Faculty coordinator:
Professor Chris Rogers, Mechanical engineering
Undergraduate Minor
The minor in musical instrument engineering (MIE) allows students from various disciplines
to learn fundamental engineering principles using musical instruments as a focal point of
study.
Of the five courses (and, in turn, their prerequisites) for the minor, two are
designated:
Engineering Science 73 Musical Instrument Design and Manufacture
Mechanical Engineering 37 Dynamics and Vibrations
One must be either:
Physics 10 The Physics of Music and Color
or Engineering Science 8 Fluid Dynamics
A music theory or composition course must be completed. This includes, but is not
limited to:
Music 3 Musicianship
or Music 4 Musicianship II
An approved practical experience in musical instrument construction must also be conducted. This requirement could be an internship with a musical instrument company or craftsman, a musical-instrument-making course at the Museum School, or a research project conducted at Tufts.
Depending on the circumstances, the student will register for one of the following:
Mechanical Engineering 19 Project Laboratory
Mechanical Engineering 93 Special Topics (Fall)
or
Mechanical Engineering 94
Special Topics (Spring)
Mechanical Engineering 99 Internship
In addition to the above course work, attendance at the monthly MIE seminar series
during the junior and senior years is also required.
Concentration Certificate
The concentration certificate in musical instrument engineering gives mechanical
engineering students the opportunity to focus their education on the construction,
performance, and manufacture of musical instruments.
In order to receive the certificate, six courses must be completed in addition to the requirements above.
Five of these courses are designated:
Mechanical Engineering 139 Acoustics
Mechanical Engineering 137 Advanced Vibrations
Mechanical Engineering 129 Finite Element Methods in Engineering Systems
Engineering Science 51 Technical Writing
Mechanical Engineering 43 Senior Design Project (must be related to
musical instruments)
One must be either:
Mechanical Engineering 120 Advanced Engineering Materials
or Mechanical Engineering 122 Advanced Strength of Materials