Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering – Production Management Curriculum (LM-33)

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering – Production Management curriculum- programme overview

The Master’s degree prepares a professional figure able to design, research, plan, develop and manage complex systems and services. The high professional graduate will be able to work in the industrial sector, manage complex systems or work in Research and Development departments.

In general, the Master allows the student to acquire:

• fundamental knowledge of advanced mechanical design;
• in-depth knowledge of advanced design tools and modern numerical simulation techniques;
• the fundamental principles of the organisation and management of industrial plants and technological problems associated with aspects of industrial production.

Interactive activities and laboratories help students to acquire the necessary skills to interpret and realise the specific needs of the customer.

Online degree

The MA 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 earn an online degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Job profiles

Graduates should perform the following functions:

• follow the realisation of the productive process, being sure of the correspondence between the project and its functional, economical and morphological aspects;
• work to minimise the environmental impact of industries;
• plan the supply planning cycles;
• choose the right technology to use in relation to different products;
• carry out relations with customers and providers;
• manage the technical innovation/evolution of products;

Acquired competences

The main skills provided by the Master’s degree are:

• knowledge of mathematical tools, physical and engineering basis for the understanding and the using of the most common technologies in mechanical systems;
• ability to use working tools such as CAD-CAE-CAM;
• knowledge of mechanical materials, including criteria for their choice and use, production and assembly technologies, test methodologies;
• knowledge on measurement systems and their integration with automatic control systems;
• knowledge of industrial plant engineering;
• knowledge of energy sustainability in the industrial field.

Career opportunities

Graduates in Mechanical Engineering can find opportunities in various fields, such as:

• companies for the production, conversion and management of energy;
• plant engineering companies;
• manufacturing companies in general for product production, installation, testing, maintenance and management.

A Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (LM-33)- Prepares students to the following careers (ISTAT DATA):

1. Mechanical engineers – (2.2.1.1.1);
2. Industrial and managerial engineers – (2.2.1.7.0);
3. Researchers and technicians graduated in industrial and information engineering sciences – (2.6.2.3.2).

Entry requirements

To enroll in the Master, students must:

• adequately understand the methodological and operational aspects of the fundamental sciences of Industrial Engineering (class L-9);
• be able to conduct experiments and use techniques and tools for the design of components, systems, processes;
• be able to foresee the economic and organisational impact of the solutions;
• know the contemporary contexts and their professional and ethical responsibilities;
• be able to update their knowledge.

Accessing to the Master’s requires the Bachelor’s degree in the L-9 classes; other bachelor’s degrees or qualification in a relevant subject or overseas qualifications of a similar standard from a recognised high education institution are accepted  as long as they provide:

• at least 24 credits in sectors: MAT/02, MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/06, MAT/07, MAT/08, MAT/09
• at least 12 credits in sectors: FIS/01, FIS/03, CHIM/03 e/o CHIM/07;
• at least 30 credits in specific sectors: (ING-IND/08, ING-IND/09, ING-IND/10, ING-IND/12, ING-IND/13 ING-IND/14, ING-IND/15, ING-IND/16, ING-IND/17);
• at least 18 credits in sectors: ICAR/08, ING-IND/22, ING-IND/25, ING-IND/31, ING-IND/33 e/o ING-IND/35.

To access the Mechanical Engineering course a good knowledge of the English language (B2 level) is also required. The student must remedy any deficiencies before the beginning of the course and taking the entry test.

The procedures for admission are established by Regulations of the degree course in Engineering.

Educational aims and course plan outline

The figure of mechanical engineer is able to face problems in the field of innovation and development of industrial production, advanced design, management, maintenance, installation, testing and operation of simple or complex systems and plants of manufacturing and mechanical industries with particular reference to the automotive sector, as well as in companies and entities for energy conversion/ transformation. The course consists of 12 exams, a compulsory internship and a final thesis, which are worth in total 120 credits.

There are 36 common CFU/ECTs with the others curricula, the Production Management curriculum is aimed to provide skills in mechanical technologies and in the design and management of production plants.

Students can choose among an internship in a company or inside the University.

The fundamental macro-areas for engineers are:

• energy and machinery, aimed at providing expertise on industrial processes in the various sectors of energy production and of its exploitation connected to the environment;
• design area, aimed at providing advanced knowledge on mechanical modeling, on assisted design and in-depth analysis of problems related to mechanical vibrations;
• area of ​​technologies, aimed at providing knowledge of the processes of transformation of materials, mechanical processing of components and assembly of complexes;
• Management area, to provide the methodological knowledge related to the organisation and management of industrial processes, as well as the management of technological innovation;
• vehicle system, to give an in-depth knowledge of motor vehicle systems: powertrains, chassis, bodywork, safety, emissions and electric and hybrid vehicles.

Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and comprehension skills

At the end of the course, graduates will have an in-depth knowledge of the methodological-operational aspects of Mechanical Engineering, in particular:

• a broad knowledge of the basic scientific disciplines, addressed both to applicative and theoretical-abstract aspects, aimed at developing a deep understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena and of the mathematical design techniques in the construction of machines, energy and industrial production fields;
• expertise on materials, technologies and advanced production processes, with management of the related information and material flows, and on the management of the operation of complex production systems of the company (Production and Management area).

Video lessons and interactive self-assessment tests are part of the learning process. Assessment of knowledge takes place through written exams, e-tivities or by tracking student activities in virtual classrooms and in self-assessment tests. The evaluation of these activities ends with a vote expressed in thirtieths.

Ability to apply knowledge and comprehension skills

Graduates in Mechanical Engineering, Production and Management should be able to deal with complex problems related to:

• the engineering of artifacts of varying complexity;
• the design of driving and operating machines, as well as of plants that use thermofluidodynamic processes for industrial, energy and environmental applications;
• the design and management of industrial plants and processes in the various energy production sectors, with an eye for environment sustainability and, then, in the environmental management, control and requalification sectors;
• the management of product and process innovation.

Making judgments

Graduates will be able to elaborate data and information available in order to take decisions with a high degree of autonomy of judgment. As a matter of fact, during the course, students have gained awareness of the ethical responsibilities of their work and social consequences of their choices.

Graduates should be able to evaluate when to use particular technologies, materials, processes, methods and procedures in design problems, or how to conduct study, development and experimentation activities.

Communication skills

At the end of the course, graduates should be able to communicate information, scientific data and outcomes both to specialists and non-specialists in a clear and unambiguous way, also through written papers, diagrams and schemes, using, if necessary, the English language and the IT tools.

Learning skills

The Master aims to stimulate the student in finding original solutions to engineering problems, not by mere application of formulas and procedures, but rather by learning different methodologies. This approach has the specific purpose to encourage students to update their skills, also continuing their research in post-graduate

Final exam

The final exam of the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering – Production Management curriculum, is a public viva of a thesis dissertation assessed by an evaluation boardabout. The thesis is an original work, supervised by an academic staff member.

The thesis can be experimental, numerical or theoretical and may be carried out during a professional experience in companies or public or private organizations. The thesis must demonstrate the ability to tackle complex problems using a multidisciplinary approach. The final exam is under the Regulation of the Academic board.