TL;DR Majors: Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest STEM majors offered at many universities. However, just because a major is broad doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. Mechanical engineers keep the world running, quite literally. From maintaining electrical systems to designing innovative modes of transportation, mechanical engineering is here to stay.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

“The mechanical engineer has been called the general practitioner and the jack-of-all-trades among engineering professions... In general, however, the mechanical engineer is concerned with controlling the principles of motion, energy, and force through mechanical solutions.”

Mechanical engineers use the fields of physics, chemistry, and mathematics to solve real-world problems. Their diverse coursework allows them to tackle complex issues that span a variety of disciplines. For example, designing robots to be used by surgeons requires not only an understanding of mechanics but also chemistry and biology. Likewise, mechanical engineers working on building a new generation of engines for electric vehicles need a background in chemistry and physics. Mechanical engineers will also have to work with a variety of non-STEM majors to bring their ideas to fruition, skills like communication and working well with others are key for success in engineering and any major in that regard.

What careers are available to Mechanical Engineering Majors?

While it would be impossible to outline all of the different careers Mechanical Engineers go into, we’ve provided some examples below with a brief description of the role:

1. Product Design - designing and implementing products with moving parts
2. Research and Development - Discovering new technologies and improving upon existing ones
3. Manufacturing - Building and maintaining an efficient supply chain for businesses
4. Energy - Maintaining and managing how power is distributed to cities

Note that there are roles for mechanical engineers outside the world of STEM. Less technical roles that still benefit greatly from mechanical engineering degrees include marketing, product management, and even public policy to an extent.

The world of Mechanical Engineering is extremely diverse, and I highly recommend students interested (and even those who are just now hearing about Mechanical Engineering) to check out other online resources to find out more about the major and the career opportunities it provides. For a more in-depth look at what Mechanical Engineering is really about, make sure to read through an interview with Christian, a current undergraduate at MIT.