Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why study ME or NucE at Penn State?

1. The MNE Faculty are recognized for excellence in teaching and research.

31 have received College of Engineering Awards
6 have received University Teaching Awards
25 have received National Awards
23 are editors or associate editors of research journals
14 are textbook authors
16 are fellows in Professional Societies
4 hold endowed chairs or professorships
7 hold the title of Distinguished Professor

2. State-of-the-Art instructional labs with computer data acquisition.

3. Extra curricular design competitions including the SAE Formula Car and Challenge X Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

4. Work on cutting-edge research as Independent Study or Honors Thesis. Penn State is one of only a few universities that has an operating research reactor. NucE students use the reactor in two laboratory courses and many NucE students work part time at the Radiation Science and Engineering Center.

5. Active student organizations have invited speakers from industry, social events, design competitions, and some members attend national conferences.

6. Industry sponsored capstone design projects.

7. Many ways to customize your degree to match your interests including focus areas, minors, study abroad, Co-op, summer internships, and concurrent majors.

8. Many activities at University Park including:

Student Activities
Athletics and Recreation
Arts and Performance

What is the starting salary for graduates?

Based on our Spring 2006 graduates, B.S. ME's have an average base salary of approximately $51,000 while B.S. NucE's have an average base salary of $57,000.

In what companies are PSU BSME and BSNucE graduates working?

ME graduates obtain jobs in a number of different fields, the most common including automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, HVAC, and power industries. However, mechanical engineers obtain positions in a wide range of fields including biomedical, government, and cutting-edge research, such as nanotechnology. In the past, our ME's have been hired by companies such as Ford, GM, Ingersoll-Rand, Boeing, Westinghouse, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Dow Chemical, Proctor & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson.

NucE graduates are highly sought in the nuclear power industry, but also obtain positions in the aerospace, medical, and military fields. In the past, our NucE's have been hired by companies such as Exelon, Westinghouse, General Electric, Duke Power, Bechtel, Areva, the US Navy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

What percentage of graduates have jobs? What percentage of students go to graduate school?

Post graduation plan surveys for ME's after the 2004-2005 academic year showed that 79% had accepted full-time jobs, 13% had not yet accepted a job offer or were still interviewing, and 7% continued on to graduate school.

Post graduation plan surveys for NucE's after the 2004-2005 academic year showed that 56% had accepted full-time jobs and 44% continued on to graduate school.

What is the average time to graduation?

The ME and NucE curriculums have a minimum of 131 and 129 credits respectively. Both programs can be finished in four years, however, students can pursue a minor, concurrent degree, or get a co-op job, all of which may take the student over four years to complete. The average time to graduate is 4.0 years for ME's and 4.2 years for NucE's. The average number of credits completed by graduation is 150.8 for ME's and 157.7 for NucE's. The extra time and credits demonstrates that many students are choosing to enhance their education with extra studies.

How large are the classes at Penn State?

All lecture courses in the MNE department are taught by faculty. The average class size for required ME courses is usually 60-70 students and for elective courses it is between 20-35 students. NucE has an average class size of about 40 students for required courses and about 15 students for elective courses.

Can AP credits be used at Penn State?

Yes. The most common AP credits that are accepted include Calculus, Chemistry, American History, and English Literature. AP credits in Physics C can be used for the required physics courses in the engineering programs. Undergraduate Admissions maintains a complete list for AP courses.