Mechanical Engineering emerged as a separate discipline during the Industrial Revolutions (1760-1830) with the development of machines powered by water, wind, and especially steam. Today, Mechanical Engineering is concerned with the design of a great variety of machines from computer disc drives to jet aircraft. The Mechanical Engineering program at San Francisco State offers a strong foundation in the fundamentals of this discipline. The student may also select optional courses to specialize in one of three areas. The Thermal/Fluids Area covers the production and transmission of energy. The Mechanics and Materials Area encompasses force and motion analysis and the design of mechanical devices. Finally, the Robotics and Controls Area deals with automated manufacturing techniques and the Control of motion or processes. All of these areas contain the problem solving skills needed for mechanical engineering design and the transformation of ideas into mechanical devices and systems. The Mechanical Engineering program at San Francisco State has an emphasis on the design process, the integration of design activities that lead to a successful result. Most of the faculty engage in professional activities beside instruction and emphasize real world applications in the courses they teach. In the junior and senior years, most courses include special design projects in which design methodologies are applied to realistic engineering problems. During the senior year, each student completes a design project of significant scope, with topics frequently suggested by local engineering companies. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is a 129-unit degree. Major requirements including Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics prerequisites are 93 units, and the remaining 36 units are in general education. The Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology(ABET).

Graduates with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering may immediately engage in the design, analysis, testing, production and maintenance of machines and mechanical systems. Most industries, including aerospace, electrical equipment manufacturing, pharmaceutical, automotive, chemical, power generation, agriculture, food processing, textile and mining employ mechanical engineers. The BS degree also prepares the student for a continuation of studies in a variety of fields. The student may continue studies at another institution to obtain a MS or Ph.D. degree in some area of specialization in mechanical engineering or he/she may decide to obtain a Master's in Business Administration.