Known for Engineering

Florida Tech is listed among the Fiske Guide’s “Engineering/Top Technical Institutes” and Parade Magazine’s College A-List in Engineering.

Pedal to the Metal

Want to design and build a formula race car, mini baja kart or electric racing vehicle? You can do all three—and more!—at Florida Tech.

Experience Included

Students get hands-on experience with robotics, mechatronics, automobile mechanics, instrumentation, power generation and computer-aided design.

Mechanical engineering is dedicated to the analysis, design and fabrication of systems—machines, engines, products and technologies—that provide conversion between mechanical, electrical and thermal energies. Guided by faculty committed to providing a superior education, students in the mechanical engineering program benefit from early, frequent and intense exposure to real-world projects.

Why Mechanical Engineering at Florida Tech?Students who choose to study mechanical engineering at Florida Tech enjoy small classes—which allow for a highly personalized learning experience—and the opportunity to get involved in immersive, team-oriented projects as well as cutting-edge faculty research. Another benefit to studying mechanical engineering at Florida Tech is the university’s proximity to NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida Solar Energy Center and several other high-tech companies, which gives faculty and students the ability to stay involved with the latest advances in science and engineering.

Your First-Year ExperienceYou won’t have to wait to see what mechanical engineering is all about if you choose to enroll at Florida Tech. In addition to the all-important math and science courses you will take during your first semester, you will also complete Introduction to Mechanical Engineering. Takeaways from this dynamic, broad-based course include skills with engineering software, basic design proficiency and knowledge of best practices in manufacturing. As a freshman, you will also get hands-on experience in a physics laboratory and introductory software development course, which provide a foundation for success during your sophomore year.

QUICK FACTS

• Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

• A four-course nuclear technology curriculum is available to juniors and seniors in the program.

• Florida Tech is home to FCAR, the Florida Center for Automotive Research.

• High-achieving students may become members of Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honor society.

Programs in the College of Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Biomedical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Civil Engineering

Computer Engineering

Computer Science

Construction Management

Electrical Engineering

Environmental Science

Mechanical Engineering

Meteorology

Ocean Engineering

Oceanography

Software Engineering

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Signature Research Areas

Sustainability of the Environment

Intelligent Systems

Assured Information and Cyber Security

New Space Systems and Commercialization of Space

Communication Systems and Signal Processing

Biomedical Systems

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Office of Undergraduate Admission150 W. University Blvd.Melbourne, FL 32901-6975

Ph: (321) 674-8030Toll Free: (800) 888-4348Fax: (321) 674-8004

admission@fit.eduwww.fit.eduFollow us

Outstanding Faculty

The mechanical engineering faculty includes a member of the National Academy of Engineering, three ASME fellows, two recipients of the NSF CAREER award and one recipient of a Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research.

Student Organizations

•ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)

•Pi Tau Sigma, the academic honor society for mechanical engineering students

•ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers)

Senior Design

As seniors, all engineering students complete a capstone project that challenges them to design, develop, prototype and present a complex engineering system.

Human Touch

Our small student-to-faculty ratio means that students get lots of face-time with professors and often work closely with them in the laboratory on innovative research projects.

What to ExpectThe mechanical engineering program is a strong community of ambitious students and highly active faculty members. The environment is highly cooperative, with students often working in teams, and very hands-on. Students will find no shortage of exciting projects with which to get involved.

Specialized LabsMechanical engineering students learn in labs dedicated to experimentation and research in fluid dynamics and heat transfer, shock waves and rocket propulsion, robotics and automated manufacturing, mechatronics and instrumentation, combustion, and materials testing.

Faculty Research AreasMechanical engineering faculty conduct research in diverse areas of interest, some of which include:

• structural mechanics

• solidification of metals

• laser applications

• design and control of robotic manipulators

• micro and nanotechnology in energy

• precision control and mechatronics

• automobiles

• energy conservation systems

• synthesis of mechanisms and machines

CareersStudents who graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering are likely to find careers focused on the design and fabrication of mechanical technologies. Graduates of Florida Tech’s mechanical engineering program have gone on to work for:

• Siemens

• Lockheed Martin

• Northrop Grumman

• Harris

• NASA

Graduate StudyGraduates of the mechanical engineering program at Florida Tech are prepared to pursue advanced degrees in mechanical engineering and related fields and have gone on to study at graduate schools such as:

• California Institute of Technology

• Stanford University

• Georgia Institute of Technology

• UC Berkeley

• Technical University (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)

Mechanical engineering encompasses four major subfields: design and structures, thermal-fluid sciences, control systems, and materials science and manufacturing.

Department ContactMechanical and Aerospace EngineeringPhone: (321) 674-8092mae@fit.eduhttp://coe.fit.edu/mae

Mechanical Engineering

www.fit.edu/programs/ugrad

Florida Institute of Technology is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Institute of Technology. Florida Institute of Technology does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam-era veterans status or any other discrimination prohibited by law in the admission of students, administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment policies, and athletic or other university sponsored programs or activities.

ProTrackENGINEERING CO-OPFlorida Tech’s ProTrack Engineering Co-op program allows engineering students to complete up to three semester-long paid work experiences related to their major and career interests while still earning a bachelor’s degree in four years. With ProTrack, students graduate on time and ahead of the curve.

PROTRACK MAJORS The ProTrack Engineering Co-op is open to students admitted to a College of Engineering degree program, including:

• Aerospace engineering• Biomedical engineering• Chemical engineering• Civil engineering• Computer engineering• Computer science• Construction management

• Electrical engineering• Environmental science• Mechanical engineering• Meteorology• Oceanography• Ocean engineering• Software engineering

How ProTrack WorksProspective students applying for admission to Florida Tech’s College of Engineering and wishing to enroll in ProTrack should indicate so by checking the appropriate box on their admission application, which may be completed online at www.fit.edu/ugrad/apply.

The entire first year is spent in classes at Florida Tech, where students build a strong foundation in the knowledge and skills needed for their first co-op job. Students must earn an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in their academic studies their first year to continue in ProTrack.

During the first year of study, ProTrack students take ProTrack Cooperative Education Preparation, a comprehensive preparatory course focused on critical skills and strategies for success in choosing the right co-op and excelling in it. Topics include industry exploration, résumé development, the job search, interview skills and workplace professionalism.

In their second year, ProTrack students continue their engineering education to prepare them for their first co-op work experience. For the majority of the ProTrack students, this first experience occurs during the spring semester of sophomore year. A typical ProTrack schedule is show below.

ProTrack Students:• Put classroom knowledge to use in

real-world problem-solving scenarios, preparing you for advanced course work and exciting careers of the future

• Gain insight into your professional strengths, making you better able to assess personal career interests and goals, and to confidently pursue them

• Build valuable workplace experience and hone transferable professional skills, making you a hot prospect in the eyes of future employers

• Get eyes and hands on the technologies and trends of the future in industries that will set the standards for tomorrow

• Explore up to three different positions related to your major and career interests before graduation

• Expand your professional network by making important industry contacts

• Graduate with your employer’s name on your official university transcript

• Get ahead financially, both in the short and long term; co-op earnings can be used to pay for tuition or living expenses and students graduating with co-op experience typically earn higher starting salaries

• Graduate sooner than traditional co-op students and maintain any previously developed senior design groups

ProTrack Fall Spring Summer A Summer B

Freshman Class Class Class Break

Sophomore Class Co-op Experience 1(6 credits online)

Class Break

Junior Co-op Experience 2(3 credits online)

Class Co-op Experience 3(3 credits online)

Senior Class Class Senior Design Graduation

*Some students may require a modified schedule depending on their degree program and academic standing.

Chris Nagel ’13, Mechanical Engineering, worked at NASA–Johnson Space Center as part of his ProTrack experience.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROTRACK ENGINEERING CO-OP?The program is open to all incoming freshmen admitted into any of the outstanding degree programs offered by the College of Engineering. Students must earn a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) their first year in order to begin their co-op rotation during their second year.

ProTrack students interested in one of our FastTrack Master’s Degree programs are able and encouraged to participate. There’s only one thing better than gaining a year of work experience while earning your bachelor’s degree in four years, and that’s earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years with work experience!

International students are able to enroll in ProTrack. Those choosing this program should, however, carefully manage their co-op experiences to keep their total time of employment under 52 weeks so they do not risk losing the ability to pursue post-degree practical training.

HOW MUCH CAN A PROTRACK STUDENT EARN THROUGH THE CO-OP EXPERIENCES?On average, students have earned $7,680 in Co-op Experience 1, $10,240 in Co-op Experience 2 and $12,800 in Co-op Experience 3. That’s over $30,000 over the course of the program.

WHAT IF I’M NOT AN ENGINEERING MAJOR?While the ProTrack Engineering Co-op program is specifically designed to combine co-op with engineering curricula, students in science, business, aeronautics, psychology, communication and the humanities can work with Career Management Services to find co-ops related to their major interests and career goals. Non-engineering students have completed co-ops, internships and temporary employment positions with many of our ProTrack Partners, as well as other educational and nonprofit organizations, media outlets, scientific and government agencies, and high-tech businesses. Whatever your major, you can get real-world experience related to your career goals at Florida Tech.

WHERE DO PARTICIPANTS WORK AND ARE THEY GUARANTEED CO-OP EMPLOYMENT?Students work at a variety of exciting scientific and technical organizations including Harris Corporation, Microsoft, Google, NASA, SpaceX and more. Students may also work with Career Management Services to write up a co-op proposal to the company of their choice.

Florida Tech will make every effort to find sufficient co-op employment positions for ProTrack students, but the university cannot guarantee employment. This applies especially to international students, since the U.S. government security regulations can sometimes make the employment of non-citizens difficult. The employment process is competitive. Academic performance, skills, motivation, maturity, attitude and potential will determine whether or not a student is offered a job. If a student is not employed through the interviewing process, Career Management Services will advise students on alternatives to gaining work experience through the ProTrack Co-op program. Failure to obtain work authorization status or ProTrack employment does not entitle any student to a change of academic status, refund or adjustment of tuition and fees charges.

WHO MANAGES THE PROTRACK ENGINEERING CO-OP PROGRAM?Career Management Services manages all internship and cooperative education programs, including ProTrack Co-op, working closely with students and their respective academic departments to provide top quality learning experiences. In addition, Career Management Services provides advisement and training services designed to optimize the co-op experience and maximize the value of the relationship among students, employers and the university. Career Management Services is responsible for:

• Advising employers on how to optimize their participation in Florida Tech Co-op

• Arranging for co-op on-campus recruiting interviews

• Giving co-op orientation training and professional career guidance to students

• Providing feedback on employment trends to students and faculty

“I love that my work directly affected the space program. I love that I wasn’t shoved in a corner and told to make copies, but instead I got to be a real member of a team of NASA engineers.”

Chris Nagel ’13 Mechanical EngineeringWorked at NASA–Johnson Space Center

Office of Undergraduate Admission150 W. University Blvd.Melbourne, FL 32901-6975

Ph: (321) 674-8030Toll Free: (800) 888-4348Fax: (321) 674-8004

admission@fit.eduwww.fit.edu | www.fit.edu/career/co-op

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Florida Institute of Technology is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Institute of Technology. Florida Institute of Technology does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam-era veterans status or any other discrimination prohibited by law in the admission of students, administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment policies, and athletic or other university sponsored programs or activities.

Location AdvantageFlorida Tech’s ProTrack Engineering Co-op program benefits from the university’s prime location in the heart of the “Space Coast.” Brevard County is home to the fourth-largest high-tech workforce in the nation and thousands of scientific and technological companies, organizations and agencies, many of which are in close proximity to our Melbourne, Fla. campus—making Florida Tech the perfect place to learn, work and play.

PROTRACK PARTNERS Here are just some of the many dynamic organizations at which Florida Tech students have earned co-op experience:

• Apple, Inc.• Boeing Company• Embraer• Florida Power and Light• GE• General Dynamics• Harris

• HP• Intel• Lockheed Martin• Microsoft• NASA • National Security Agency• Northrop Grumman

• PG&E• Pratt & Whitney• Raymond James• Raytheon• Rockwell Collins• Siemens• Space X