OSU-Cascades to launch bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering this fall

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon State University–Cascades will offer a new bachelor’s degree this fall to address the growing need for mechanical engineers in Central Oregon and across the state, the school said Monday.

Job opportunities for mechanical engineers are projected to grow 8.9% in Central Oregon and 7.3% across Oregon over the next four years, according to a Lightcast labor market analysis.

The mechanical engineering degree will be the third engineering program offered at OSU-Cascades. A degree in energy systems engineering has been offered for 14 years, and an engineering science degree launched in the fall of 2020.

Engineering degrees at OSU-Cascades are offered through OSU’s College of Engineering, which is among the nation’s largest and most productive engineering programs. More than 100 students are currently enrolled in engineering programs at OSU-Cascades.

OSU-Cascades’ mechanical engineering students will take courses that build foundational knowledge in mathematics, science and computer science, and emphasize creative problem-solving and design. Students will also learn theoretical, computational and experimental methods in thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics.

Mechanical engineering students can select an option in energy systems engineering, which focuses on the design, processes and systems used to convert, distribute and store energy.

Students can also apply for two- and six-month paid internships through MECOP, a cooperative program between universities and industry in the Pacific Northwest that provides industry driven work experience.  

Students are required to complete a capstone project in their senior year where they work in teams with an industry client to address a real-world problem.

The majority of courses will be taught by OSU-Cascades faculty, with select courses taught remotely by faculty at OSU’s Corvallis campus, facilitated by a learning assistant in Bend.

To learn more about the mechanical engineering degree, visit osucascades.edu/mechanical-engineering.

About OSU-Cascades:  Oregon State University’s campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, OSU-Cascades is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges. OSU-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.

About the OSU College of Engineering: The college is a global leader in artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, clean water and energy, materials science, computing, resilient infrastructure and health-related engineering. Among the nation’s largest and most productive engineering programs, the college awards more bachelor’s degrees in computer science than any other institution in the United States. The college ranks second nationally among land grant universities, and fifth among the nation’s 94 public R1 universities, for percentage of tenured or tenure-track engineering faculty who are women.