Chairperson’s Message
Welcome to the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Balamand!
Our department consists of a well formed team of dedicated faculty and staff committed to excellence in teaching, research, and community services.
The joint expertise of our team members spread over a broad range of challenging topics in mechanical engineering, including solid mechanics, thermo-fluids, manufacturing, robotics, renewable energy, aeronautics, among many others.
Our department is at the forefront of cutting-edge research in these areas and is dedicated to providing our students with a world-class education based on applied research that prepares them to excel in industry and/or academia.
Our program of study includes both undergraduate (BS, BE) and graduate degrees (MS). Several specialization tracks are offered within each degree. In particular, we are proud to be the only university in Lebanon to offer a track in aeronautical engineering.
Our state-of-the-art facilities, including research labs, teaching labs, and computational resources, enable our faculty and students to engage in fundamental research and design projects.
Our mechanical engineering students are involved in designing, prototyping, and manufacturing a wide range of products, from simple components to complex systems. They employ various tools and techniques such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) to optimize designs and improve manufacturing efficiency.
Our student clubs e.g. the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) provide students with a range of benefits, including professional development, leadership opportunities, hands-on experience, social interaction, community engagement, and exposure to industry. These clubs’ activities are an essential part of the university experience and contribute significantly to the success of our students in their academic and professional endeavors.
I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our department, faculty, research, and programs. Studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Balamand is a vibrant and exciting opportunity for learning and discovery.
Thank you for your interest in our department, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Jihad Rishmany, PhD
Chairperson
Mission
The Mechanical Engineering Department shares the view of the many institutions that recognize and emphasize that engineering is an enabling discipline; one which combines the rigor of science, the pragmatism of business as well as the nobility and capacity of the human mind. With the above in mind, and with the belief that modern day specialists need to acquire the broadest possible interdisciplinary understanding of their subject, and in line with the University spirit and the Faculty vision and directives, the Department is committed to the following vision and mission:
Vision: “The Department will always seek to position itself as a leading national, regional and international hub for Mechanical Engineering Education.”
Mission: “The Department of Mechanical Engineering strives towards excellence in all its academic endeavors by providing the best learning opportunities to its students and the best services to its community.”
The mission statement was developed within the Department over time, following thorough considerations of its potential, aspirations, role within the University, geographical location and its contexts and constraints, regional industrial and professional requirements, as well as the ambitions of its Faculty. In order to best fulfil its mission and enable the achievement of its Program Educational Objectives, the Department has recognized that it needs to:
- • Provide its students with the best learning opportunities possible.
- • Ensure that its students have an enjoyable and ever-lasting learning experience.
- • Enable its students to develop as professionals, creative problem solvers, life-long learners and as responsible citizens.
Undergraduate Programs
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
The BS program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (
http://www.abet.org). The BS program received its initial accreditation in 2019.
The Program of the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is designed to prepare students for the professional job market through the pursuit of comprehensive studies in the field. It aims at equipping students with a solid knowledge of the engineering sciences and appropriate general and specialized skills, enabling them to develop into well-rounded mechanical engineers. Our BS program includes
109 credits.
Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives are set to ensure that graduates are:
PEO 1. Open-minded, creative and socially conscious problem solvers.
PEO 2. Technically and scientifically competent to pursue postgraduate study or a successful career in Engineering.
PEO 3. Potential leaders who appreciate the virtues of team work and exercise the notions of professionalism in their endeavors.
PEO 4. Responsible citizens who are keen to develop themselves and advance their societies whether individually or from within a team.
PEO 5. Well informed about contemporary issues, both local and global, and exercise sound professional judgment within the norms of ethics and social morality.
Student Outcomes
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- 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.
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- 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.
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Academic Year |
Enrolled |
Graduated |
Fall 2018-19 |
166 |
26 |
Fall 2019-20 |
148 |
50 |
Fall 2020-21 |
135 |
36 |
Fall 2021-22 |
134 |
31 |
Fall 2022-23 |
135 |
22 |
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
The Program of the Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering augments the BS Program through imparting to students in-depth knowledge in specific areas, thus adding to their practical and general skills. Students are exposed to applied-learning experiences in synergy, which meet the requirements for registration in the Lebanese Order of Engineers. Our BE program includes
147 credits.
Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives are set to ensure that graduates are:
PEO 1. Open-minded, creative and socially conscious problem solvers.
PEO 2. Technically and scientifically competent to pursue postgraduate study or a successful career in Engineering.
PEO 3. Potential leaders who appreciate the virtues of team work and exercise the notions of professionalism in their endeavors.
PEO 4. Responsible citizens who are keen to develop themselves and advance their societies whether individually or from within a team.
PEO 5. Well informed about contemporary issues, both local and global, and exercise sound professional judgment within the norms of ethics and social morality.
PEO 6. Confident and innovative and thus ready to solve advanced engineering problems and analyze and resolve complex situations.
PEO 7. Exposed to professional mechanical engineering practice and appreciative of its professional challenges and requirements.
Student Outcomes
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- 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.
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- 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.
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING)
The Program of the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING) is a unique feature at the Mechanical Engineering Department. It is designed to prepare students for the professional job market through the pursuit of comprehensive studies in the field of Aeronautical Engineering. This enables students to pursue their passion for aeronautical engineering from the beginning of their undergraduate studies. It aims at equipping students with a solid knowledge base of the aeronautical engineering sciences and appropriate general and specialized skills, enabling them to develop into well-rounded Aeronautical Engineers. Our BS program includes
109 credits.
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING)
The Program of the Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (Aeronautical Engineering) augments the BS Program through imparting to students in-depth knowledge in specific areas, thus adding to their practical and general skills. Students are exposed to applied learning experiences in synergy, which meet the requirements for registration in the Lebanese Order of Engineers. Our BE program includes
147 credits.
Graduate Programs
The graduate program at the department of Mechanical Engineering offers a Master of Science (MS) degree in Mechanical Engineering following the completion of either a BS or a BE degree. The MS program requires 46 credits after the BS in Mechanical Engineering degree. It is structured around a core of seven required course (21 credits). It also includes a Field Training component (3 credits), strategically placed to be taken in the summer after the first year, where a student undergoes training at a major engineering firm in Lebanon or abroad. The program requires either an MS project (3 credits) or an MS thesis (6 credits).
The program has built in flexibility for the student to choose the area(s) of mechanical engineering he/she wants to specialize. This is achieved through the six elective courses (for students who choose to do an MS project) or the five elective courses (for students who choose to do an MS thesis). These elective courses allow the student to gain breadth by choosing courses in the many areas of mechanical engineering or depth by focusing the courses on one of the five tracks offered by the department. Entry to the Mechanical Engineering graduate program requires an average of at least 80.
Track requirements are satisfied by completing a combination of five required and elective courses from a list of approved courses for each track. The MS in Mechanical Engineering offers the following tracks:
Thermo-Fluids Track
The Thermo-fluids Track involves the study of advanced heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and energy conversion in complex engineering systems. Students who choose this track will take courses in the design and analysis of energy conversion systems such as engines (gasoline, diesel and jet engines), refrigeration and air conditioning and plumbing systems, and advanced fluid mechanics and turbulent flows to name a few.
Manufacturing Track
In the Manufacturing Track, students concentrate on the study of manufacturing systems. They may take courses in diverse areas of manufacturing such as process control, robotics, advanced manufacturing, facility planning, metal forming technology and composite processes and applications, to name a few.
Solid Mechanics Track
Students who choose the Solid Mechanics Track focus their study on the many aspects of solid mechanics. They can choose courses in advanced mechanics of materials, fracture mechanics, composite materials, theory of plates and shells and theory of elasticity, and rigid multibody dynamics.
Management Track
Students who see themselves in the future taking on management positions in engineering organizations may purse this track. Students choosing this track can choose from a select list of courses offered by the Faculty of Business and Management or by the MS in Engineering Management program at the Faculty of Engineering.
Aeronautical Track
As a continuation to the aeronautical specialty offered under the Mechanical Engineering Department at the BS level, students may purse this specialty at the graduate level. These students will receive an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering with an Aeronautical Specialty. Other MS students may also pursue a track in Aeronautical Engineering by taking five course from an approved list in Aeronautical Engineering. Students may take advanced courses in aircraft propulsion, air structures, composite materials and aircraft design to name a few.
Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives are set to ensure that graduates are:
PEO 1. Broadly competent yet possess specialized knowledge and skills in a specialized area of the mechanical engineering domain.
PEO 2. Exposed to research methodologies and capable of exploring to advance and develop mechanical engineering know-how.
PEO 3. Technically and scientifically prepared to pursue a successful career in engineering or other fields or to conduct PhD research.
PEO 4. Professional leaders who can face challenges and motivate and manage teams towards fruitful outcomes.
PEO 5. Confident and innovative and thus ready to solve advanced engineering problems and analyze and resolve complex situations.
PEO 6. Exposed to professional mechanical engineering practice and appreciative of its professional challenges and requirements
Student Outcomes
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- 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.
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- 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.
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Facilities
Over the last twenty years, the Department has managed to establish an advanced and well-equipped mechanical workshop which it uses for both teaching and technical support of activities connected with academic programs. The workshop is led by very experienced personnel with extensive industrial experience and has equipment ranging from original hand- and bench-tools to more sophisticated power tools and manufacturing facilities, including computer-controlled equipment. Moreover, the Department has also set up several specialized laboratories intended to consolidate and support classroom learning. The workshop and labs make use of modern equipment in the mechanical engineering areas of Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Aerodynamics, Heat Transfer, I.C. Engines, Mechanics, Materials and Manufacturing. Students conduct experiments in these labs at each level and stage of their progression through the Department for different laboratory courses.