AbstractThe Finite Element Analysis (FEA) method has been in practical use in industry for the last 25 or so years. Training seminars to teach FEA concept to practicing engineers using the various codes have existed for nearly the same time period. A particular drawback to the general methods used by the commercial FEA industry presupposes that an experienced engineer is looking for a design analysis tool. On the other hand, FEA now reaches a universal audience and its techniques are beginning to be taught in undergraduate engineering curricula. The problem in the academic setting is closing the loop between theory and practical use of FEA codes. For starters, schools may not have access to commercial codes, and if they do, faculty may not be well versed in the use of a particular code. Schools not having commercial codes are limited to using software that often come with textbooks. Even when commercial codes are available, there is a distinct lack of appropriate training aids that integrate the theory and practice for inexperienced practitioners. This article discusses how FEA is being taught at The University of Alabama (UA) in the undergraduate Mechanical Engineering department to circumvent this problem. A simple example will demonstrate the theory‐to‐practice connection using a commercially available c