About
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is one of the largest departments within Virginia Tech, awarding more than 400 undergraduate, more than 40 Master of Science, and more than 30 Doctoral degrees annually. Despite its large enrollment, the average graduate class size in the department is fewer than 30 students and the department offers many opportunities for graduate students beyond the typical classroom educational experience.
The ME department at Virginia Tech has one of the largest and most active ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) student sections in the United States. The department offers opportunities for students to attend professional conferences and internships, as well as attend professional development courses offered through the VT Graduate School’s Transformative Graduate Education program. The 2020 U.S. News & World Report rankings have the Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering program listed at #17 for both graduate and undergraduate programs in the US.
In addition to mechanical engineering, the department is also home to degree options in nuclear engineering. Graduate degrees are available, as well as an undergraduate minor.
Mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
The Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Department serves its students, alumni, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the nation through a variety of academic, research and service activities.
Our mission is to serve our undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the nation through a variety of teaching, research, service, and scholarly activities. Dedicated to excellence in research and scholarship and to upholding the highest standards in the overall quality of our programs, we prepare engineers for successful careers in industry, government, and academia. We emphasize engineering principles, hands-on projects, open-ended problem solving, and the essential skills of teamwork, communication, and ethics, and integrate these into the education of each of our students.