Mechanical Engineering

Union College's nationally-ranked, ABET-accredited mechanical engineering program offers an exceptional engineering education within a liberal arts environment.

You will find an emphasis on close student-faculty interaction in small class settings, hands-on laboratory experience and exciting design-and-build projects, such as solar heat pumps, solid propellant rockets, aerosol generators, nanomaterials, robotic instruments, water filtration systems, aerogel windows and more.

Students build a strong core in engineering fundamentals, mathematics and basic science before progressing to more specialized areas of study. There are ample opportunities for disciplinary and interdisciplinary undergraduate research, and for participation in national collegiate design competitions, including SAE Aero, SAE Baja, ASME Human-Powered Vehicles and the Spaceport America Cup.

Research

The Union ME program emphasizes collaboration, academic inquiry and experimentation. Students enjoy opportunities for summer research fellowships and participation in symposia, and most present at Union's Steinmetz Symposium research day each spring. Students have been involved in research at local startups and businesses, including Ener-G-Rotors, as well as in international settings, such as the Laboratory for Energetics in Bremen, Germany.

Faculty

Our intellectually challenging courses are led by professors who are accessible and dedicated teachers and respected scholars in their fields. They have a wide variety of research and teaching interests and backgrounds, are included in prominent journals in the field, and have won major grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Our mechanical engineering program also weaves an international experience into the curriculum, in keeping with Union’s commitment to preparing students to practice their profession in the global engineering community of the 21st century. We also currently offer a five-year combined B.S./M.S. in mechanical engineering with the Clarkson University Capital Region Campus.

Student clubs

Mechanical engineering students lead and get involved in our highly active, student-run clubs and organizations. These include the Baja Club, Engineers for a Sustainable Society, National Society of Black Engineers, Robotics Club, SAE Aero Club and Society for Women Engineers.

After Union

Career possibilities for mechanical engineers are robust and almost limitless. Given the tremendous flexibility of this field, mechanical engineers work in a wide range of industry settings, including product design, research and development, manufacturing, systems management, alternative energy, robotics, health care, spacecraft design, transportation, and sports and recreation. Many government agencies hire mechanical engineers, including the Department of Energy, NASA, the Patent and Trademark Office and all branches of the military. A mechanical engineering education also serves as excellent preparation for graduate study and careers in business, law, consulting, teaching and technical management.

What some of our graduates are doing: