Rice University offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mechanical Engineering through its highly respected George R. Brown School of Engineering. The degree program is designed carefully to balance engineering principles with a broader liberal arts education to allow students to explore technical as well as non-technical fields. Students acquire a solid foundation in mechanical systems, design, and analysis and are still able to nurture other interests that assist in their personal and professional growth.
Curriculum Layout:
The BA in Mechanical Engineering at Rice is a balanced curriculum that both introduces students to core engineering courses and offers electives from other disciplines. Students typically take:
• University Distribution Requirements: Natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities courses to broaden perspectives.
• Mechanical Engineering Core: Coursework in design principles, heat transfer, controls, dynamics, materials science, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics.
• Laboratory and Design Work: Experimental courses such as MECH 407 (Mechanical Engineering Design Projects) with emphasis on application to real life and teamwork.
• Capstone Design Project: Final-year team project in which students apply their cumulative knowledge to address challenging engineering problems.
Accreditation:
Although Rice also offers an ABET-accredited BS in Mechanical Engineering, the BA curriculum is more open and interdisciplinary in nature but still maintaining high academic standards respected by employers and graduate schools.
Campus Location:
Rice University is located in Houston, Texas, in the heart of one of America's most vibrant cities for engineering, energy, and medical innovation. The campus itself provides students with cutting-edge laboratories, collaborative settings, and top-notch research space.
Rice values real-world experience highly and offers numerous opportunities for students to gain experiential learning:
• Undergraduate Research: Undergraduates can engage in research studies in the Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium (RURS) or through direct collaboration with faculty members on groundbreaking research.
• Internships: Students are able to secure internship placements with top companies such as Chevron, Schlumberger, NASA (Johnson Space Center), ExxonMobil, and Baker Hughes through Houston's strong industry connections.
• Student Organizations and Competitions: Students can be involved in clubs like Rice Eclipse (Rocketry Team), Rice Robotics Club, or the ASME chapter on campus. These clubs promote creativity, leadership, and hands-on engineering challenges.
• Global Programs: Global internships, study abroad opportunities, and global engineering projects expose students to a broader perspective.
Rice's Center for Career Development (CCD) offers excellent support throughout a student's undergraduate life:
• Career guidance and counseling
• Resume building and interviewing skills
• Employer panels, job fairs, and networking opportunities
• On-campus recruitment of the most successful firms
Employability
Rice Mechanical Engineering graduates are highly sought after by a broad range of industries including energy, aerospace, manufacturing, health, and technology. Many alumni find themselves working in high-profile companies like NASA, Boeing, Shell, Tesla, and Johnson & Johnson, while others begin their own companies or move into consulting.
Academic Progression:
After completing the BA, students usually pursue further studies in the form of an MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, MBA, or specialized studies in areas like Robotics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Engineering, or Energy Systems.
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