If you want to get involved in the exciting field of mechanical engineering, there are five schools in Utah that you can attend. Three of these schools offer Associate’s degrees and four schools have Bachelor’s degrees. There are four schools with Master’s degrees and three with PhD programs.
The education you receive in your program depends on which degree you pursue. If you want an Associate’s degree, you can plan on completing 60 credits in about two years. Many of the courses you take as an Associate’s degree student can be used towards a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
A Bachelor’s degree takes about four years to complete, and you must earn between 120 and 130 credits. Some of the courses you may take at this level include Manufactory Processes, Component Design, and Thermodynamics.
After you have a Bachelor’s degree, you can consider earning a Master’s degree or PhD in the same field. A Master’s degree includes courses like Gas Dynamics, Nonlinear Engineering Systems, and Statistical Thermodynamics. You can generally earn this degree in about two years. A PhD involves writing a thesis, so it generally takes five to seven years.
The average cost of tuition in Utah is $5100, which is very low when compared to almost any other state in the country. At just over $3300, tuition for two-year schools is the least expensive. Four-year public schools have an average tuition cost of almost $6000, and private colleges have an average tuition cost of just over $6000.
Regardless of where you go to school, you may be able to lower your costs by applying for scholarships. The Utah Engineers Council awards a variety of scholarships to students every year. You may also consider applying for Northrop Grumman Engineering Scholarships. These scholarships are open to engineering students all over the country.
If you have graduated from your engineering program, it is time to apply for your license from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. You must first pass the required engineering exams. Upon successfully passing your exams, you can then fill out an application for licensure and receive your license.