Mechanical Engineering Technology

Career potential

Do you enjoy working with mechanical devices or designing mechanical components? Are you creative and want to be involved in engineering design? You should consider majoring in mechanical engineering technology.

Mechanical engineering technology focuses on the design and analysis of products, tools, and machines and their components. Career opportunities for a mechanical engineering technologist range from being a mechanical engineer to working in the aerospace or defense industries.

To advance in the field of mechanical engineering technology, you may need to earn a master's degree. UNT has one of the nation's largest engineering technology graduate programs: master of science in engineering systems - mechanical concentration. To teach mechanical engineering technology at a university, you may need to earn a doctoral degree.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in mechanical engineering technology

The mechanical engineering technology program is built upon a strong foundation of science, mathematics and technical course work designed to meet the diverse needs of a mechanical engineering technologist.

In this program, you will study data collection and analysis, documentation, mechanical design, industrial operation, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, product design and development, assembly and detail drawing of machine parts, computer-aided engineering, engineering graphics, manufacturing processes and materials, strength of materials, and quality assurance.

The mechanical engineering technology program is integrated with the manufacturing engineering technology program so you will learn about the design and manufacturing process. The laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art software in the areas of computer-aided design, engineering and manufacturing at UNT's Discovery Park.

The mechanical engineering technology program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET Inc. (111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Md. 21202, telephone 410-347-7700). This accreditation means the program has passed strict academic standards for excellence in education.

Faculty members have degrees in aerospace, civil, electrical, mechanical, metallurgical, industrial, systems and nuclear engineering, and engineering technology and an average of 10 years industrial experience. Faculty members have worked for Airgas Inc., Boeing Military, Electrotest, General Dynamics (Lockheed Martin), General Electric, Integrated Technologies Inc., Los Alamos National Laboratory and others.

Getting hands-on experience

Current faculty research interests include conceptualized systems, corrosion, cryogenic power sources, nanotechnology, environmental concerns, finite element techniques, fluid dynamics, industrial adhesives, machining systems, industrial training, materials engineering, metal and ceramic matrix composites, plastics processing, process control systems, space nuclear reactors, surface coatings, transportation materials, and green manufacturing and design. For a senior project, you may work in one of these areas with a faculty member or for an industrial sponsor.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science – economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year. We suggest taking Algebra I and II, plane geometry, and trigonometry for your math requirements and chemistry and physics to fulfill your science requirements.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT transfer guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/ advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

Faculty members in the engineering technology department will provide you with career advice and will help you each semester to select courses necessary to earn your degree. Faculty members also determine which transfer courses may be applied to engineering technology. The department office is in UNT's Discovery Park, Room F115.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.