Sub R. Gollahalli, Director
Ramkumar Parthasarathy, Graduate Liaison
212 Felgar Hall
Norman, OK 73019-1052
Phone: (405) 325-5011
FAX: (405) 325-1088
Internet: http://www.ame.ou.edu/
Sub R. Gollahalli, Director |
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Aerospace Engineering: Professors Gollahalli, Gramoll, Miller, Stalford, Striz; Associate Professor Parthasarathy; Assistant Professor Attar, Vedulla, Xu.
Mechanical Engineering: Professors Altan, Chang, Gollahalli, Gramoll, Miller, Stalford, Striz; Associate Professors Baldwin, Gan, Lai, Parthasarathy; Assistant Professors Attar, Merchan-Merchan, Olson, Rennaker, Saha, Siddique.
Aerospace engineering is one of the most rewarding and challenging careers available. There is a fulfilling excitement in designing and building flying craft ranging from general aviation to high performance military aircraft and commercial airliners. There are also opportunities in the design and flight of spacecraft. Challenging space projects are awaiting the next generation of engineers. Aerospace technology has also expanded to include ground effect machines, helicopters, hydrofoil ships, high-power lasers, wind turbines, and high-speed rail vehicles, opening up even more career opportunities for aerospace engineers.
Careers
Aerospace engineers can expect to work in industries or government agencies whose mission is to design, test, manufacture or operate aircraft or spacecraft. Opportunities are available in private companies that build large commercial aircraft and companies that specialize in the smaller general aviation aircraft. Careers are available in military aircraft, missiles or spacecraft either in private industry or as an engineer employed by one of the military services.
Engineers employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are involved in research, design, development and operation of the U.S. space program and in many aspects of aeronautics. Also many graduates find satisfying careers in applying the broad engineering knowledge acquired in the study of aerospace engineering to many other areas of technological development.
Mechanical engineering is one of the most versatile of all engineering programs. Virtually all branches of industry employ mechanical engineers. The profession encompasses breadth, flexibility and the opportunity for great individuality. Mechanical engineers apply knowledge of thermal sciences, fluid and solid mechanics, and mathematics to design, develop, and build mechanical and electromechanical devices and systems.
Since virtually all physical devices and systems have one or more mechanical aspects, mechanical engineering is almost always required in the design, manufacture and utilization of any technical product or system.
Careers
The career opportunities available to mechanical engineers are truly unlimited. Mechanical engineering plays a central role in all major industries including the aerospace, automotive, chemical, computer, construction, electrical, machinery, metals, petroleum and nuclear industries. Mechanical engineers are employed in virtually every technological field including industrial machinery, farm equipment, textiles, transportation, pharmaceutical, medical instrumentation, apparel manufacturing, electronics, soap and cosmetics, paper and wood products, education, utilities, and office machinery.
In these and other fields, mechanical engineers are involved in research, development, design, production and testing, construction, operations, sales, management, consulting, and teaching. Mechanical engineers are also employed in defense laboratories and in government where they hold positions of responsibility in state and federal government, in big and small corporations, and in private practice.
Beginning with Fall 2004, students majoring in aerospace or mechanical engineering will need to apply to enroll in upper-division (professional program) courses in their major. Students who have obtained an OU and combined retention GPA of 2.80 or higher, and who have completed the pre-professional courses (freshman and sophomore curriculum) listed in the application to the professional program with a grade of C or better, will be admitted to upper-division courses. Transfer students who have fulfilled the pre-professional requirements will be admitted to the professional program conditionally until completion of at least 12 credit hours of engineering, math and/or physics toward the curriculum with a 2.80 OU and combined retention GPA. This requirement will apply to freshmen and transfer students entering OU beginning with Fall 2004. All current OU students classified as AE or ME majors as of May 1, 2004 and who meet College enrollment qualifications will be grand fathered into upper-division AME courses through Fall 2006.
The aerospace and mechanical engineering curricula are designed to prepare the student either to enter directly into industry or to continue in a program of graduate study. Each curriculum plan is carefully designed to ensure that students can successfully utilize and build upon engineering and scientific principles as they progress in their chosen area. Within this structure, advanced technical electives allow students to center their programs around particular areas of interest. In aerospace engineering, such interest areas include aerodynamics, aerospace structures, propulsion systems, advanced controls, intelligent systems, and composite materials. Mechanical engineering emphasizes such areas as mechanical design, thermal sciences, stress analysis, vibrations, control systems, computer-aided engineering, fluid mechanics. Each major is expected to work closely with a faculty adviser on a regular basis to achieve the program to meet his or her needs. Students considering a major in aerospace or mechanical engineering should contact the school office for a detailed description of the programs within these areas.
(Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone: 410-347-7700.)
This program requires a minimum of 128 credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (combined and at OU, in the major, curriculum and overall). For detailed semester by semester curriculum requirements, please consult: http://checksheets.ou.edu/engrindx.htm.
The lower-division (1000- and 2000-level courses) requirements of 64 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Communication: six hours. ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213.
2. Foreign Language: 0-10 hours. Two years in high school or two college-level consecutive semesters (6-10 hours) of foreign language. (College level foreign language does not count toward the curricular hours required for the engineering degree.)
3. Social Science: three hours. P SC 1113.
4. Humanities: six hours. HIST 1483 or 1493; one course from Understanding Artistic Forms.*
5. Science and Math: 28 hours. CHEM 1315; MATH 1823, 2423, 2433, 2443; PHYS 2514, 2524; C S 1313.
6. Core Engineering: three hours. ENGR 1410, 1420, 2003.
7. AME courses: 18 hours. AME 2113, 2213, 2223, 2303, 2533, 2623.
The upper division (3000- and 4000-level courses) requirements of 64 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Humanities: six hours. One course each of the following general education fields: Western Civilization, and Non-Western Culture.* Comm 3513 and ANTH 4623 are recommended.
2. Social Science: three hours. General Education Social Science elective.*
3. Communications: three hours. ENGL 3153.
4. Math and Science: seven hours. MATH 3113, 3990; AME 4493.
5. AME: 40 hours. AME 3103, 3112, 3143, 3253, 3272, 3333, 3523, 3623, 4243, 4273, 4373, 4383, 4493, 4513.
6. Technical elective: six hours. (To be selected from a list available in the AME Office; AME 4623 and/or 4593 recommended.)
7. Experimental elective: two hours. (To be selected from a list available in the AME Office; AME 4802 and/or 4812 recommended.)
*Three of the 12 General Education elective hours (one course each from Social Science, Artistic Forms, Western Civilization, and Non-Western Culture) must be at the upper-division level (3000-4000).
All College of Engineering students are required to make a minimum grade of C in each course presented for the degree. Also, students must make a C in each prerequisite course before progressing to the next course(s).
(Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone: 410-347-7700.)
This program requires a minimum of 122 credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (combined and at OU, in the major, curriculum and overall). For detailed semester by semester curriculum requirements, please consult: http://checksheets.ou.edu/engrindx.htm.
The lower-division (1000- and 2000-level courses) requirements of 58 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Communication: six hours. ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213.
2. Foreign Language: 0-10 hours. Two years in high school or two consecutive semesters (6-10 hours) of foreign language. (College level foreign language does not count toward the curricular hours required for the engineering degree.)
3. Social Science: six hours. P SC 1113 and three hours of General Education Social Science electives.
4. Humanities: three hours. HIST 1483 or 1493.
5. Science and Math: 25 hours. CHEM 1315; MATH 1823, 2423, 2433, 2443; PHYS 2514, 2524.
6. Core Engineering: five hours. ENGR 1410, 1420, 2003, 2431, 2531.
7. AME courses: 13 hours. AME 2113, 2213, 2401, 2303, 2533.
The upper division (3000- and 4000-level courses) requirements of 64 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Communication: three hours. ENGL 3153.
2. Core engineering: one hour. ENGR 3431.
3. Humanities: nine hours. One course each of the following General Education fields: Understanding Artistic Forms, Western Civilization and Culture; and Non-Western Culture. COMM 3513 and ANTH 4623 are recommended.
2. Math and Science: six hours. MATH 3113; Physics 3223.
3. AME: 31 hours. AME 3103, 3112, 3143, 3153, 3122, 3173, 3353, 3363, 3723, 4163, 4553.
4. Technical elective: six hours.
5. Experimental elective: two hours.
6. Engineering science electives: six hours.
All College of Engineering students are required to make a minimum grade of C in each course presented for the degree. Also, students must make a C in each prerequisite course before progressing to the next course(s).
The understanding of many physical phenomena associated with the human body is enhanced by the knowledge gained in the study of mechanical engineering. The fluid mechanics of the cardiovascular system, the kinetics and stress analysis of orthopedics, the dynamics of the auditory system are but a few examples of the interaction of mechanical engineering and medicine. Research and development of many diagnostic and treatment techniques are intimately interwoven with principles studied in mechanical engineering.
Students enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering B.S. curriculum and interested in studying medicine or dentistry may choose a premedical elective pattern. This elective pattern allows the student to earn a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and satisfy the prerequisite course requirements for the University of Oklahoma’s medical or dental schools.
This program requires a minimum of 132 credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (combined and at OU, in the major, curriculum and overall). For detailed semester by semester curriculum requirements, please consult: http://checksheets.ou.edu/engrindx.htm.
The lower-division (1000- and 2000-level courses) requirements of 68 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Communication: six hours. ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213.
2. Foreign Language: 0-10 hours. Two years in high school or two consecutive semesters (6-10 hours) of foreign language. (College level foreign language does not count toward the curricular hours required for the engineering degree.)
3. Social Science: six hours. P SC 1113; three hours of General Education Social Science electives.*
4. Humanities: three hours. HIST 1483 or 1493.
5. Science and Math: 35 hours. CHEM 1315, 1415; MATH 1823, 2423, 2433, 2443; PHYS 2514, 2524; ZOO 1114, 1121.
6. Core Engineering: five hours. ENGR 1410, 1420, 2003, 2431, 2531.
7. AME courses: 13 hours. AME 2401, 2113, 2213, 2303, 2533.
The upper division (3000- and 4000-level courses) requirements of 64 hours are to be met as follows:
1. Communication: three hours. ENGL 3153.
2. Humanities: nine hours. One course each of the following General Education fields: Understanding Artistic Forms, Western Civilization and Culture; and Non-Western Culture.* COMM 3513 and ANTH 4623 are recommended.
3. Core Engineering: one hour. ENGR 3431.
4. Math and Science: 17 hours. MATH 3113, PHYS 3223; ZOO elective; CHEM 3053, 3153, 3152.
5. AME: 31 hours. AME 3103, 3112, 3143, 3153, 3122, 3173, 3353, 3363, 3723, 4163, 4553.
6. Engineering science elective: three hours.
*Three of the 12 General Education elective hours (one course each from Social Science, Artistic Forms, Western Civilization, and Non-Western Culture) must be at the upper-division level (3000-4000).
Pre-med students should consult their pre-med adviser as well as their Mechanical Engineering adviser for necessary medical school information.
All College of Engineering students are required to make a minimum grade of C in each course presented for the degree. Also, students must make a C in each prerequisite course before progressing to the next course(s).
The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering offers a broad range of opportunities for advanced academic study and research in the fields of aerospace and mechanical engineering and in the underlying engineering sciences.
The following paragraphs present only the standard minimum requirements and are no more than guidelines, not intended to exclude consideration of any valid academic objectives. The admission evaluation, the academic plan, and the research studies of each student should represent a unique synthesis of program strengths and resources with that student’s background and aspirations.
Questions about the programs or about any specific requirement or consideration may be addressed to the AME Graduate Studies Coordinator at the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, 865 Asp Avenue, 212 Felgar Hall, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019-1052.
There is a planned overlap of the graduate programs in these closely allied fields of the School, and several areas of specialization have evolved within and across these primary disciplines.
These programs can be categorized into the focus areas of engineering information technology, materials, design and manufacturing; intelligent aerospace systems; bioengineering, and energy systems and propulsion. These include solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermal sciences and heat transfer, controls, robotics, engineering design, and bioengineering.
Current studies in solid mechanics include: experimental mechanics; plates and shells; buckling; structural dynamics; mechanical behavior of materials; analysis and processing of composite materials and structures; structural optimization; fatigue and fracture mechanics of metals and composite materials; and smart structures. Current studies in fluid mechanics include: computational fluid dynamics; compressible flows; viscous flows; non-Newtonian fluids; rheology; transport phenomena; turbulent jets and boundary layers; and multiphase flows. Current studies in thermal sciences include: theoretical and applied studies of radiative, conductive, and convective heat transfer; thermal properties of materials; combustion and flame dynamics; propulsion; gas turbine systems; mass transfer and handling of alternate fuels for automobile applications; biological heat transfer; heat transfer in porous media and EHD enhanced heat transfer. Current control studies include: design and analysis of control systems in MEMS; BioMEMS; micro systems and micro fluidics; structural control; and non-linear, robust, autonomous, optimal, and real-time control of systems and vehicles. Current engineering design studies include: energy system design; materials in design applications; product and product family design; development and applications of computer-aided design and engineering; internet based design; tool integration for concurrent engineering; computer-integrated manufacturing; and rapid prototyping. Current studies in bioengineering include: biomechanics, biomaterials, cardiopulmonary physiology; implantable devices; soft and hard tissue engineering; and neural engineering. Current studies in robotics include the design and control of autonomous systems. Additional studies include: educational technologies; multimedia and informational technologies; energy policy; decision making under uncertainty; and renewable energy.
These graduate programs offer opportunities for specialization in aeroservoelasticity; aerospace structures; structural and multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO); flight controls; aerodynamics; propulsion; combustion and flame dynamics; multiphase flows; robotics; intelligent systems; astrodynamics; space vehicle/mission design; computational fluid dynamics; and flight vehicle design and synthesis.
Coordinated graduate programs share techniques of advanced engineering analysis, with current emphasis on finite element and quadrature element methods, differential quadrature, nonlinear analysis, variational calculus, perturbation methods, computational fluid mechanics, and optimization methodologies.
The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering laboratories are located in Felgar Hall, and the Engineering Research Center on North Campus. Specialized laboratories have been developed for combustion and propulsion, composite materials and structures, computational mechanics, dynamics, stress analysis and mechanical behavior of materials, fatigue and fracture mechanics, fluid flow and heat transfer, gas turbine systems, aerodynamics, laser velocimetry and fluid flow measurements, thermal imaging and radiative heat transfer, composite fuels, product and process design, computer-aided design, concurrent engineering, rapid prototyping, laser Doppler interferometry for vibration analysis, sound delivery, soft and hard tissue property analysis, multimedia and information technologies, robotics, advanced aircraft and spacecraft design, R© model flight testing, multi-channel neural recording and stimulation, autonomous unmanned vehicles, telemetry and differential GPS systems, MEMS design, BioMEMS design and micro fluidics design. These laboratories are equipped with modern instrumentation and dedicated data acquisition systems. A network utilizing Sun workstations and a departmental PC laboratory with a host of commercial software packages are available for use in courses and research. In addition, the School participates in several multidisciplinary research centers including the Sarkeys Energy Center, Dynamic Structures, Sensing and Control Center, Biomedical Engineering Center, Center for Engineering Optimization, and Center for Aircraft and Systems/Support Infrastructure.
In addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate College, prospective students are expected to have previously earned a B.S. degree or its equivalent in the respective fields of aerospace or mechanical engineering. Students with baccalaureate degrees in other engineering disciplines, physical sciences or mathematics who meet the Graduate College requirements may be conditionally admitted to the AME graduate programs with the stipulation that they must complete specified undergraduate courses to correct identified deficiencies in their background.
In considering applicants for the graduate programs, the faculty looks for evidence of superior academic potential. This is most commonly indicated by the achievement of a grade point average of 3.00 or better on a scale of 4.00 (or an equivalent achievement as reflected in the grading system of the applicant’s previous education program) in the last 60 hours of an undergraduate degree. GRE scores, letters of reference, and the statement of purpose are also considered in the admission process. Applicants who have a strong research commitment and an intention to pursue graduate studies through the doctoral level are particularly encouraged. Details concerning the admission criteria and the required background courses may be obtained from the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
The broadly structured requirements for the Master of Science degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering allow for two paths in completing an M.S. degree: a research-oriented plan of study involving the completion of an original research thesis, or a coursework-oriented plan of study providing expanded opportunities for formal instruction in advanced professional topics. These programs normally incorporate graduate-level courses in mathematics, science and advanced engineering science topics as well as some specialization in a specific area of aerospace or mechanical engineering. Each program is individually planned to meet the particular student’s needs and interest.
The M.S. degree with a research thesis requires completion of a minimum of 30 hours of approved graduate credit, including: a maximum of six hours of thesis research; 12 or more hours of 5000-level AME courses, of which no more than three hours may be in special projects or guided individual studies; and three or more hours of approved mathematical-content courses. The remaining nine hours of the degree program should be chosen from approved electives in engineering, science or mathematics, including 4000-level AME courses that are not required for the bachelor’s degree in the respective field (students who elect a two-hour laboratory course may include one additional hour of special projects or guided individual studies in their program).
The coursework-oriented plan of study requires additional graduate class enrollment in lieu of a research thesis. This program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours, including at least 18 hours of graduate-level AME courses of 5000-level or higher which may include up to three hours of special projects and up to three hours of guided independent studies (students who elect a two-hour laboratory course may include an additional one hour, up to a total of two hours, in either of these individual instruction enrollments); and at least three hours or more of approved mathematical-content courses. The remaining 12 hours of graduate credit should be chosen from other approved AME courses, including 4000-level courses not required for the B.S. degree in the major field, or from other fields of engineering, physical science, or mathematics (these electives may include up to three hours of additional enrollment in guided individual studies). This plan of study also requires satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination covering the major fields offered for the degree program. The comprehensive oral examination is to be taken and satisfactorily completed prior to or in the projected final semester of a student’s M.S. program.
The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering also offers an accelerated combined BS/MS program to qualified students. This program provides the opportunity for students to complete both the undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years.
More detailed information on the M.S. degree program and its requirements may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Coordinator of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
The doctoral degree program is designed to prepare graduates for careers in teaching and research or in professional practice at the leading edge of their field. To enter the program, students are expected either:
(a) to have completed an appropriate master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma or elsewhere, or,
(b) to have otherwise demonstrated very strong academic abilities and research potential.
Prospective doctoral candidates are expected to complete their general examination after completion of 36 credit hours of graduate work, but before completing 60 credit hours of graduate (course and research) work.
The doctoral degree program demands a broad understanding of a chosen field and the development of the in-depth knowledge required to produce innovative research and design contributions to the field with minimal direct supervision. A minimum of 42 credit hours of coursework beyond the baccalaureate, in addition to the 42 hours of dissertation, is required. At least six of the course hours must be appropriate science and mathematics courses. At least 24 hours of the 48 hours of coursework shall be taken in advanced engineering courses.
Following formal admission to the doctoral program, the student and the student’s advisory committee will jointly plan a course of study designed to build upon the strength of each student’s prior background and to meet the specific needs and interests of the student and the requirements of his/her research program.
More detailed information on the doctoral program and its requirements can be obtained from the Graduate Studies Coordinator of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
September 2006