Undergraduate program

The BSME curriculum at Portland State University is distinguished by its emphasis on the design process culminating in the capstone project in the senior year. The curriculum emphasizes fluid systems, mechanical systems, thermal systems, and machine design.

The mechanical engineering curriculum is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 425 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 - telephone: (410) 347-7700. This national organization sets standards for engineering education defined in terms of curricular content, quality of faculty, and adequacy of facilities.

The mechanical engineering department is engaged in a continuous program improvement process in which the educational needs of our students have the utmost importance. The goal of the department is to ensure that all of our graduates receive a balanced education that makes them highly desirable to employers.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Program Objectives

Admission requirements

Mechanical Engineering B.S.

Honors Track

Bachelor's Plus Master's Pathway

MME Admission Requirements

For students gaining 300-level MME course admission FALL 2017

Terms of Admission & Deadlines

  • Fall admission only
  • Application deadline is May 15
  • If not a current PSU student apply first to PSU: www.pdx.edu/admissions/
  • MME application is on department website: www.pdx.edu/mme/bsme-application 

Minimum Eligibility for Consideration

  • Freshman Inquiry (for those who began PSU as freshman) or Wr 121 and Comm 220 (for transfer students) must be completed prior to fall
  • All required/shaded classes on the mechanical engineering course plan must be completed prior to fall 2017 with a C (not C-) or above and a 2.25 or higher GPA (excluding Freshman Inquiry or, for transfers, Wr 121 and Comm 220); this is the Selective Admission GPA

Selective Admission

  • Selective Admission will not be calculated for any student until Spring Grades are posted
  • Admission will be offered to the top students (approximately 90), including conditionally admitted students, based on their Selective Admission GPA
    • If the student does due diligence and cannot locate the necessary course(s) at PSU or local community colleges, it is possible the condition may be extended through end of fall. Extension must be approved by MME Faculty Advisor, Derek Tretheway. Official transcripts must be provided to both PSU Admissions Office and MME Department once grades post to determine if the condition was met.
  • Notification of admissions status will be sent after July 15, 2017

Repeated Classes

  • Standard PSU repeat/replace policy applies to Selective Admission GPA:
    • If a student earned a D+ or below in a class the first time, then only the repeated (second) grade will be used in the Selective GPA calculation
    • If a student earned a C- or above in a class the first time, then both the first grade and the second (repeated) grade will be used in the Selective GPA calculation
    • Should a class be taken a third time it does not replace the second attempt regardless of either grade

Additional testing/bridge classes

  • No test required
  • Students who did not complete ME 120, ME 121 and ME 122 at PSU are strongly encouraged to take the summer bridge course ME 299 Sensors and Controls. ME 299 may be required as a condition of admission by the MME Admission Committee.

Pass/No Pass

  • Required classes must be taken for a grade (not P/NP)
  • If a student earns a NP in a required class it will be calculated in selective admission GPA as an F and the course must be taken for a grade

Additional Information (exceptions, preferences, etc.)

Department Communication

  • Fall 2018 admission requirements available spring 2017 (in time for fall 2017 registration in May 2017)


Eligibility

Students must complete the following required/shaded courses with a minimum grade of C:

Ch 221General Chemistry I

4

Ch 227General Chemistry Laboratory

1

EAS 211Statics

4

EAS 212Strength of Materials

4

EAS 215Dynamics

4

ECE 241Introduction to Electrical Engineering

4

ECE 241LIntroduction to Electrical Engineering Lab

0

ME 120An Introduction to Engineering

3

ME 121Introduction to Systems and Control

3

ME 122Introduction to Design

3

Mth 251Calculus I

4

Mth 252Calculus II

4

Mth 254Calculus IV

4

Mth 256Applied Differential Equations I

4

Mth 261Introduction to Linear Algebra

4

Ph 221General Physics (with Calculus)

3

Ph 222General Physics (with Calculus)

3

Ph 223General Physics (with Calculus)

3

Ph 214Lab for Ph 201 or Ph 211 or Ph 221

1

Ph 215Lab for Ph 202 or Ph 212 or Ph 222

1

Ph 216Lab for Ph 203 or Ph 213 or Ph 223

1

Freshman Inquiry

69

Ph 211, Ph 212, and Ph 213 also accepted.

Freshman Inquiry: Comm 220 and Wr 121 for transfer students.

Continuation Criteria

After admission to the Mechanical Engineering program students will be expected to make satisfactory progress toward their declared degree and will be subject to the following rules:

  1. The term GPA in all courses taken at PSU must be 2.00 or higher. 
  2. At the conclusion of each term of the academic year, full-time students are normally expected to complete a minimum of 12 credits applicable toward their degree program. Part-time students are expected to complete a minimum of 12 credits per year applicable toward their degree program.
  3. Students will be placed on probation when their term GPA as described in (1) is below 2.00, or their progress toward the degree is less than that described in (2).
  4. Students placed on probation for two consecutive terms or for a total of three terms will be suspended from the BSME program. Students also will be suspended if not enrolled in engineering and/or computer science courses for three consecutive terms.
  5. Students who are suspended must meet with an advisor to determine whether and under which conditions readmission is feasible.
  6. Students must have a major GPA of at least 2.0 in order to graduate with their BSME.

Appeals

Students denied admission or suspended may request reconsideration by submitting a petition. The petition and supporting materials will be reviewed by the Chair of the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department and the Maseeh College’s Academic Appeals Committee, and a recommendation will be forwarded to the Dean. The appeal must be made within 30 days of notice to the student of denial of admission or suspension.

Pass/No Pass Grading Policy

All courses specifically required by the University or by the department must be taken for a letter grade unless a required course is only offered with a pass/no pass option.