Undergraduate Students

The BS degree in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET;  https://www.abet.org.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Arkansas has developed and maintained a well-defined set of Program Educational Objectives and desired Student Outcomes. These objectives and outcomes have been modified over the years, following our commitment to continuous improvement. The Program Educational Objectives are the big-picture goals of the Mechanical Engineering program relative to all of our constituencies (students, alumni, employers, and Arkansas Academy of Mechanical Engineering). Through surveys and other assessment tools, the department attempts to ensure that these objectives and desired outcomes are being met in a long-term feedback loop. The most recent version of our educational objective list is given below:

Mechanical Engineering Program Internal and External Constituents

  • Faculty.
  • Students represented by student society officers.
  • Alumni represented by the Arkansas Academy of Mechanical Engineering (AAME) and mechanical engineering representatives on the Dean's Early Career Council.
  • Employers represented by a group of 4 to 6 that work for employers in industry, government, and private practice.

Program Educational Objectives

The BSME Program Educational Objectives are to produce graduates who, within a few years of graduation, are expected to:

  • Contribute to the economic development of Arkansas and the world through the practice of Mechanical Engineering;
  • Meet or exceed the needs and expectations of mechanical engineering employers in industry, government, and private practice;
  • Engage in professional activities that promote the mechanical engineering profession and provide continuing self-development, and develop leadership potential;
  • Succeed in graduate study and research, if pursued; and
  • Become licensed professional engineers, if pursued.

Student Outcomes

Completion of the degree requirements provides graduates with the following learning outcomes and ability to:

  • Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
  • Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;
  • Communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
  • Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;
  • Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
  • Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions; and Student Graduation; and,
  • Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Student Graduation and Retention Data

Retention and graduation data presented in the linked tables is for first time, full time, new freshmen cohorts who enter the College of Engineering in the fall of the reported year.  All new freshmen are enrolled in a common first year experience and do not declare a major until mid-way through the spring semester of their freshman year.  The College of Engineering table tracks cohorts over a six- year period for the entire college. The Department of Mechanical Engineering table tracks retention and graduation rates for a five year period, starting when those new freshmen join the department in their sophomore year.

Data on total enrollments by year and total graduates by year is presented here.  This student data includes transfer and part-time students who are enrolled in the program.