Mechanical Engineering Degrees Online

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Online Mechanical Engineering Degree Programs

One of the broadest disciplines in engineering, mechanical engineering focuses on the design, development, research, testing, and manufacturing of tools, engines, and mechanical devices. Their work is crucial to most of the machines that have come to define modern society, from internal combustion engines to power drills to robots. (cont)

Mechanical Engineering Degrees

Like most engineering disciplines, mechanical engineers usually require a bachelor's degree for entry into the field. If you are interested in research or teaching, you might even explore the possibility of securing a master's degree or higher to be more competitive in the job market. For engineers working on public projects, local, state, or federal licensing tests are required.

Mechanical Engineering Coursework

Coursework focuses on mathematics, statistics, physics, solid mechanics, instrumentation and measurement, thermodynamics, heat transfer, energy conversion, fluid mechanics and dynamics, hydraulics and pneumatics, and drafting (CAD/CAM). And given mechanical engineering's close relationship with the manufacturing industry, your career training should also encompass production, business management, and design as well. Thereafter, you can specialize in additional subcategories. Aerospace engineering, for example, has many ties with mechanical engineering, and you could have extensive overlap if flight design is something that interests you career-wise. Other specialty fields include robotics, logistics, cryogenics, optics, biomechanics, fuel technology, and automotive engineering.

Online Mechanical Engineering Career Training

Because so much of mechanical engineering requires hands-on experience with moving parts and engines, online degrees aren't always well suited for this particular discipline. If you do decide to purse distance learning, be sure to supplement your career training with sufficient internship experience or apprenticeships to bolster your theoretical knowledge with real-world practical knowledge. Doing so can make you a better employment prospect down the road. You might also consider the benefits of extensive IT training. As nanotechnology continues to make inroads within the larger manufacturing industry, an understanding of computer systems and micro-technology could prove beneficial.

Careers in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers work in industries like aeronautics, bioengineering, cryogenics, heat transfer, medicine, manufacturing, and defense. Typically, a mechanical engineer works with machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, turbines, and boilers.

Of the fifteen most popular engineering fields, mechanical engineering is second only to civil engineering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 227,000 mechanical engineers reported in 2006 (out of 1.5 million total engineering jobs).

Salary and Career Outlooks for Mechanical Engineering

Job prospects in mechanical engineering are expected to grow more slowly than the national average due to globalization and international competition. This trend only highlights the importance of advanced education. With career training at the graduate level, you can better insulate yourself from slowed industry growth. Salary potential, on the other hand, is quite encouraging. In 2006, the median income for mechanical engineers was $70,000, with the upper ten percent earning almost $105,000.

Penn Foster Schools

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Mechanical Engineering

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Penn Foster College

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Mechanical Engineering

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University of Delaware

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Master of Engineering, Mechanical (MEM)
This non-thesis master's program in mechanical engineering comprises 30 credits of coursework including core required courses and electives.

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Penn Foster Global - Scranton

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AST - Mechanical Engineering

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Auburn University
The Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering offers a Master of Mechanical Engineering through its video-based distance education program. Each candidate must pass an on-campus final written examination covering the course work taken for this degree. The Graduate School allows you 5 years from the time of admittance to complete degree program. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Columbia University
Columbia University offers a number of online engineering programs including:

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Online certificate and professional degree programs in mechanical engineering are also available. Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Florida State University
Florida State University offers a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree over the internet. The program fully integrates the online students into the existing graduate classes. Online students have the same assignments, deadlines, and examinations as local students. Accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Iowa State University
Iowa State University offers a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree through distance education. The graduate program offers study including design and research in fluid mechanics, turbomachinery, fluid power, controls, heat transfer, machines and systems, materials and manufacturing processes, thermodynamics and energy utilization. Instrumentation, design of experiments, and computational methods may be applied to any of these areas. A thesis and non-thesis option is available. If you select the non-thesis option, you will complete a creative component that demonstrates substantial evidence of individual accomplishment. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Kansas State University
Kansas State University offers Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering through distance education. Courses for the engineering degrees are delivered via a variety of distance learning methods, including audio-tape, CD-ROM, videotape, multimedia and the web. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Kettering University
Kettering University's Mechanical Engineering Department offers a Master of Science in Engineering with a focus on Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Simulation. All academic courses are offered via the Web, videotape, or CD-Rom, and are available via the worldwide facilities of the MSC Institute of Technology. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University offers a Global Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering through distance education. The program offers an opportunity to technical employees to earn a work-based research degree. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University offers a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree program completely online. There are no residency requirements. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Idaho
The University of Idaho offers a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering non thesis degree through distance education. The programs of study are designed to extend the student's understanding of the fundamental engineering sciences and their application to engineering systems design and analysis. Specialization is offered in the following general areas: (1) thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer; (2) materials and applied mechanics; and (3) dynamic systems. Accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
A Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering is available from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via the Internet. There is no residency requirement for the completion of this online degree program. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Michigan
The University of Michigan College of Engineering offers an online Master of Engineering in Automotive Engineering. Courses are offered either by videotape, by live PictureTel (videoconferencing), or online through web-based video streaming. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Missouri - Rolla
University of Missouri - Rolla offers the following online mechanical engineering degrees:

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of North Dakota
Through UND's distance Mechanical Engineering degree program, you have the opportunity to learn while continuing to work, the flexibility to view lectures and other course materials online at the most convenient times and places, and access to faculty committed to distance engineering education. On-campus lab requirements are fulfilled during condensed sessions in the summer.

Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina offers the following online engineering degrees:

Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

Note that some courses may require attendance at USC Columbia on selected Saturdays at the discretion of the instructor. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Southern California
The USC School of Engineering Distance Education Network (DEN)offers online engineering graduate degree programs including:

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (General)
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Dynamics and Control

Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Online Engineering and Construction Degrees in Mechanical Engineering

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