Everything about MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

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WHAT EDUCATION IS NECESSARY FOR A CAREER AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER? You will at least need a bachelors degree from a university engineering program to qualify for a position as a mechanical engineer. The degree must be from a college or university accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). As an alternative to a degree in mechanical engineering (or general engineering), you may also work toward a degree in physics, math (or applied math or physics), or computer science. Regardless of the exact degree you obtain, your course load will be very heavy in math and physics. So just how much math is involved with most mechanical engineering programs? Well, theres a heavy course load in algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and calculus. There is also a great deal of science to master, including; biology, chemistry and physics. You may also need possible computer programming or computer applications coursework as well. To get into most mechanical engineering programs, a student is expected to have completed two years of high school algebra and one year of trigonometry. They should have also completed one year of both chemistry and physics. It is possible to start at a community college and transfer to a 4-year college later. You can also join a co-op program where you will both attend classes and work in an engineering-related job. This allows you to graduate with valuable experience. Otherwise, you may include gain experience at a traditional internship during your college years. If you are interested in gaining an advanced degree (i.e. a Master's or Ph.D) in Mechanical Engineering, you will need to take the GRE Test. The GRE is the admissions exam required by most graduate schools. WHERE DO MECHANICAL ENGINEERS GAIN EMPLOYMENT?

Mechanical engineers can find employment at virtually any institute where innovation takes place. They commonly work in the government, research, industry, military, teaching, management or consulting sectors. More than half the mechanical engineers employed in the U.S. in 2002 were in manufacturing. The government agencies that typically hire mechanical engineers include the U.S. Navy, Patent and Trademark Office, International Trade Commission, Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy and even the U.S. Postal Service. From developing toys to prosthetic legs, the types of projects you can be a part of are as vast as your imagination.