Overview

The mission of the Mechanical Engineering program offered by South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is to prepare our graduates for leadership roles in the mechanical engineering profession by:  

• offering a quality education by fostering a distinctive curriculum and accentuating design and project-based learning;

• committing to individual development while emphasizing the values of teamwork in a culturally diverse and multidisciplinary environment; and

• encouraging undergraduate and graduate research and nurturing creative solutions to complex engineering problems.  

Student Jobs and Co-ops

Through cooperative education (co-ops) and internships, School of Mines students have many opportunities to apply their education to "real world" work experiences. Students are employed by industry and government agencies in positions related to mechanical engineering. Students may gain 1-3 hours of academic credit for their co-op or internship experience upon department approval.

 Students registered for co-op courses keep their full-time student status during the semester they are on co-op. All Mines students are encouraged to have relevant work or research experience prior to graduation. Co-ops are often 6-8 months (semester + summer). Internships are usually for the summer or part-time during the school year. However, the terms are used interchangeably by employers.