Study Guide

Description

240 cr
4 years
Full-time studies
Degree Programme in Mechanical Engineering, students with matriculation exam

DEGREE PROGRAMME IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, ENGINEER (Polytechnic), 240 ECTS

BASIC VALUES (VALUES & MISSION)
The purpose of mechanical engineering is to create effective instruments to carry out the activities of our living environment. These fields of technology free people from the jobs which are repetitive, straining and detrimental to health and make it possible to focus on control and design activities. Well-functional machines can reduce energy consumption. This has a direct impact on saving the diminishing natural resources.
The basic values of design, manufacturing and maintenance focus on high quality, safety, appropriateness, functionality and customer satisfaction regarding the machines and devices needed in the industry and in private use. Equally important values include the ease of use, pleasant exterior features, ergonomics, recycling regulation and fulfilment of environmental norms.
In commercial field of mechanical engineering, the emphasis is placed on customer orientation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness and economy. Moreover, quality is reinforced work, services and productions. The principals of profit-making entrepreneurship include appreciation of professional skills, responsibility for safety, improvement of staff and their well being, reliability and integrity. For career seeking students, continuity of activity and a sustainable development assure a supply of work placements.
Internationalization and knowledge of foreign cultures are increasingly becoming more central. The customers are private individuals and people working in the fields of design, consultancy and productive companies, which have increasingly more international connections.

DESCRIPTION
Most of the exporting from our country consists of machines and devices, the design and production management of which belong to mechanical and production engineers. Engineers must master their field of expertise in the different cultural environments. Mechanical engineering has a long tradition in Pirkanmaa. Therefore, mechanical engineering and automation have been chosen as one of the focuses on the expertise centres.
Due to European integration, quality and security regulations have been standardized and product liability is valid regarding this field. In addition to this, the quality system of EU certification is required more and more often from the companies. Because of the environmental protection, ever stricter information is required regarding the disposal of machines and devices after their lifetime.
Maintenance and repair of machines and devices belong to mechanical engineering as its own business field. The demand for maintenance is a result from wear, break- downs and ageing of machines and devices. As the shipments of many machines and devices occur between different companies and often these deliveries are related to construction, it is necessary to have seamless cooperation with different parties regarding the shipments. In addition to the technological knowledge, financing and expense knowledge are needed in this field. Also, a good working knowledge of laws and regulations and project management skills are necessary. This is especially true when the focus is on cost awareness in product development.
Recent changes in working life require companies to satisfy the customers? needs increasingly faster and more flexible. Because of this, the suppliers have divided into smaller and independent units and into a network in order to serve the customers better. The purpose of information technology is emphasized when managing networks consisting of small units? as well as in all areas of mechanical and production engineering.

REQUIREMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
In addition to basic professional studies, the professionals must master a specific field of mechanical engineering. The specialisation options in mechanical engineering are machine automation, aircraft engineering, production systems and product development. The application of IT and versatile social skills are essential for coping with the working life tasks.
Having initiative, being cooperative, flexible and responsible, as well as having skills in problem-solving, stress and adjustment management are necessary traits for mechanical and production engineers. In addition to this, economical thinking, enterprise, customer orientation and being willing to serve are also needed. The continuously changing world of mechanical engineering and production systems require the professionals to constantly maintain up-to-date skills and follow changes regarding their specialization field.
The mechanical engineer needs for problem solving and also physics and chemistry to understand the most important phenomena of the field. However, in working life, deeper technical skills are needed, such as the basic skills in mechanical engineering, machine automation, product development and creative production systems.
Maintaining an international competitiveness in mechanical engineering requires language skills, different cultural knowledge, human relationship-, communication- and negotiation skills. The engineer is must also to have willingness for lifelong learning.

OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION
An objective of the degree programme in mechanical engineering is to provide extensive technical thinking skills, readiness for acquisition of information and professional studies. Another objective is to provide a possibility for further studies related to present and future professions. The aim is to support the students? independent decision making when it comes to forming a curriculum.

PROJECT STUDYING
Together with practical work assignments and group work a student may do projects. The projects which are supervised by instructors can replace courses if so agreed or they can be included as free-choice studies. The subjects for the projects can come from business life or be, for example, development assignments of the laboratory. There will be a report as a result of the project. The work will be evaluated on the grounds of the report. Project and practical assignments have an especially important focus on the study path of production systems.

STRUCTURE OF THE STUDIES
The basic professional studies consist of 120 cr. The compulsory studies of specialization options consists of 45 cr and in addition to this, the students will choose 15 cr of professional studies which are approved by the head of the department. The supply of optional professional studies may vary yearly depending on the economic resources. In addition to professional and advanced professional studies, the degree programme consists of practical training (30 cr), free-choice studies (15 cr) and final thesis (15 cr).