American University of Beirut

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers one undergraduate degree program that leads to a Bachelor of Engineering with a major in Mechanical Engineering (BE in ME) and a minor in Applied Energy.

Bachelor of Engineering (BE)

Major: Mechani​​cal Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering Program extends over a four-year period and is offered exclusively on a daytime, on-campus basis. The program is offered in 11 terms whereby eight terms are 16-week Fall/Spring terms given over four years, and three terms are eight-week summer terms taken during the first three years of the program. In the summer term of the third year (Term IX), students are required to participate in a practical training program with a local, regional or international organization. The entire program is equivalent to five academic years but is completed in four calendar years with three summer terms.

The undergraduate program also provides students with options to pursue minors in the following:

• Applied Energy Minor
• Other minors offered by the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business

Progra​​m Mission

The Mechanical Engineering faculty has agreed that the undergraduate program mission is as follows:

The undergraduate program in Mechanical Engineering seeks to empower students to pursue successful careers and to create a learning environment in which they can develop their creative and critical thinking skills, grow into lifelong learners in light of ever-increasing challenges of modern technology, and commit to the ethical and professional responsibilities required in their calling at the global level while focusing on the needs of Lebanon and the region.

Program Education​​​al Objectives​

The program is based on the following educational objectives that were approved by the Mechanical Engineering faculty members on May 27, 2010:

Our graduates will be able to advance successfully in their careers as reflected in continued employment, job satisfaction, leadership responsibilities and professional recognition.

Our graduates will be able to succeed in graduate studies as reflected in admission to highly ranked programs, timely completion of degree requirements and recognition by competitive fellowships and other awards.

Program Re​​quirements

The undergraduate curriculum for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (BE), major: Mechanical Engineering is a five-year program. It consists of 173 term credit hours of coursework of which 30 credits are completed in the freshman year while the student is enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and 143 credits are completed in four years while the student is enrolled in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Students admitted at the sophomore level will be required to complete 143 credits in four years to earn the degree as outlined here:

• General Engineering: FEAA 200, CIVE 210, EECE 210, EECE 230, EECE 312, EECE 312L, INDE 301

• Mathematics: MATH 201, MATH 202, MATH 212, MATH 218, MATH 251, STAT 230

• Sciences: PHYS 211, PHYS 211L, CHEM 202, and one biology elective (BIOL 201 level or above, except BIOL 209)

• General Education: Arabic course, ENGL 203 and ENGL 206, two social sciences courses, three humanities courses and a course on ethics approved for the GE program

• ME Core Courses: MECH 201, MECH 230, MECH 310, MECH 314, MECH 320, MECH 332, MECH 340, MECH 341, MECH 410L, MECH 412, MECH 414, MECH 420, MECH 421, MECH 430, MECH 432, MECH 436, MECH 510 and MECH 525​
  

• Technical Electives: Five courses with at least three from the selected ME track. One elective can be from outside the major and one free elective (such as engineering, math, economics, business or science). To complete the new GE requirements, a student may opt to take his free elective as HEHI 201 (Foundations of Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations); or complete an UG research (MECH 499) related to the topic (by approved petition); or do an FYP project related to humanitarian Engineering (by approved petition).

• Approved Experience: MECH 500

• Final Year Project: MECH 501 and MECH 502

Curriculu​​m

List of Pre-Ap​​proved Technical Electives

• Engineering Electives​: BMEN: 600, 602, 604, 605, 606, 609, 610, 611. CHEN: 531, 611, 614, 615, 619, 672, 673, 675, 798A. CIVE: 421, 451, 460, 552, 555, 602, 603, 610, 648, 655, 658, 659, 670. FEAA: 502. INDE: 412, 513, 533.​

• Science Electives​: BIOL: 201, 202, 210, 223, 244, 246, 250, 260, 268. CHEM: 206, 208, 211, 212, 217, 218, 228, 233, 234. MATH: 210, 219, 223, 224, 225, 227, 233, 241, 261, 271, 303, 304, 305, 306, 314, 341, 350, 351, 358. PHYS: 216, 217, 220, 222, 223, 225, 226, 228, 235, 236, 237, 249, 301, 302, 303, 305, 306, 307.

• Other Electives: CMPS:  257, 272, 274, 277, 281, 285, 286, 287, 288, 350, 368, 372, 373. DCSN: 200, 210. ECON: 214, 215, 217, 218, 222, 223, 226, 227, 228, 230, 232, 235, 236, 237, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243. ENMT: 225, 235. GEOL: 202, 205, 211, 226, 227. ENST: 320, 396. MNGT: 215, 218, 220, 226, 229, 230. STAT: Any course with a number equal to or greater than 234.

Mechanical Engineering Optional Tracks

The core courses in the Mechanical Engineering Program are offered in the following track areas:

• Thermal and Fluid Engineering
• Mechatronics
• Design, Materials and Manufacturing

The student may opt for any track (Thermal and Fluid Engineering; Mechatronics; or Design, Materials and Manufacturing) by taking at least three technical electives in the selected track. Normally one technical elective is allowed from outside the mechanical engineering major.

The ME focus area in Control and Robotics provides a coherent academic framework between the ECE and ME departments in the areas of control, instrumentation and robotics. This track is open to all undergraduate ME and ECE students.

ME Focus Area in Control and Robotics

Students choosing to enroll in the Control and Robotics Focus (CRF) area should satisfy the following course requirements:

Two core courses and one laboratory in their respective departments (listed in the table below)​

Three elective courses from either department (ECE/ME) (listed in the tables below) provided they obtain the necessary prerequisites for any given course. At least one course from each of lists A (Control Theory) and B (Robotics) must be chosen, and one elective from either list A, B or C.

​Minor in Appli​​​ed Energy

The minor in Applied Energy is open to all MSFEA students who are interested in the energy domain and in renewable energy applications. Students seeking professional careers that will focus on energy, the environment, sustainable applications in buildings and energy systems may find this minor attractive. The minor in applied energy is administered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Students who have completed at least 60 credits at the sophomore level and higher and who have a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or more may apply by completing a minor application. The minor will be indicated on the transcript of the student who completes all the requirements described below. A minimum grade of C+ is required for a course to count toward the fulfillment of the minor.

Applied Ener​​gy Minor Program Structure

A student wishing to complete the minor is required to complete a minimum of 18 credits: 6 credits from the list of core courses and 12 credits from the list of elective courses.

The first are two core courses (6 credits) that provide a foundation for the understanding of energy science and technology and its economy.

The second component is a number of elective courses (12 credits), selected by the student in close consultation with her/his academic advisor for the applied energy minor.

Required Courses ​​​(6 credits)

• MECH 671 Renewable Energy Potential, Technology and Utilization in Buildings 3 cr., or EECE 675 Renewable Energy Systems 3 cr., or ENST 300 The Science and Technology of Energy 3 cr.
• ECON 333 Energy Economics and Policy 3 cr. 
  

Elective Courses (Minimum o​​​f 12 credits)

Minor in Integrated Product Design

List 2: Core courses with a focus on product design and development. The student should take 6 credits from this list.​

Category A

Category B