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Studies & Degrees in Applied Mechanics

Applied mechanics studies how solid bodies and fluids respond to forces, and uses that knowledge to design machines, structures and vehicles that work reliably. The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania sums up the questions of the field: how forces, motion and energy interact, how machines can convert energy into useful work, and how to prevent unwanted vibrations, heat loss or material failure.

The subject has a stable core. Statics deals with bodies at rest under load, and dynamics with bodies in motion. Strength of materials and solid mechanics explain how parts deform and break. Fluid mechanics and heat transfer cover liquids, gases and energy. Students add mathematics, computer-aided design, simulation and laboratory work. The same principles are used in mechanical, civil, aerospace and biomedical engineering.

Qualifications and levels

Applied mechanics is taught at two quite different levels: as hands-on vocational training in mechanical manufacturing, and as a theoretical branch of engineering at university.

  • Vocational training. In Spain the related vocational training (FP) family is Fabricación Mecánica. The intermediate cycle Técnico en Mecanizado lasts 2,000 hours and trains students to prepare and operate machine tools and to program CNC machines and robots. The higher cycle Técnico Superior en Diseño en Fabricación Mecánica also lasts 2,000 hours and covers the design and sizing of mechanical products. Both include a training period in a company. In the United States, community colleges offer certificates and two-year associate degrees: Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, lists Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in robotics and in welding fabrication, among others.
  • Bachelor's degree. At university the subject is usually part of a mechanical engineering degree. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania consists of 37 course units, with core courses in statics and strength of materials, dynamics, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits; Tecnun, the School of Engineering of the Universidad de Navarra, includes a grado in Ingeniería Mecánica among its degrees.
  • Master's degree. Specialisation in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics or structural analysis usually comes at this level. Spanish official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Chalmers Tekniska Högskola in Gothenburg, Sweden, offers two-year master's programmes of 120 credits taught entirely in English. The Master of Science in Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania is designed to be completed in two years and has five concentrations, including mechanics of materials, which covers elasticity, fracture, plasticity and composite materials.
  • PhD. Research in applied mechanics is done in doctoral programmes of engineering schools.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 10 active schools for applied mechanics: three in Spain, two in Denmark, two in the United States and one each in Sweden, Zimbabwe and Russia.

The schools in Spain are the Universidad de Navarra, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona and the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha in Ciudad Real. In Denmark the list has VIA University College in Horsens and Aarhus University. Spanish universities teach mainly in Spanish, and in Catalonia also in Catalan. Chalmers teaches its master's programmes in English, and the schools in the United States teach in English.

When comparing programmes, check these points:

  • whether the course is vocational, with workshop practice, or a university engineering degree with more mathematics and theory
  • the specialisations on offer (solids and structures, fluids and energy, robotics, manufacturing)
  • laboratories, simulation software and company placements
  • whether the qualification gives access to further study or to a regulated engineering profession in the country where you want to work

Careers

Vocational graduates work as machine-tool operators, CNC programmers, CAD technicians and product or mould designers in metalworking and machinery companies. University graduates work as mechanical, structural or simulation engineers in machinery, transport, aerospace, energy and engineering consultancy, or continue in research.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of mechanical engineers in the United States will grow 11 percent from 2025 to 2035. Mechanical engineers held about 298,500 jobs there in 2025. The largest employers were architectural, engineering and related services, with 20 percent, and machinery manufacturing, with 14 percent. The bureau notes that mechanical engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology.

Frequently asked questions

Is applied mechanics the same as mechanical engineering?

Not quite. Applied mechanics is the science of forces, motion and materials. Mechanical engineering uses it, together with design, control and manufacturing, to build machines. Many universities teach both in one department, as the University of Pennsylvania does.

Can I study applied mechanics without going to university?

Yes. In Spain the vocational training cycles of the Fabricación Mecánica family, such as Técnico en Mecanizado, last 2,000 hours and include training in a company. In the United States community colleges offer certificates and associate degrees.

How long does a university degree take?

In Spain a grado has 240 ECTS credits, which is four academic years, and a master's degree has 60 to 120 ECTS credits. Master's programmes at Chalmers in Sweden take two years.

How much mathematics is involved?

A lot at university level: the engineering degree at the University of Pennsylvania requires several calculus courses before the mechanics core. Vocational courses focus more on drawings, machines and measurement.