PNC Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

WESTVILLE – The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) has granted approval to Purdue University North Central for the College of Engineering and Technology to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. PNC students may now enroll in this bachelor’s degree program.

Mechanical engineering is considered to be one of the broadest engineering disciplines. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of mechanical engineering positions is expected to increase by 11.2 percent through 2014.

Mechanical engineers apply the principles of physics for the analysis, design, manufacture and maintenance of mechanical systems used in the design and analysis of automobiles, aircraft, heating and cooling systems, industrial equipment and machinery, medical devices and more.

“We are proud that we can offer our students and future students the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering,” said PNC Chancellor Dr. James B. Dworkin. “The Purdue University engineering program has an international reputation and the demand for a Purdue engineering degree is high. With the addition of this new degree, students now have 15 baccalaureate programs from which to choose and we will continue to look for new degrees that meet the needs of our local area and our students.”

Currently four public universities in Indiana offer a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, with the largest enrollment being at the Purdue West Lafayette campus. The American Society for Engineering Education states that the West Lafayette engineering program is the third largest in the country and has awarded the most Mechanical Engineering degrees in the nation.

According to Dr. Larryl Matthews, dean of the PNC College of Engineering and Technology, “The work of mechanical engineers is vital to our local and national economies. Recent employment statistics show that mechanical engineering is one of the top 10 degrees in demand for industry.”

The Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering traces its roots directly to the Morrill Act of 1862 which specified that Purdue, as Indiana’s land-grant university, offer an education in the “mechanic arts.” Purdue Mechanical Engineering alumni include presidents of major universities, corporations and organizations as well as inventors, entrepreneurs and members of the National Academy of Engineering. They have served in the military and have walked in space.

Further information on the PNC Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering can be obtained by contacting the PNC College of Engineering and Technology 800-872-1231, ext. 5297.

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