The freshman year of the mechanical engineering program includes courses in mathematics, chemistry, humanities and social science as well as introductory courses in engineering and design. The sophomore year features courses in mathematics, physics and the engineering sciences. The final two years of the program stress the design and analysis of systems, machines and their components, and the transfer and transformation of energy. The required courses provide the basic mathematical and scientific fundamentals underlying the practice of mechanical engineering while 12 cr. hrs. of technical elective courses and 8 cr. hrs. of free elective courses allow flexibility in adapting the program to the interests and abilities of the individual student. The student is not encouraged to specialize in a particular area but rather to seek a broad background in basic engineering principles. For the student who wishes to pursue a career in the field of aerospace engineering, however, extensive sequences of courses are available as elective offerings.

The mechanical engineering program is designed to encourage the best students to continue their education at the graduate level. For those who choose to study at Rose-Hulman, graduate work leading to a Master of Science degree is offered by the Mechanical Engineering Department. Options in the general areas of Thermal/Fluid Systems and Solid Systems Design are available. These options are devoted to developing a deeper understanding of engineering and are not intended to constrain the student to a high degree of specialization.