Finite Element Principles Courses

Coming soon! 

The Practice in Finite Element Principles courses are a 100% online, non-credit, three-course certificate program provided by The Ohio State University College of Engineering SIMCenter. Complete a contact form and we will email you with the next available session dates.

This program is designed for engineers and other practitioners who wish to learn more and increase their skills in Finite Element Principles. Three out of four courses must be completed in order to earn the certification, but students have the option to take standalone courses for targeted learning. Four CEUs are granted upon successful completion of each course.

What you'll learn

  • Recognize connections between theoretical (mathematical) concepts and modeling choices.
  • Recognize that the data generated by CAE tools needs to be critically evaluated.
  • Pursue integrating CAE into their work.

Details

  • A total weekly time commitment of 6-8 hours. Please note, every learner is different so this is only a guideline. 

  • ​Each course duration is 10 weeks. 

  • Individual courses are $1000. Students can take three out of the four courses to earn the certificate for $2,500. 

  • Pre-recorded course lectures are available 24/7 through the university's Learning Management System called Carmen.

  • Instructional material equivalent to a one-semester credit hour class

  • Each course offering is tied to the academic calendar; therefore, they operate with specific start and end dates. Students must complete each course during the specific time frame. Access to the online course and materials is removed when the course ends.

Course offerings

The courses are designed to be taken in the following sequence. To earn a certificate, take 3 out of the 4 courses or individually for targeted learning.

Accordions

 


 

Course prerequisites

Education
A bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field is strongly recommended.

Finite Element Software

To complete the requirements of this course students will be required to complete a project using finite element software. Before enrolling in these courses students should be able to:

  • Build a mesh from CAD geometry

  • Apply material definitions to model

  • Apply loads and boundary conditions

  • Visualize results

Students are encouraged to use the software of their choice. If FE software and/or hardware is not available to the student virtual classroom space will be provided through an agreement with the Ohio Supercomputing Center (OSC).

Computational Skills

  • Using computational approaches will reinforce skills required for computational engineering in a broader sense.

  • Homework problems should be solved using MATLAB, Python, or other computational tools. Octave is similar to MATLAB and is freeware.

  • Students will be asked to solve problems by generating basic scripts for homework assignments

  • Minimal previous experience will be needed

Engineering Concepts

  • Basic concepts of stress, strain, Hooke’s Law

  • Material properties such as Young’s Modulus and Poisson’s Ratio

  • Free body diagrams

  • Beam equations

Linear Algebra

  • Matrix Multiplication

  • Matrix Transpose

  • Identity Matrix

Calculus

  • Differentiation

  • Integration

Software and Hardware Requirements

  • Computer with high-speed internet connection for online course

  • Computer capable of running FE software for project assignments

    • Students may use any appropriate software tool for the course.

    • No technical support will be provided from OSU staff for FE software being used by students

    • If FE software and/or hardware is not available to the student virtual classroom space will be provided through an agreement with the Ohio Supercomputing Center (OSC).

Note: Software training and support is not provided.

Cancellation and refunds
A full refund minus a $50 administrative fee will be made if cancellation is received one week prior to the start of the course. No refunds within one week of the course start date. 

Course fee assistance available through State of Ohio TechCred

Tech Cred 3

TechCred is a program that assists Ohio employers in training their workforce, provides companies with reimbursement of up to $2000 for enrolling their employees in approved science, technology, engineering, and math training courses. SIMCenter’s Foundations in Finite Element Principles course was added to the list of preapproved courses. Learn more here

Learn more about the program!

Questions?

For more information, review our FAQ or contact our program mananger:

Thea Bailey
bailey.608@osu.edu
(614) 292-5333 

Frequently asked questions

Click here to learn about grades, reimbursement and other FAQs.