Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at HCU is a 125-credit-hour degree program housed in the College of Science and Engineering. The program blends engineering fundamentals with hands-on laboratory experience, real-world projects, and a Christian liberal arts core that shapes the kind of engineer you become, not just the engineer you train to be.

Mechanical engineering is the broadest of the engineering disciplines, and our graduates are prepared to step into careers across manufacturing, energy, oil and gas, automotive, aerospace, healthcare technology, construction, and government. Houston is one of the strongest mechanical engineering markets in the country, and HCU students train inside it.

Review degree plan

Program Highlights

• The only Christian mechanical engineering program in the Houston metro area
• Integrated lecture-and-lab structure across core engineering courses
• Help in securing an internship
• Year-long senior design project sponsored by industry partners
• Small class sizes and direct access to faculty mentors
• Grace Hopper Scholarship opportunity offering up to full tuition for qualifying engineering students

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering requires 124 total credit hours, including:

• 44 hours of Liberal Arts Core Curriculum
• 25 hours of math and science requirements
• 56 hours of major engineering coursework

Students must complete at least 30 credit hours of upper-level (3000- or 4000-level) courses, earn a grade of “C” or higher in every required major and math/science course, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above. All students complete the required internship/professional experience and the two-semester senior project sequence.

Program of Study

The first two years build the foundation: introductory engineering projects, calculus through differential equations, physics, chemistry, computer programming, and computer-aided design. Students begin working with engineering tools and lab equipment in the freshman year through the Engineering and Cyber Projects sequence, learning to think and build like engineers from the start.

In the junior and senior years, the curriculum moves into the mechanical engineering core: thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, dynamic systems and controls, mechatronics, machine design, and manufacturing processes. Every major engineering course pairs theory with lab work. The program ends with a two-semester senior design project, where teams tackle an open-ended engineering problem from concept through testing.

Courses

Representative mechanical engineering coursework includes:

• Thermodynamics
• Statics
• Mechanics of Materials
• Dynamics
• Engineering Materials
• Computer-Aided Design and Engineering
• Manufacturing Processes
• Dynamic Systems and Controls with Lab
• Fluid Mechanics with Lab
• Heat Transfer with Lab
• Mechatronics with Lab
• Machine Design
• Senior Project I and II
• Internship/Professional Experience

Mechanical engineering is one of the most versatile degrees in higher education, opening doors across industries that build, move, generate, and innovate. Houston is one of the country’s most active mechanical engineering markets, with about 7,010 mechanical engineers working in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metropolitan area, the fourth-largest concentration in the nation. For HCU students, that means many of the top employers in the field are within driving distance of campus.

Career Outcomes

Graduates of mechanical engineering programs work across a wide range of industries. Roughly half of all mechanical engineers are employed in manufacturing, with strong concentrations in machinery manufacturing, transportation equipment manufacturing, and computer and electronic product manufacturing. Engineering services, scientific research and development, oil and gas extraction, federal government, and aerospace round out the leading sectors.

Common career paths for mechanical engineering graduates include:

• Mechanical Design Engineer
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Product Development Engineer
• Thermal and HVAC Systems Engineer
• Mechatronics and Robotics Engineer
• Aerospace Engineer
• Energy Systems Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Research and Development Engineer
• Quality Engineer
• Plant and Facilities Engineer

In Houston, mechanical engineering alumni typically join employers in the energy sector (ExxonMobil, Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, ConocoPhillips, Cameron, Oceaneering), aerospace and defense (NASA Johnson Space Center, Boeing, KBR, Lockheed Martin), and engineering services and manufacturing (Honeywell, Jacobs, WSP, AECOM).

Salaries

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for mechanical engineers was $102,320 in May 2024. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $68,740, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $161,240. Employment of mechanical engineers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 18,100 openings projected each year over the decade.

Texas employs more mechanical engineers than every state except California, with 23,370 working in the state and an average annual wage of approximately $112,310. Among industries, oil and gas extraction pays mechanical engineers the highest median wage in the country at $195,700, followed by solar electric power generation, natural gas distribution, nuclear electric power generation, and aerospace product and parts manufacturing. Houston is home to leading employers across nearly all of these sectors.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Mechanical Engineers.

Graduate Studies

A Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Houston Christian University prepares you for advanced study at top graduate programs across the country. Many mechanical engineers pursue a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with concentrations in areas such as aerospace, robotics, energy systems, biomechanics, or materials science. Others enter Master of Engineering programs designed for working professionals, accelerated 4+1 bachelor’s-to-master’s tracks, or PhD programs leading to careers in research, academia, or advanced industry roles.

HCU graduates can also continue their education through HCU’s own graduate offerings, including the online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, the Master of Science in Computer and Information Sciences, the Master of Science in Cybersecurity, and HCU’s MBA programs. These pathways allow mechanical engineers to layer skills in AI, computing, security, and business leadership onto their engineering foundation, an increasingly valuable combination in modern industry.

A degree is only as strong as the experiences that surround it. The mechanical engineering program at Houston Christian University is designed so that classroom learning meets real-world engineering practice well before graduation day. Located in one of the country’s most active engineering job markets, HCU students have direct access to the employers, professional networks, and research opportunities that shape long-term careers.

Internships

Every mechanical engineering student at HCU is encouraged to complete an internship or professional experience. Houston gives students an unusually deep pool of internship partners across energy, oil and gas, aerospace, manufacturing, and engineering services. Recent and prospective internship destinations for HCU engineering students include ExxonMobil, Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, NASA Johnson Space Center, Boeing, KBR, Honeywell, Oceaneering, Cameron, and a range of regional engineering services firms and manufacturers.

Internships give you the chance to apply mechanical engineering coursework to live problems, build relationships with practicing engineers, and often lead directly to post-graduation job offers.

Research

Undergraduate research is a defining feature of the College of Science and Engineering at HCU. Students work directly with faculty on projects in engineering design, materials, dynamic systems, and applied mechanics, and collaborate with regional medical schools and research universities on interdisciplinary work. The senior project sequence (ENSC 4311 and 4312) functions as a year-long applied research and design experience, often sponsored by industry partners, where teams take an engineering problem from idea generation through testing and final delivery.

Networking

HCU students build professional networks through industry-sponsored senior projects, the Science and Engineering Advisory Board (composed of working professionals and corporate representatives), HCU student chapters of national engineering organizations, and Houston-area chapters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and other professional societies. Houston’s density of engineering employers means networking events, technical talks, and industry mixers happen routinely within reach of campus, no relocation required.

ABET Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives

The Program Educational Objectives are broadly stated goals pertaining to career and professional accomplishments desired for program graduates. Graduates are expected within a few years of graduation to:

• Establish themselves as practicing professionals, or engage in advanced study in a related or complementary area
• Engage in professional development in order to remain current in the field for enhanced understanding of current issues
• Receive positive recognition and reward for the productive application of their skills and knowledge in service to God and humanity

Student Outcomes

The Program seeks to instill student outcomes that are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies. Review these outcomes to find out if mechanical engineering is right for you. The Program expects students to attain, by the time of graduation, the following outcomes:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.