The Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department prepares students for modern professional practice and applications in the engineering profession and industry. The ME Department offers coursework leading to degrees in Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
The undergraduate program is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of basic engineering concepts, as well as the contemporary skills required by industry. The foundation courses provide students a basis for professional competence and the knowledge required to focus on a particular specialization upon graduation, either in the work environment or through pursuing advanced degrees. Courses that develop contemporary skills provide students an ability to be immediately competitive and productive as they begin their professional careers. The coursework includes extensive laboratory experiences and many opportunities for students to complete applied projects and designs. The student may choose to complete a capstone project in one of the following: Mechanical System Design; Thermal Systems Design; Mechatronics System Design.
The graduate program is designed for advanced study to develop a high degree of competency, both in theory and practice, required by technology. Courses and scholarly activities in such areas as fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, rigid-body dynamics, vibrations, modal analysis, finite element methods, computer-aided mechanical engineering design and optimization, controls and manufacturing engineering and mechatronics systems engineering can lead to a degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME).
The curriculum is based on a strong core of engineering courses and science courses common to all engineering curricula. The required science courses include physics, chemistry, and mathematics. The undergraduate curriculum is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Recognizing that the quality of its curriculum is directly related to the knowledge and skills of its faculty, the Mechanical Engineering Department supports continuing scholarship and research of its faculty and students.
The University Library serves as the main information and research source for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The SJSU Library collection is augmented by consortial agreements with CSU+ and Interlibrary Services. A large number of university, college, and public libraries are located nearby in the Bay Area, providing a rich source of library resources available to SJSU engineering students and faculty. Many local industrial and government institutions have ongoing research with our engineering faculty and allow their resources to be accessed by our students and faculty as well.
There is a coordinated effort between the collection development and management for the Mechanical Engineering Department and the other SJSU engineering departments as well as with many of the science disciplines, most notably Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. It is also necessary to maintain a coordinated effort with some areas of the social sciences and arts/design.
The Library's print collections and electronic resources in mechanical engineering are both strong in general. The basic and essential engineering materials are maintained to support the curriculum and teaching. The continuous subscriptions to engineering online databases, including Engineering Village, IEEE Xplore, and ASME Digital Collection, as well as, science and technology databases: Academic Search Complete, ScienceDirect and Web of Science provide study and research capability for students and faculty. The collection is enhanced by the addition of ASTM Standards & Engineering Digital Library.
A. Academic Senate Policy
According to Academic Senate Library Policy S15-10, periodic evaluations of the print collection are required to maintain the high quality of the academic collection, with the primary goals of improving the effectiveness of browsing and providing space for new acquisitions. The objectives include relocating materials, and weeding duplicate materials and materials that support discontinued programs or are no longer relevant for current programs.
B. Evaluation Plans
Development of the Mechanical Engineering collection requires a concerted effort in working with the engineering faculty to identify changes in the curriculum and to review the library collection to ascertain that the appropriate research materials are available at a level comprehensive enough to support new areas and to update materials for existing areas of study. Access to a greater number of key resources in full text will be emphasized, especially in journals and databases. Most recently requests have been made for access to specific standards, particularly ASME standards.