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Proposal:
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Mechatronics can be concisely described as the combination of mechanical, electrical, and information systems engineering. The proposed Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics, to be offered at the Universities at Shady Grove, seeks to address the growing need for cross-disciplinary engineers skilled in the areas of robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing technologies, collectively known as Industry 4.0. As society moves into the 4th industrial revolution, the regional economy is redoubling its focus on high-tech industries like biotechnology and aerospace/defense, fields which rely heavily on the broad expertise offered by engineers trained in Mechatronics. The creation of the Mechatronics major aligns with the University Mission Statement, to “advance knowledge in areas of importance to the State”, as well as the undergraduate learning objectives 4.1.3 and 4.1.9, to “increase the number of graduates in fields that support the workforce needs of the state and the nation by creating new programs and pathways”, and to “continue to improve pathways for transfer students in our undergraduate programs on the College Park campus and at regional centers such as the Universities at Shady Grove,” respectively.
The proposed Mechatronics program seeks to train students in a design process that integrates mechanical, electrical, and information systems engineering to develop systems that can operate, perhaps autonomously, in the physical world. These systems could be robotic systems, flight systems including unmanned aircraft systems, or biomedical devices. Students graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechatronics will be uniquely skilled in the synergistic application of modern technologies that work together in systems that are more productive, more efficient, and less wasteful. The goal of this program is to enroll students who have completed the first two years of lower level engineering gateway courses, basic math/science courses, lower-level General Education courses & at least 60 applicable degree credits. |
