, composite and smart structures, electrochemistry and corrosion, precision machining, and joining of dissimilar materials). For qualified graduate students, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and scholarships are available.
For more information: Graduate Studies
Accelerated BS/MS Program (“4+1”)
Overview
Beginning in Fall 2019, an accelerated BS/MS degree program will be offered through the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Mechanical Engineering. The key aspect of this program is that up to 9 credits of specific technical electives taken as part of the BS degree can be “double-counted” as credit towards the MS degree. This enables completion of an MS in Mechanical Engineering within a single year following completion of the BS degree.
For more information: Accelerated BS/MS Program (“4+1”)
