About the Program
The Motorsports Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Motorsports Engineering Program Educational Objectives
The program educational objectives of the Motorsports Engineering Program are to integrate engineering and life science principles into a comprehensive curriculum that produces graduates who can achieve the following career and professional accomplishments, if desired:
- Meet expectations of employers in Motorsports Engineering and related fields
- Achieve recognition and/or advancement consistent with their education
- Continue growth in professional knowledge through additional education, certification, or licensing
Motorsports Engineering Program Student Outcomes
The program should provide students with a solid technical foundation for their careers. Graduates of the Motorsports Engineering Program within the School of Mechanical Engineering will have demonstrated the following:
- Engineering fundamentals: an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- Engineering design: an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- Communications skills: an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Ethical/Professional responsibilities: an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- Teamwork skills: an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- Experimental skills: an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions.
- Knowledge acquisition: an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Motorsports Engineering Program Description
Engineering opportunities in the motorsports industry are growing and expected to continue to grow at a rapid pace. Indiana and North Carolina are recognized as the leading national motorsports economies with England, Germany and Italy representing the industry internationally. Indianapolis, IN with its ties to the Indianapolis 500 and the U.S Nationals is considered the international focal point for American Indycar open-wheel racing and NHRA professional drag racing. Tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 businesses have developed in the local area to support the growing demands of the racing community in both professional and amateur motorsports. It is estimated that there are over 400 motorsports related firms in the Indianapolis region including companies that produce engines, brakes, dampers, springs and other racing products. The Performance Racing Industry, PRI, based in Speedway, IN, holds their annual industry convention in Indianapolis for current and future employees of the industry to create new business and networking opportunities.
The Motorsports Engineering Program was created and approved in May 2008 to support the engineering growth of the motorsports industry. The program supports a 4-year Bachelor of Science Degree in Motorsports Engineering, a 5-year dual degree in Motorsports and Mechanical Engineering and graduate engineering education opportunities in the School of Mechanical Engineering’s graduate school. The program aims to prepare graduates for careers in both the motorsports and the automotive industry. Engineering skills developed within this program have cross-pollinated into the aerospace industry. The core program focuses on teaching the fundamentals of engineering which include hands-on projects that involve analytical design, practical design, and manufacturing of actual systems for motorsports.
The Motorsports Engineering Program achieves the above stated educational objectives and student outcomes through a comprehensive, integrated curriculum which provides students with a broad base on which students can build an engineering career. The program is founded on basic sciences, including physics, chemistry and mathematics; computer science and computer graphics; and oral and written communication skills.
To this foundation, a core of engineering science and design courses are added in three main curriculum stems: mechanical sciences (statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, vehicle dynamics, and motorsports design), information technologies (electric circuits and electronics, instrumentation, system modeling and controls, and race engineering), and thermal-fluid sciences (thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and aerodynamics).
Throughout the core curriculum, students gain extensive laboratory and computer experience via modern facilities in all basic areas of the discipline. In addition, the curriculum provides an integrated innovation, design and entrepreneurship experience. This experience - which begins with a sophomore-level cornerstone course and culminates with a senior-level capstone course - emphasizes innovation, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, communication skills, practical hands-on experience with various product design processes, and entrepreneurship. Students then specialize by selecting two MSPE electives that provide additional depth in one or more main stems of the curriculum. Students can further specialize with 6 credit hours of technical/professional electives in motorsports engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, selected management courses or individualized project courses.
Just as design experiences are integrated throughout the motorsports engineering curriculum, so too are opportunities to communicate technical information, both orally and in writing. Students experience a variety of communications opportunities while progressing through the motorsports engineering program.
As a freshman, each student is required to take both oral and written communication courses. These courses lay the foundation for future oral and written communications. In the sophomore seminar course (MSPE 29000), students learn how to create professional documents and correspondence (e.g., resumes, letters, memos, etc.), develop personal interview skills, learn the basics of Web publishing, and develop a global engineering professional profile. In MSPE 32000, the cornerstone design course, students prepare formal design reports, give oral presentations, and maintain individual design notebooks. The communications experiences culminate in the capstone design course (MSPE 41400), in which student teams prepare presentations and reports for the sponsors of their selected design projects and compete in an innovation competition.
A major feature of the curriculum is the flexible 39-credit-hour elective program, of which 18 credit hours are taken during the senior year. This allows for a program with considerable breadth while also permitting the depth and specialization in an area of the student’s professional interests.
Because of the wide scope of activities in which the motorsports engineer is engaged and because of the broad spectrum of student interests, motorsports engineering graduates may choose either to enter the profession immediately after receiving their bachelor’s degree or go directly to graduate school. In either case, the curriculum provides a firm foundation for continuing education and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning, whether as a member of the engineering profession, through formal graduate work or through independent study.
Visit the School of Mechanical Engineering website for more current information about the undergraduate programs.
Professional Student Organizations and Activities
Student organizations provide valuable opportunities for students to enhance organizational, communication, teamwork and leadership skills. Students also are strongly encouraged to become involved in one or more extracurricular activities. Student organizations specific to mechanical engineering include the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors (PMEA), Pi Tau Sigma (the Mechanical Engineering Honor Society) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Professional Practice Program with Industry or Governmental Organizations
The professional practice programs enable qualified students to obtain experiences related to their specific engineering discipline with selected employers while completing the requirements of their undergraduate degree. Students can participate in a five-session co-op, a three-session co-op, the flex co-op, or an internship program. The Professional Practice Office (OPP) also offers the GEARE program, which combines domestic and international work experiences, a design project component and an opportunity to study abroad.
For more information, visit the Office of Professional Practice website.
Honors Program
An honors program is available for outstanding motorsports engineering undergraduate students. The honors program is a mechanism for:
- Participating in small enrollment, targeted courses.
- Participating in a directed project in their area of interest.
- Stimulating interest in graduate study and research/academic careers.
- Developing a community of honors scholars.
- Allowing for special recognition of high levels of academic achievement.
The Honors program utilizes the motorsports engineering, technical, general education and elective requirements for the B.S. MSPE degree in a way that is consistent with the honors designation. Admission to the Honors program is by selection for any student meeting the minimum admission requirements for the First-Year Engineering Honors program. Students not in the First-Year Engineering Honors program can apply for admission into the Honors program by completing an honors application and meeting the required cumulative GPA for admission.
Completion of the Honors program requires earning a required minimum number of honor points (credit hours) earned in one of the following manners:
• Take honors courses (including the sophomore and junior honors seminar sequence).
• Complete honors experiences (e.g., study abroad, special work experiences, etc.).
• Take honors strategic initiative courses (defined by the College of Engineering).
Successful completion of the minimum number of honors points will earn a student a certificate and his/her transcript will read, “Bachelor of Science Motorsports Engineering - Honors Program Awarded at West Lafayette.”
More details on the Honors program can be found on the ME website.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
In addition to the traditional classroom experience, students in the School of Mechanical Engineering have the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in one of the thirteen ME Research Areas listed below:
• Acoustics and Noise Control
• Bioengineering
• Combustion
• Design
• Fluid Mechanics and Propulsion
• Heat Transfer
• Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
• Manufacturing and Materials Processing
• Mechanics and Vibrations
• Motorsports Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Robotics
• Solid Mechanics
• Systems, Measurement and Control
Students discover first-hand how research contributes to the advancement of human knowledge. They experience a change of pace from formal classroom activities and gain valuable hands-on skills applicable to both research and non-research careers. In addition, students develop their knowledge of the research process and tools used by professional researchers and increase their proficiencies in technical communication. Such experiences help students connect their summer experience with their future goals, with particular focus on post-graduate education. Learn more about ME Faculty directed research opportunities by visiting the ME Undergraduate Research Opportunities webpage. https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/Undergraduate/ResearchOpportunities
Interested students are strongly encouraged to consider participation in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program or the Discovery Park Undergraduate Research Internship (DURI) Program.
Preparation for Graduate Study
The School of Mechanical Engineering also offers graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.S.), for students with non-engineering degrees; Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E), for students with non-mechanical engineering degrees; Master of Science in mechanical engineering (M.S.ME), for students with B.S.ME degrees; and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
The regular undergraduate curriculum (and the honors undergraduate program) provide a strong foundation for graduate study, and students who complete either of the programs with appropriate academic records are encouraged to pursue graduate work. Many graduates have continued their education by pursuing advanced studies in engineering, business, law, medicine, dentistry and public policy.
For answers to your questions about graduate study, visit the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Office in the Mechanical Engineering Building, Room 1003, call 765-494-5730, MEgradoffice@purdue.edu or visit the ME website.
Combined B.S.MSPE/B.S.ME Program
A combined B.S.MSPE/B.S.ME Dual Degree Program is available for outstanding Motorsports engineering undergraduate students. This combined program is anticipated to take approximately five years to complete and result in receiving both the B.S.MSPE and the B.S.ME degrees.
The B.S.MSPE/B.S.ME Dual Degree is a mechanism for providing interested MSPE students with a broader ME background to open up additional career paths beyond the Motorsports sector. Interested students typically apply as an “internal MSPE candidate” by at least the beginning of their junior year. A cumulative GPA of at least a 3.2 is required to pursue the Dual Degree.
Complete details of the combined B.S.MSPE/B.S.ME program can be found on the Web.
A combined B.S.MSPE/M.S.ME program is available for outstanding Motorsports Engineering undergraduate students. This program is anticipated to take approximately five years to complete (with the M.S.ME non-thesis option) and result in receiving both the B.S.MSPE and M.S.ME degrees.
The B.S.MSPE/M.S.ME program is a mechanism for:
A. Providing a seamless transition from the B.S.MSPE to the M.S.ME program.
B. Participating in a directed project in their area of interest.
C. Stimulating interest in graduate study and research/academic careers.
D. Allowing for special recognition of high levels of academic achievement.
The B.S.MSPE/M.S.ME program requires students to take 12 hours of graduate coursework toward their B.S.MSPE technical elective requirement. This same 12 hours likewise count toward the M.S.ME degree. Interested students typically apply as an “internal ME applicant” in the second half of their junior year after completion of 81 hours of coursework in the undergraduate program with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher. If a GPA of 3.0 has been maintained and grades of “B” or better are received in the first two graduate courses (typically in the seventh semester), the student will be asked to formally apply to the Purdue Graduate School at the beginning of his or her eighth semester of the senior year.
Complete details of the combined B.S.ME/M.S.ME program can be found on the Web. Questions about this information should be emailed to MEgradoffice@purdue.edu.
School of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Major Change (CODO) Requirements
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