Mechanical Engineering (300 credits)

Job opportunities and the future

A CD player as slim as the CD itself? A totally silent computer? A car that reclaims energy every time the brakes are applied? Perhaps these technical solutions will be standard tomorrow. The backbone of Swedish industry still consists of the classical mechanical engineering base industries - engineering, vehicles, paper, steel and energy. Within these fields the labour market is steady and demand levels for engineers are high. A graduate of this programme may work in a small or large company with, for example, construction, production or development of products and services. Typical jobs include technical expert, product developer, constructor, project manager, marketer, trainer, researcher or consultant. As this programme is well-recognised internationally, there are also good job opportunities abroad.

The programme

This programme is one of the broader engineering courses at KTH. In YEAR 1 and 2 students take basic courses within mathematics and natural sciences. At the end of YEAR 3 they choose a specialisation that interests them. Mechanical Engineering offers a large number of specialisations within which it is possible to meet different KTH research groups, all working with the latest, cutting edge technology. These groups will act as teachers and supervisors for students undertaking their degree projects in their final year of study.

Year 1

In Year 1 students take basic courses within mathematics, physics and engineering.

In the autumn term students take an introduction course in Mechanical Engineering that covers the broader subject area and the role of the engineer, especially the concepts innovation and creativity. Students are also trained in report writing and presentations. A number of study visits are included in this course.

Mathematics is a vital tool for an engineer, and in their first mathematics courses students learn linear algebra and differential and integral calculus.

This course provides knowledge of important concepts linked to electrical and magnetic fields and mechanical and electromagnetic waves. Training is also provided in analysing, formulating and solving simpler problems.

The ability to use mathematical software to solve technical-mathematical problems, to carry out numerical experiments and present solutions is developed on this course. Programming is carried out in a modern program language (MATLAB).

This course provides knowledge on the basic laws of nature governing time, space, matter and motion and how these are applied to solving practical problems.

Year 2

In Year 2 students continue with courses in the engineering science field.

This course provides knowledge on Solid Mechanics basic concepts and principles, the mechanical characteristics of construction materials, methods of solving problems within mechanics and the ability to independently apply this knowledge.

The continuation course brings increased familiarity with the basic laws of classical mechanics and how they are applied to practical mechanical problems.

This course gives broad knowledge of different materials, an understanding of the phenomena that determine the behaviour and characteristics of materials and how they can be modified in manufacture and use.

Differential equations describe how quantities change in time and space. This plays a decisive role in technical applications. Here students learn solution methods, applications and transformation methods.

In this course students learn the basic laws and processes for energy transformation, fluid theory and heat transfer and gain a good understanding of the physics behind the phenomena covered. Students also train up their ability to formulate problems, make models and solve problems.

This course applies Mechanics and Solid Mechanics in order to analyse different machine components and construct simpler mechanical systems.

This course is partially problem-based and takes up the situation of an industrial company receiving an order and producing a product. After this course students will be able to make active choices between the most common processing methods, set up simpler manufacturing systems and implement a basic "Detail Plan" for a production situation.

When students have completed this course in Electrical Engineering they will have learned to construct simpler control systems and to dimension electric motor operations. Students study in depth within some sub-areas such as digital and microcomputer engineering and electric motor operations.

Year 3

In Year 3 students take three compulsory courses;
- Product Realisation - Manufacturing, 6 credits
- Product Realisation - Construction, 6 credits
- Industrial Economics, 6 credits

Students select three qualifying courses as preparation for their planned Master programme. There are also a number of totally elective credits. Year 3 is concluded with a degree project for a Bachelor of Science degree of 15 credits within the selected Master area. In this project students are expected to make independent, critical assessments and independently define, formulate and solve problems. The selection of the Master programme occurs during the autumn term of Year 3.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE

After 180 credits have been earned students may apply to take out a Bachelor of Science degree. Master of Science studies then continue up to the Master of Science degree of 300 credits. Alternatively students may choose another one or two-year Master programme.

Year 4-5

In Years 4 and 5 students follow their selected Master programme.

This programme deals with collaboration between engineering and economics within production engineering. The subject area is integrated with operations, control and investment analyses in industrial operations. There are two specialisation; Industrial Marketing and Project and Production Management.

The Master programme Integrated Product Design has two tracks, Integrated Product Development and Industrial Design.

• Industrial Design – This specialisation profile deals with the ability to, within product development operations, be able to identify, evaluate and prioritise the product's "soft” characteristics, for example appearance, safety and environmental friendliness. It is especially important to be able to integrate these aspects and product characteristics into construction activities.

• Integrated Product Development - Product Development means the establishment of complete underlying material in order to be able to produce, market and sell a new product. This process encompasses all activities from the initial identification of a product need to the complete, final construction documentation.

In this programme students learn about the development and operation of an industrial production system; organisation, management, quality, logistics, flow analysis and financial situation. The programme also provides insights into different concepts within production and planning of manufacturing plant, taking into consideration processes and logistics.

There are three tracks in this programme:
• Machine Construction - here students learn to create technical quality products, with the efficient support of relevant development tools and methods. Construction and development of technical systems and components requires both a holistic approach and specialist knowledge within widely differing fields – development methods, construction principles, physical phenomena, material characteristics, manufacturing methods etc.

• Mechatronics provides knowledge on how modern machines and apparatus can be constructed, electronics and software being important components. Within this field there is room for profiling towards different areas of application: medical mechatronics, robot technology etc.

• Internal Combustion Engine – this specialisation mainly concerns combining knowledge of basic subjects with a practically vital and demanding application, namely the internal combustion engine. This subject primarily provides knowledge on the piston engine with inner combustion as well as other types such as the gas turbine, Stirling engine and fuel cell.

Hardly any area of engineering is, or has been, as closely linked to the development of society as energy. There are many special areas of study: thermodynamics, heat transfer, renewable energy, nuclear power security, energy saving and environmental issues.

This programme provides knowledge within the field of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development. Students gain knowledge and skills concerning technology and sustainable development within a number of operational areas such as environmental management, environmental impact, waste management, environmental engineering and environmental systems analysis.

This programme provides opportunities to gain broad, technical competence at the same time as students may specialise within tracks covering aeronautics, space, light constructions or systems engineering.

This programme provides opportunities to apply students’ knowledge of mathematics, mechanics, solid mechanics, electrical engineering etc. Students learn more about vehicle dynamics and the interaction between vehicles and infrastructure. This programme offers specialisations in road vehicles or rail vehicles.

This programme focuses on physics in advanced nuclear reactor systems, both those currently in use and those of the future. Based on the physics, possible solutions to complicated problems are formulated, problems such as the nuclear waste issue. The primary objective of this programme is to educate skilful engineers and physicists for the nuclear power industry and for university departments, research institutes and government agencies within the broad field of nuclear energy engineering.

Students gain knowledge of, and training in, design processes for vessels and other technical marine systems and a solid grounding in marine engineering theory and methods for formulating, modelling and solving problems within different areas.

This programme provides training in areas such as model building and analysis using modern numerical and experimental methods so that students will be able to solve real problems within this broad field. There are three specialisations - Solid Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics and Sound and Vibration.

Master programmes and the Erasmus Mundus

Degree project

The programme is completed with a degree project. This project works as proof positive that the student has fulfilled the requirements of the Master course. Students will apply all the knowledge they have acquired during their period of study at KTH. The degree project is carried out in connection to the Master Programme, most often during Year 5 and is aimed at providing experience of, under realistic conditions, independently planning, implementation and documentation of a task according to good engineering practice. This project may be carried out at KTH, at a company or abroad. Select your degree project carefully – it may be extremely useful when you are applying for your first job!