Duke University is the only private college in the state to offer programs in mechanical engineering. The undergraduate program is flexible enough to allow for enrichment options such as independent study projects, study abroad, and certificates in areas such as aerospace engineering and management studies. At the graduate level, Master of Science students can participate in a program where they spend the first year at a university in Sweden before returning to Duke for the second year of studies. Once students complete the master's degree, they may choose to continue on for a doctorate, specializing in areas such as fluid or solid mechanics. Students who choose to pursue the Master in Engineering take specialized courses in management and business before completing an eight-week internship.
The University of North Carolina, Charlotte, is the only UNC campus offering degrees in mechanical engineering. In keeping with North Carolina's reputation as a hub for auto racing, mechanical engineering undergraduates can apply as sophomores to earn a concentration in motorsports engineering. Students in this program participate in project teams where they build and race their own cars. At the graduate level, the department offers two master's degrees and a doctorate. One master's degree is for students who have a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, while the other is a degree for students who majored in math or science. Doctoral students can choose to concentrate in automotive engineering, biomedical engineering, computational modeling and simulation, and precision engineering and manufacturing.
North Carolina State University's mechanical engineering department, the largest in the state, offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Undergraduates begin their college career taking a common freshman engineering curriculum, giving them a chance to sample all areas of the discipline before focusing on their major. Students can also choose to enrich their studies by earning an international certificate, awarded to students who study abroad and take foreign language/culture classes. At the graduate level, NC State offers a one-year master's program with an optional mechatronics concentration which can be completed either on campus or through online learning. Doctoral students can choose to focus on topics such as structural mechanics, thermal sciences or energy systems under the tutelage of nearly 40 accomplished researchers.
North Carolina A&T is the only historically black university in the state with an engineering school. In addition to their engineering studies, undergraduates expand their education with five interdisciplinary required courses and a series of four electives centered around a theme, such as "Science and Technology" or "Energy and the Environment." Students must also complete 50 hours of community service during their college career. Within the engineering curriculum, students can complete an aerospace concentration or choose from electives such as nuclear energy or turbomachinery. Graduate students in both the master's and doctoral programs are highly involved in research, including aerospace engineering projects for corporate partner Boeing.