Department of Engineering

Dr. Tim Nipp, Chair
101 Johnson EPS Building
731-881-7382
fax 731-881-7375

Faculty

Eatedal Alqusaireen, Ali Behfarnia, Richard J. Helgeson, Jeffrey S. McCullough, Gregory H. Nail, Ali Nasirian, Timothy J. Nipp, Mohammad A. Obadat, Ashley D. Owens, Saman Sargolzaei, Ali Seyedkavoosi, J. Douglas Sterrett, Jared A. Teague, Edward W. Wheeler, Ray W. Witmer, Jr.

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in the Engineering Program is to provide relevant, high-quality undergraduate engineering education in a traditional collegiate atmosphere while serving as engineering resource for West Tennessee. The faculty enhances the engineering profession by conducting applied research and providing public service in their fields of expertise.

Program Educational Objectives

The following program educational objectives have been adopted by the engineering faculty of the Department of Engineering to meet the criteria established by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. After graduation from our program, engineers will be able to:

become successful professionals that recognize the complexity of a modern global society and meet the diverse needs of a broad spectrum of employers.
serve and contribute to the engineering needs of West Tennessee and the broader regional, state, national, and global markets.
continue to grow professionally, including leadership and communication skills, through life-long learning activities such as becoming a licensed professional engineer, pursuing graduate study, participating in continuing professional education, and active membership in professional engineering societies.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

In support of the university’s mission, the Department of Engineering offers the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) (accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org) with a concentration in one of the following:

Civil Engineering (6511)
Computer Engineering (6517)
Electrical Engineering (6512)
Manufacturing Engineering (6515)
Mechatronics Engineering (6516)
Mechanical Engineering (6514)

Engineering majors learn the fundamentals of engineering with an emphasis on problem solving, design and integrated systems, while also taking courses in business, social sciences and the humanities. During the junior and senior years, the student takes a cohesive set of upper-division engineering courses that together provide depth of knowledge and design content in the chosen engineering concentration. Upon graduation, the engineering concentration is recorded on the student’s permanent record, i.e., on the student’s final transcript.

Designed for completion in four years (or five years when combined with the engineering Cooperative Education Program), the B.S.E. incorporates the latest guidelines from the professional engineering world as well as the advice and guidance of UT Martin’s Department of Engineering Industrial Advisery Board. The B.S.E. degree program draws from classroom, lab and real-world experiences, using the rich resources of the university, faculty and professional engineering community to prepare students for the engineering world of today and the future.

As a result of the focused efforts of the university, government and industry partnership that led to its development, the comprehensive B.S.E. program offers an engineering degree that is uniquely relevant to today’s students and employers. Graduates are prepared for practice as professional engineers. They have acquired the foundation for maintaining professional competence throughout their careers and they have the skills and experiences needed to move quickly into leadership roles in today’s engineering and management environments.

Students who desire the option of further study at the graduate level are well prepared to continue their engineering education at the master’s and doctoral level. Some students may choose to follow their engineering degree with an M.B.A. degree. Also in today’s highly technological world, this comprehensive engineering degree program provides an excellent core, when combined with the appropriate biology and chemistry courses, for a pre-medical curriculum.

All UT Martin engineering students develop a firm foundation in engineering science and in engineering design, with a concentration in civil, electrical, industrial or mechanical engineering. Our students also gain real-world engineering job experience; acquire knowledge in fundamental business concepts; develop an understanding of ethical, political and societal issues; and build their skills in written and oral communications, teamwork and leadership.

Additional information about the B.S.E. program may be obtained by viewing the Web pages at www.utm.edu, select the Academics button, then the Department of Engineering; by sending an e-mail note to engin@www.utm.edu; or by calling the Department Chair of Engineering.

Designation of a Minor

An engineering student may declare a minor in a non-engineering subject area and have the minor listed on the permanent record under the following conditions:

minors must be officially approved and described in the university catalog. No unofficial minors will be recognized.
courses taken to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy engineering degree requirements, provided that the courses are a part of the engineering degree requirements even if no minor were declared.
the intention to complete a minor must be declared at the time of application for a degree if the minor is to appear on the final transcript.

Admission, Retention and Graduation Requirements

In addition to the university’s admission requirements, a student must meet one of the following requirements to be provisionally admitted to one of the engineering majors:

obtain an ACT math sub-score of 25 or higher or;
have completed at least one semester of college trigonometry with a grade of C or better.

These requirements apply to freshmen, transfer students, and students desiring to change majors.

Full admission to one of the engineering concentrations requires that a student complete eight core courses with 1) a grade C or better, and 2) a minimum GPA of 2.00 computed using all attempts in a course. The eight core courses are by concentration:

Civil: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 220 , ENGR 241
Computer: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 232 , CSCI 222 , CSCI 325
Electrical: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 232 , ENGR 241
Manufacturing: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 220 , ENGR 241
Mechanical: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 220 , ENGR 241
Mechatronics: MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 320 , PHYS 220 , PHYS 221 , ENGR 121 , ENGR 232 , ENGR 241

Prior to qualifying for full admission to one of the engineering majors, a student pursuing an engineering major receives academic advisement from an engineering faculty member and is allowed to take any lowerdivision (numbered 100-299) engineering course if the student 1) meets the course prerequisites and corequisites and 2) meets the department’s prerequisite grade rule. Students who have not gained full admission to one of the engineering majors cannot take upper-division (numbered 300-499) engineering courses, with the exception of ENGR 301 - Computer Aided Engineering/Design Tools , ENGR 315 - Engineering Analysis , and ENGR 380 - Engineering Economy .

An engineering student must earn a minimum grade of C in all math, science and engineering courses that are prerequisites for another course in the curriculum prior to taking the course that requires the prerequisite; e.g., a student may not take MATH 252 until the student has earned a grade of at least a C in MATH 251 and may not take ENGR 241 until earning minimum grades of C in MATH 252 , PHYS 220 and ENGR 121 . Prior to graduation, a grade of C or better must be earned in all math, science and engineering courses used to fulfill degree requirements.

Cooperative Education and Internship Programs

The Department of Engineering Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Internship Programs are designed to provide the services of young men and women committed to pursuing careers in Engineering to the West Tennessee region and beyond. Productive, practical engineering work experiences are a fundamental part of the student’s education. The concept recognizes the value of the three-way partnership between the UT Martin Department of Engineering, the employer and the student.

Co-op Program

The engineering Co-op program is offered as an educational enhancement to the B.S.E. program. To complete the Co-op program, a student works full-time in progressive engineering work assignments for at least three semesters (the equivalent of one year) prior to the student’s senior year. Students enrolling in the Co-op program gain the benefits of a planned progression of work experiences which complement and enrich their engineering studies on campus. Participants gain insight into the engineering work world, are able to apply their insights from the real world to their studies, grow in understanding of their own interests and career objectives and advance in professional maturity.

Co-op positions must be full-time engineering work experiences supervised by an engineer for a period of at least ten consecutive weeks. During the full-time work semesters, the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences considers the student full-time. Co-op work assignments are paid positions, and students are able to help finance their education while gaining real-world engineering experience.

After completing all the B.S.E. freshman year course work, an engineering student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 may elect to participate in the engineering Co-op program. A transfer student must complete at least one full-time academic semester at UT Martin and must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 to qualify.

Co-op work periods are tailored to meet the needs of the student and employer.

Internship Program

Intern positions must be full-time engineering work experiences supervised by an engineer for a period of at least ten consecutive weeks. During the full-time work semesters, the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences considers the student full-time. The internship should be planned no sooner than the summer between the junior and senior year.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering (B.S.E.) have the following two options concerning fulfilling the internship requirement:

complete at least a one-semester internship as part of the B.S.E. degree requirements. The internship will be scheduled when the student is within three semesters of graduation; or
complete three co-op semesters. Completion of the co-op program will substitute for the required internship.

Facilities

Instructional facilities of the department include: two dedicated, 24-seat computer labs for engineering students, with a wide range of software including Matlab, LabVIEW, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Inventor CAM, Microstation, PSpice, and Microsoft Office; a wide range of laboratories to support an engineering hands-on education: Asphalt Lab; Electrical Lab; Automation and Manufacturing Lab; Materials Lab; Soils and Concrete Lab; Instrumentation, Vibrations, and Controls Lab; Electrical Development Lab; Civil and Mechanical Lab; and Student Development Lab; and student study rooms.

Student Organizations

There are currently four student chapters of professional societies in the Department of Engineering: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). Each society has a faculty adviser and engages in activities and projects of common interest to the membership. Students are encouraged to participate in one or more of these organizations for professional growth.