Academics Home > Undergraduate Home > Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Research opportunities allow students to cultivate relationships with faculty mentors, gain experience applying knowledge developed during their coursework; prepare for careers in research and development or academia, and gain an understanding of the current state of the Mechanical Engineering field. There are several ways for ME undergraduate students to get involved with research, including:
The Creative Inquiry program is open to all majors and gives students the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research on a small team under the direction of a faculty advisor. Mechanical Engineering CI courses are variable-credit, so students can vary their time commitment to fit their schedules. Multiple projects are offered every fall and spring. Students can participate in several projects to experience different fields or enroll in the same CI project for multiple semesters. You can find out more about the creative inquiry program and search for current research projects on the Find a Project page. Students should contact the project lead for consent to register for a CI section (ME 2900/3900/4900).
Students participating in the same CI project for multiple semesters can apply seven credit hours of creative inquiry to fulfill one ME technical requirement (see form here). Contact your ME academic advisor for more information on fulfilling a degree requirement with creative inquiry credit.
Undergraduate research allows students to engage in research with a faculty mentor and receive technical elective credit. Like creative inquiry, undergraduate research helps students to explore different interests within Mechanical Engineering, create relationships with faculty, and apply their knowledge to solve problems creatively. For students considering graduate school, undergraduate research is an excellent opportunity to start developing their research interests and building their CVs.
Students can find information on individual faculty research in the ME faculty directory and speaking with their ME instructors. Instructor consent is required to register for a section of undergraduate research (ME 4150). Students should fill out the ME 4150 proposal form with the guidance of their faculty advisor and send it to the Undergraduate Coordinator for signature. Students can use a maximum of three credit hours towards their ME technical requirement unless enrolled in the Departmental Honors program (see below).
The Departmental Honors Program in Mechanical Engineering provides exceptional students an opportunity to conduct a full year of in-depth research under the guidance of a faculty advisor and receive 6 credit hours of ME technical elective credit. The required coursework for the Departmental Honors program consists of two semesters of ME 3000 (Honors seminar) and two semesters of ME 4150 (undergraduate research). Eligibility requirements for starting the honors program include:
Students participating in the honors program typically enroll in ME 3000 in each junior semester and enroll in an honors section of ME 4150 for three credit hours in each senior semester. Students may be able to enroll in their second semester of ME 3000 concurrently with their first semester in ME 4150. Before enrolling in ME 4150, students should fill out the ME 4150 proposal form with the guidance of their faculty advisor. For more information on the Departmental Honors program, speak to your ME academic advisor or the ME Honors Program Coordinator, Josh Bostwick, at jbostwi@clemson.edu.
Mechanical Engineering students are encouraged to take advantage of a wide variety of global engagement initiatives, both virtual and in-person, that tie directly into their coursework. Students may earn credit toward a major, minor, certificate, foreign language, or general education requirements. International internship, co-op, and research opportunities are also available.
Please visit CECAS Global Engagement and Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad for more information.
Automotive engineering and advanced manufacturing partnered with several universities in Germany. In this program, students will spend 3 weeks in Aachen and Landshut visiting industry and academic partners. The program will count for 6-credits (3 advanced manufacturing and 3 cross-cultural awareness).