In the Philippines, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering has always been one of the top pick courses of many students looking to venture into the field of engineering.
The BS Mechanical Engineering program is diverse and broad in scope because anything with something mechanical may be considered to be part of it. It can be related to vehicles, computers, energy conversion plants, machines, trains, refrigeration, designing, jet, submarines, hot air balloons, or robots. Yet there could still be other related topics. This is why, in some schools, it currently takes five years to complete the curriculum.
Curriculum of the BS Mechanical Engineering program
The program includes academic credit units comprised of general education, technical, allied, fundamental, and professional courses. The fields allied to mechanical engineering may be in:
- Electrical Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Energy Engineering
- BioMedical Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) mandates that BSME student must attend an on-the-job training (OJT) in the last year of the course to validate as well as test the knowledge of students prior to graduation. A substitute for OJT is either plant visit or seminar attendances provided these are of equivalent significance.
To summarize, a graduate of BS in Mechanical Engineering is expected to be able to:
- Apply what one has learned in mathematics and science to solve problems of mechanical engineering;
- Use techniques, skills, and engineering tools necessary for practice;
- Design a system, process, or component based on realistic elements to meet the desired needs in the industry.
A BS Mech Engineering graduate can find employment in the industries of manufacturing, automotive, power generation, and utility plants, among others. With these said, professional services could be by consultation requiring knowledge about mechanical engineering, investigation, estimation and valuation, designing and operation about quality management, research, and many more. The teaching, lecturing, and reviewing of the said course in a school, college, university or any educational institution can also be thought of as a practice of Mechanical Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering Licensure Exam
But before all of that, a graduate should first pass the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination conducted by the Board of Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). This exam is usually given in March and September of ever year.
The board exam topics and coverage are the following:
I. Mechanical Engineers
- Industrial and Power Plant Engineering – 35%
- Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Services – 35%
- Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice – 30%
- TOTAL – 100%
II. Certified Plant Mechanics
- Elements of Power Plant Machinery – 30%
- Shop Machinery Practice – 35%
- Elements of Industrial Plant Machinery – 35%
- TOTAL – 100%
The following are the requirements for the application to take the Mechanical Engineering board exam:
- A degree in BS Mechanical Engineering
- NSO/PSA Birth Certificate
- NSO/PSA Marriage Contract (for married female applicants)
- Transcript of Records with scanned pictures and remarks “For Board Examination Purposes”
- Valid NBI Clearance (First Timers & Repeaters)
- Payment: Php 900.00
Best Schools for Mechanical Engineer in the Philippines
You may view below the average passing rates of top Mechanical Engineering schools in the Philippines in previous Board Exams.
Category 1: Schools with 50 or below examinees
| CFA Exam Pass Rate | Passers | Total Takers | CFA Passing Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFA Exam Level 1 | 719,519 | 1,696,451 | 42.4% |
| CFA Exam Level 2 | 356,588 | 769,425 | 46.3% |
| CFA Exam Level 3 | 246,654 | 430,297 | 57.3% |
| Total | 1,322,761 | 2,896,173 | 45.7% |
Category 2: Schools with 51-100 examinees
| CFA Exam Level 1 | Pass | Total | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2019 | Coming soon | Coming soon | % |
| December 2018 | 34,651 | 77,245 | 44.9% |
| June 2018 | 34,547 | 79,507 | 43.5% |
| December 2017 | 29,583 | 68,086 | 43.4% |
| June 2017 | 27,158 | 63,283 | 42.9% |
| December 2016 | 25,807 | 59,627 | 43.3% |
| June 2016 | 25,093 | 58,677 | 42.8% |
| December 2015 | 22,274 | 52,315 | 42.6% |
| June 2015 | 21,303 | 51,134 | 41.7% |
| December 2014 | 20,589 | 47,175 | 43.6% |
| June 2014 | 19,592 | 47,005 | 41.7% |
| December 2013 | 19,469 | 45,693 | 42.6% |
| June 2013 | 18,078 | 47,502 | 38.1% |
| December 2012 | 18,106 | 48,981 | 37.0% |
| June 2012 | 18,968 | 49,445 | 38.4% |
| December 2011 | 18,736 | 49,380 | 37.9% |
| June 2011 | 18,881 | 48,068 | 39.3% |
| December 2010 | 17,009 | 46,785 | 36.4% |
| June 2010 | 19,656 | 46,863 | 41.9% |
Category 3: Schools with 101 or more examinees
| Rank | BANK / INSTITUTION | UITF | JAN - MAY 2018 RETURN % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BDO Unibank, Inc. | BDO PERA BOND INDEX FUND | 0.54% |
| 2 | BDO Unibank, Inc. | BDO GS FUND | 0.32% |
| 3 | Philippine Business Bank | Diamond Fund | 0.28% |
| 4 | BDO Unibank, Inc. | BDO PESO BOND FUND | 0.25% |
| 5 | Union Bank | UnionBank Philippine Peso Fixed Income Portfolio | -0.09% |
| 6 | BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation | Odyssey Peso Medium Term Bond Fund | -0.19% |
| 7 | Asia United Bank | Peso Investment Trust Fund | -0.35% |
| 8 | Union Bank | UnionBank High Net Worth Medium-Term Peso Fixed Income Fund | -0.40% |
| 9 | Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. | Metro Aspire Bond Feeder Fund | -0.43% |
| 10 | Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. | Metro Max-5 Bond Fund | -0.46% |
| 11 | BDO Unibank, Inc. | BDO MERIT FUND MEDIUM TERM PORTFOLIO | -0.50% |
Note: The table above only ranks the passing rates of First-time takers; repeaters are not included in the passing rate. All figures are based on the four (4) past Mechanical Engineer Licensure Exams in February 2018, September 2017, March 2017, and September 2016.
Source: PRC Philippines (prc.gov.ph); Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
