Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering – Mechanical Engineering (L-9)

The Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering – Mechanical Engineering – programme overview (outline)

The course in Industrial Engineering L-9 is designed to provide the suitable skills and knowledge to work in different industrial areas. The course is divided into five curricula: mechanical, electronic, management, agro-industrial and biomedical engineering. Each of these curricula aims to develop professional profiles with remarkably useful competences for modern industry.

Industrial Engineering graduates will be able to deal with, depending on the chosen curriculum:

• dimensioning and validation of mechanical, electronic or biomedical components and systems;
• problems linked to the production, management and organisation of manufacturing systems;
• agricultural production analysis;
• risk analysis;
• prevention and emergency security management: in private practice, manufacturing or service company or public administration.

The expected learning results mainly concern:

• methodological and operational aspects of maths and basic sciences which allow the interpretation and description of Engineering problems;
• ability to identify, formulate and solve problems using updated methods, techniques and tools;
• capability of planning, carrying out experiments and, in the end, analysing and interpreting the results;
• capability of conducting the analysis, optimisation and development of complex products, processes, machines and systems. Maintenance and management of production departments. Measuring and controlling activity, validation and technical support, identification of risk factors, analysis of safety conditions both in processes and industrial installations.

For some disciplines, laboratories are compulsory in order to let the prospective engineer acquire the necessary capabilities to interpret the specific needs of the client and translate those needs into possible solutions

Online degree

The Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (online) is designed for those who are unable to attend a traditional education programme due to distance or professional commitments.

Through Unicusano e-learning platform, it is possible to attend the Mechanical Engineering degree classes online, to study using computer storage media at home, at your own pace and take the exam at the nearest exam centre. Thanks to the teaching quality and to the broad number of authorised exams centres spread across Italy, Unicusano is today the best choice for students willing to pursue an online degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Job profiles. Entry level Industrial Engineer – Mechanical field

Possible job roles:

Mechanical engineers can be employed in various areas, being able to deal with the different stages of the production process, such as planning, production, management and organisation, safety management (prevention and emergency), both in private practice, manufacturing or service industries and in public institutions.

Acquired competences:

Mechanical Engineering graduates have acquired competences in:

•  design, production and assembly of components;
•  cost planning, production, analysis and estimate;
•  design, control and test of materials;
•  simulation and control of industrial processes using computers and electronic equipment.

Career opportunities:

• mechanical and electromechanical industries;
• high tech industries, such as aeronautics, transports, aerospace, energies, etc.;
• companies and institutions for energy conversion;
• manufacturing and process industries.

The Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering prepares students to the following careers (ISTAT DATA):

1. Mechanical Technician – (3.1.3.1.0);
2. Electronic Technician – (3.1.3.4.0);
3. Manufacturing Production – (3.1.5.3.0).

Entry requirements

In order to be eligible to the degree of Mechanical Engineering, students are required to possess a high school diploma or international equivalent. The knowledge of principles of maths, physics and chemistry, usually developed in high school courses, is also mandatory.
The access to the degree of Mechanical Engineering is subjected to a non-binding test, which all students enrolled have to take.

The assessment modalities are defined by the study course regulations. If the test is unsuccessful, students are assigned with additional learning requirements (or OFA, from the Italian equivalent) which can be filled by attending bridge classes. In that regard, Math and Physics courses have been predisposed and uploaded on the elearning platform. Both courses envisage an evaluation test; by passing the test, students fill their OFAs in the area.

Educational aims and course plan outline

The main educational aim of the present degree course is training highly qualified engineering technicians, who are capable of addressing problems and offering, thanks to a solid scientific and applicative background, the most suitable solutions for the specific industrial, economic and social contexts.

Bachelor graduates in Industrial Engineering are engineering technicians capable of designing and developing facilities, products and processes, choosing materials, programming and installing equipments, maintaining and managing departments and production systems, as well as carrying out activities of measurement, check, verification and technical assistance.

Thanks to their acquired skills, graduates are capable of working professionally in manufacturing, as well as in other sectors, such as industrial engineering, service companies and public bodies. Such flexibility in terms of career opportunities stems from the multi-purpose training, which is aimed to deepen and strengthen specific professional fields.

Training highly flexible professionals is possible due to 5 educational pathways, which share elements related to products life cycles (namely, designing, choosing materials, producing and managing), methodologies (such as computer-aided designing and producing tools) and integrations with smart functions (measurement, checking, diagnostics).

The degree course envisages the successful completion of 20 exams, a curricular internship and the dissertation of a thesis, for a total amount of 180 CFU/ECTs credits throughout three years. The learning process of graduates in Industrial Engineering comprises two levels:

1. basic training in maths, physics and chemistry (basic subjects);
2. fundamental knowledge of the characterising fields of mechanical engineering and industrial, energetic and managing security procedures, which provide a proper cultural background (characterising subjects).

The degree course also envisages 5 educational pathways to be chosen:

1. mechanical – interdisciplinary in nature, this path focuses on innovative materials, production technologies, mechanical design, fluid dynamics, machinery and energetic systems;
2. managerial – this path is aimed to provide specific expertise in technologies and processing systems, as well as dimensioning and managing production plants;
3. electronic – this path is targeted at addressing matters concerning measurement systems, electronics, automation and their applications in the industrial area;
4. biomedical – this path takes into account industrial matters concerning the realisation of biomedical systems;
5. agroindustrial – this path is targeted at providing expertise in technologies and processing systems characterising the agri-food sector, as well as in dimensioning and managing systems involved in agri-food production.

Broadly speaking, the degree course envisages 108 CFU/ECTs in common for the 5 educational pathways, namely 54 in the basic subjects and 54 in the characterising subjects. In particular, all educational pathways envisage 54 CFU/ECTs credits in the following basic subjects: Geometry (MAT/03), Mathematical analysis (MAT/05), Computer Science (INF/01), Physics (FIS/03) e Chemistry (CHIM/03).

The Electronic and the Biomedical pathways are also characterised by 6 CFU/ECTs credits aimed at deepening the knowledge of electromagnetism. Additionally, the 5 educational pathways are characterised by 54 shared CFU/ECTs credits in the characterising subjects of mechanical engineering and industrial, energetic and managing security procedures.

The characterising disciplines in common are: Electronic equipment and systems (ING-IND/08 and ING-IND/09), Applied Mechanic to machines (ING-IND/13), manufacturing technologies and systems (ING-IND/16), industrial and mechanical plants (ING-IND/17), Science and Technology of materials (ING-IND/22), Electrotechnical (ING-IND/31). Upon completing their educational pathways, students can choose between enterprise internships and internships at the University, followed by the dissertation of the thesis.

In summary, the Bachelor’s degree focuses on the following macro-areas:

• specific training in energetic and machinery fields, aimed to provide expertise on industrial processes in different sectors of energetic production and its respectful of the environment exploitation;
• specific training in technology and industrial plants fields, aimed to provide expertise on materials and processes of transformation and mechanic manufacturing of both individual components and whole systems;
• specific training in the designing field, targeted at providing expertise on dimensioning and mechanic design;
• specific training on management, meant to provide methodological expertise on administering industrial processes and technological innovation;
• specific training on electromagnetic fields, electronic and measurement systems, as well as the theory of signals applied to industrial systems.

Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and comprehension skills

The students enrolled in the BA in Industrial Engineering will acquire in-depth knowledge and comprehension of basic scientific sciences and the ability of applying such acquired skills to understand specific concepts of Industrial Engineering related sciences, in particular with regard to mechanics, electronics, production and safety.

The aim is to enable the Industrial Engineering graduate to interpret, analyse and solve Industrial Engineering typical problems. Knowledge and comprehension skills are acquired through Maths, Numerical Analysis, Physics and Chemistry courses. Industrial Engineering contents will be learnt through educational activities that are typical of Mechanic Engineering, safety and automation.

The Mechanical Engineering course includes the attendance to online and frontal classes, seminars, exercises, tutoring programmes, constant and continuous dialogue with professors and independent study. Laboratories, seminars and speeches held by specific field experts may be part of the course. Internships in research entities and/or private companies can also be included. Students have access to books, lecture notes, multimedia supports, several scheduled teacher meetings. Knowledge acquisition is usually assessed by oral and written exams and/or tests.

Ability to apply knowledge and comprehension skills

Students of Mechanical Engineering course will acquire:

• ability to apply their knowledge and comprehension skills to identify, express and solve Engineering problems using consolidated methods;
• ability to apply their knowledge and comprehension skills to analyse Engineering products, processes and methods;
• ability to choose and apply analytical and modelling methods.

Such abilities are mainly acquired by undertaking planned exercises. The verification of the acquisition of the educational aims is systematically organised throughout the assessment programme.

Making judgements

Mechanical engineers’ competences include independent judgement, ability to select, elaborate and interpret data, technical and bibliographical information, ability to make the necessary methodological and technical choices to solve project and management problems of average difficulty.

Mechanical Engineering graduates will be able to assess cost parameters and performances of mechanical devices, electronic or energetic systems, of processing technologies or industrial processes and to value the results in relation to the choices made. The required techniques for dimensioning, for the choice of tools, for the evaluation and validation and for technical-economic analysis are mainly taught in characterising subjects and reinforced through e-tivities, drills and laboratories.

The course is aimed to develop teamwork skills. Further activities such as internships or final exam preparation can involve a development of judgement and decision making skills.

Communication skills

Mechanical Engineering graduates are required the ability to organise their work results in an communicatively efficient manner. This aim implies the acquisition of technical-scientific writing and speaking skills, also through the use of modern presentation technologies.

The course facilitates the attainment of the ability of using technical-scientific jargon in non-specific contexts, in order to make the presentation clear, especially in social and business settings.

Learning skills

The Bachelor’s degree course in Industrial Mechanical Engineering is organised so as to provide students the necessary training to a prompt entry into employment after graduation and the required learning abilities to access to subsequent studies (Master degree and PhD).

The study plan of the present degree course is organised so as to allow graduates to solve engineering problems of average complexity, through both the methodological rigour distinctive of the basic subjects and the study of specific questions and methodologies concerning the characterising subjects.

The Bachelor’s degree course in Industrial Mechanical Engineering is designed so as to permit students to develop their learning abilities gradually, moving from developing logical “hypothesis-thesis” reasoning, approaching and solving basic maths, informatics, physics and chemistry problems, until preparing technical engineering reports and solving technical and organisational problems, directly applicable to the labour market.

Writing the dissertation for the final exam represents a fundamental step to develop this skill; during the process, students face new topics, which require further knowledge not necessarily provided by professors.

Final Exam

The Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering is earned after passing a final exam. The final exam consists of the preparation and presentation of an original Thesis, which can be theoretical, practical, mixed or project-like. How to present the thesis will be defined by the programme regulation of the course.