Mechanical Engineering Degree

Program Offerings

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, BS
• Accelerated master’s in Mechanical Engineering, MS
• Master of science degree in Mechanical Engineering, MS
• Doctor of Philosophy degree Mechanical Engineering, PhD
• Certificates: Construction Engineering and Management

*The BS in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is the study of objects or systems in motion. If you own any type of machine, chances are a mechanical engineer created it. In fact, nearly every product or service in our modern world has been affected by mechanical engineering, from the sensors in your car to the satellites in the sky.

What does a mechanical engineer do?

With a degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota Mines, you will design, develop, build, and test mechanical systems, ranging from individual components in small devices to large pieces of equipment on machines as large as NASA's next generation Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

You will use your individual creativity, your training, and your ability to analyze systems to create and maintain the devices and machines found throughout society. As a mechanical engineer, you might:

• Design bionic limbs or prosthetic joints
• Develop high performance composite materials
• Develop custom medical devices
• And much more

Courses for this Degree

• Design for Manufacturing
• Statics of Mechanisms
• Dynamics of Mechanisms
• Solid Mechanics
• Thermo Fluid Dynamics
• Thermodynamics
• Machine Design
• Mechatronics and Measurement Systems
• Mechanical Engineering Design
• Mechanical Systems Design

Course Curriculum

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Internships and Co-ops

At South Dakota Mines, 77% of students land internships and/or co-ops, earning an average salary of $20.00/hour. As a Mines mechanical engineering major, you will have the opportunity to intern with some of the biggest names in business and government, including:

• NASA
• Nucor
• Caterpillar
• Garmin
• Bobcat
• Kiewit
• LafargeHolcim
• Boeing
• John Deere
• US Army Corp of Engineers
• RESPEC
• Northrop Grumman
• Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• B9 Creations
• National Wind Technology Center

Career Outlook

As a mechanical engineering graduate from South Dakota Mines, you will be in high demand. Our mechanical engineering graduates enjoy average starting salaries of $66,781. Mines mechanical engineer 2020-2021 graduates had a job placement rate of 97%.

Careers

As a South Dakota Mines mechanical engineering graduate, you’ll have the knowledge to design and develop robots, medical devices, automobile engines, and electric power plants, as well as the machines needed to produce these products. You’ll be needed in a variety of fields, from automotive and aerospace to petroleum and pharmaceutical. Some careers might include:

• Robotic engineers
• Auto research engineers
• Project manager
• Support for military
• Product engineer
• Medical technology engineer
• Energy conversion, turbines
• Computers and electronics engineer
• Power systems engineer

Employers

South Dakota Mines mechanical engineering graduates work for such prominent agencies and companies as:

• Kiewit
• Western States Fire Protection
• Cargill
• Caterpillar
• Vishay
• Bobcat
• Garmin
• John Deere
• Nucor
• Freeport McMoRan
• POET
• Burns & McDonnell
• Boeing
• Ford Motor Co.
• RESPEC

Mechanical Engineering Research

As a mechanical engineering major at South Dakota Mines, you don’t have to wait to do research. From the day you step on campus, you will have the opportunity to jump into research alongside faculty on topics like:

• Design and manufacturing of systems engineering
• Dynamic systems and controls and robotics
• Solid mechanics
• Thermal and fluid science

Learn more about our mechanical engineering research at https://www.sdsmt.edu/Academics/Departments/Mechanical-Engineering/Research/