Online Mechanical Engineering Courses

Take online mechanical engineering courses over the summer in thermodynamics, solid mechanics, mechanical engineering programming and more through Binghamton University. The courses are taught by Binghamton University professors from the Mechanical Engineering Department and are open to students from other colleges and universities as well as some qualified high school students. It's a great way to catch up on general education courses, try a class taught by Binghamton University's talented professors, continue your education or test out a new field. 

Questions? Contact Liz Kucharek, Administrative Coordinator, ME department: kucharek@binghamton.edu

Application Instructions

Binghamton University engineering students registering for ME summer courses must have the corresponding prerequisite(s) completed by the starting date of the summer session listed on the University academic calendar. The prerequisite(s) of these courses will be checked. The department will not approve late course add petitions for ME summer courses.


Winter 2024 Online Courses

Online Mechanical Engineering Programming Course

ME 212 - Taught by Kirill Zaychik
Description: Structured programming for mechanical engineers. Engineering programming with MATLAB.

Prerequisite: WTSN 112 or a beginning programming course. Credits: 2 

Syllabus for ME212 Winter 


Summer 2024 Online Courses

Online Solid Mechanics Course

ME 211 - Taught by Kirill Zaychik

This required course mechanical engineering undergraduate course is
designed to extend the student's knowledge of mechanics to include deformable body mechanics. The main focus of this course is on the deformation of the body when subject to external loading. The concepts of stress, strain, and material constitutive laws are carefully developed in one-, two and three-dimensions. These concepts are applied to the stress and deformation analysis of the common engineering structures such as beams, rod, shafts, pressure vessels, and two-dimensional (plane stress and plane strain) problems. Both theoretical development and applied problems solving, including analysis and design problems, are emphasized. The course material presentation takes the form of instructional videos with some self-directed learning assignments. This course is the prerequisite (C- or better required) for the following ME core courses: ME 381, 392.

Required Textbook: R.C. Hibbler, Mechanics of Materials. 10th Edition, Prentice-Hall, 2016. ISBN: 9780134518121 (this book includes the online access to the Mastering Engineering1 online resource – required for HW assignments)

Prerequisite: Statics and Calculus l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 211


Online Mechanical Engineering Programming Course

ME 212 - Taught by Kirill Zaychik

Structured programming for mechanical engineers. Engineering programming with MATLAB. Upon completion of this course, students shall acquire the following basic programming skills, which include but not limited to: problem-solving strategies, simple algorithm development and interpretation of mathematical concepts in Matlab environment.

This course will be constructed of nine modules:

  • Introduction
  • Working with the MATLAB user interface - entering commands and creating variables
  • Analyzing vectors and matrices - visualizing vector and matrix data
  • Working with data files and data types
  • Automating commands with scripts
  • Advanced plotting
  • Writing programs with logic and flow control
  • Writing functions
  • Symbolic computations

Suggested reading:

  • Timmy Siauw, A.M. Buyen, An Introduction to MATLAB Programming and Numerical Methods for Engineers, Elsevier, ISBN 978-0-12-420228-3
  • James B. Riggs, Programming with MATLAB for Engineers, Ferret Publishing, 2014, ISBN
  • William J. Palm III, Introduction to MATLAB for Engineers (3rd Edition), McGraw Hill, ISBN 0073534870
  • David Smith, Engineering Computation with Matlab (3rd Edition), PEARSON ISBN 978-0-13-256870-8
  • Rudra Pratap, Getting Started with Matlab: A Quick Introduction for Scientists and Engineers, OXFORD University Press, ISBN – 10: 0199731241

Prerequisite: WTSN 112 or a beginning programming course Credits:

Syllabus for ME 212


Online Statics Course

ME 273 - Taught by Colin Selleck

This course covers fundamental issues from the field of rigid-body mechanics. The course combines high-level mathematics (calculus and differential equations), physics and basic engineering concepts. These are applied to investigate common problems in the statics of rigid-body mechanics utilizing fundamental principles involving forces and equilibrium. Both theoretical development and applied problem solving are emphasized.

Prerequisite: Calculus-based Physics l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 273


Online Dynamics Course

ME 274 - Taught by Colin Selleck

This course covers fundamental issues from the field of particle and rigid-body kinematics and kinetics. The course combines high-level mathematics (calculus and differential equations), physics and basic engineering concepts. These are applied to investigate common problems in the dynamics of rigid-body mechanics utilizing fundamental principles involving forces and motion. Both theoretical development and applied problem solving are emphasized.

Prerequisite: Statics and Calculus l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 274


Online Engineering Computational Methods  

ME 303 - Taught by Morteza Bagheri 

Application of computational methods to solve engineering and scientific problems. topics covered include numerical methods (curve fitting, solution of linear and nonlinear equations, integrations, ordinary and partial differential equations), graphical visualization and statistical analysis using MATLAB. 

Prerequisites: ME212 and E302 l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 303


Online Thermodynamics Course

ME 331 - Taught by Jaeho Lee

Properties of pure substances. Concepts of work and heat, fundamental laws of thermodynamics; closed and open systems. Entropy and entropy production. Basic gas and vapor cycles, basic refrigeration cycles.

This course will cover topics such as:

  • Control Volume (CV)
  • Energy Transfer
  • Heat Transfer
  • Properties of Pure Substances
  • Thermodynamic Tables
  • Conservation of Mas
  • Conservation of Energy
  • Steady State vs. Transient
  • Heat Exchangers
  • First Law of Thermodynamics
  • Second Law of Thermodynamics
  • Entropy Balance in Closed Systems

Prerequisites: Calculus-based Physics l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 331


Online Fluid Mechanics Course

ME 351 - Taught by Jaeho Lee

Hydrostatics, kinematics, potential flow, momentum and energy relations. Bernoulli equation. Real fluid phenomena, laminar and turbulent motion boundary layer, lift and drag.

Prerequisites: ME 302/MATH 471 or equivalent l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 351


Online Intro to Finite Element Method Course

ME 417 - Taught by Ali Hoseinzadehforoughi

This course will cover the fundamentals of Finite Element Method through typical mechanical engineering examples. Stiffness method will be introduced for the solution procedure. Knowledge of a programming language (Matlab or Python are preferred) will be very helpful. Fundamentals of using ANSYS APDL for engineering simulations will be covered. "Why", "what" and "how" are the questions that will be answered for each necessary step during a typical analysis. Handson exercises will allow students to practice using ANSYS APDL for engineering analysis. Proper modeling and meshing techniques, and extraction and interpretation of the results (derived from simulations) will be taught.

Knowledge of solid and fluid mechanics, basic linear algebra, and a programming language (such as MATLAB) are essential for this course. Credits:

Syllabus for ME 417


Online Mechanical Vibrations 

ME 421 - Taught by Elham Mahmoudi

Free vibration of mechanical systems, damping, forced harmonic vibration, support motion, vibration isolation, response due to arbitrary excitation, systems with multiple degrees of freedom, normal modes, free and forced vibrations, vibration absorber, application of matrix methods, numerical techniques, computer applications.

Prerequisite: ME 274 and ME 302 l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 421


Online Control Systems in Mechanical Engineering Course

ME 424 - Taught by Kirill Zaychik

Introduction to classical and modern control systems as they relate to mechanical engineering. Modeling, analysis and design of control systems. State space techniques are introduced.

Prerequisite: ME303 and ME421 l Credits: 3

Syllabus for ME 424


Online courses in mechanical engineering are offered during either the summer or winter session. Check back periodically to see what new listings are offered for the upcoming session.