Major Requirements

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers an undergraduate program leading to an accredited BS degree in mechanical engineering (ME). (Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET)

This page is only meant to be a guide. Students should meet with their advisor for updated department information and for help with academic planning.

Current students should follow the semester-by-semester program schedule for mechanical engineering students when picking courses. 

Requirements

A minimum of 128 credit hours of coursework is required for graduation. Students numst also maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), both in mechanical engineering courses and overall.  

Scheduling Courses

Our program requires students to continue to build on the knowledge they’ll learn throughout their coursework, with many of our courses requiring one or more prerequisite courses. As many required courses are only offered once a year, we ask that all of our students follow the program schedule.

You can also use our program requirement checklist to make sure you’re staying on track.

Foundational Courses (Eight Courses)

Many of these foundational courses must be taken in a specific order to meet prerequisite requirements, so we require all of our students to follow the program schedule when planning courses. 

Students are required to complete all of the following foundational courses or their equivalency:

  • PHYS 122: Electricity and Magnetism
  • CHEM 137: Chemical Principles for Engineers*
  • PHYS 121: Mechanics**
  • MATH 161: Calculus 1A***
  • MATH 162: Calculus IIA***
  • MATH 164: Multidimensional Calculus
  • MATH 165: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
  • OPT 210: Circuits

*Students may take CHEM 131 in place of CHEM 137, but it is not recommended.

**PHYS 113 may be taken in place of PHYS 121, but it is not recommended. Students may also consider taking PHYS 141 and 142, the honors series.

***The MTH 140-3 series, though not preferred, can satisfy MATH 161 and 162. Students may also consider taking MATH 170-4, the honors series can satisfy.

Mechanical Engineering Core Courses (16 Courses)

Students are required to complete all of the 16 core courses listed below. Many of these foundational courses must be taken in a specific order to meet prerequisite requirements, so we require all of our students to follow the program schedule when planning courses. 

Students are required to take all of the following courses, following our program schedule:

  • ME 121: Engineering Mechanics II
  • ME 160: Engineering Computation I
  • ME 204: Mechanical Design
  • ME 213: Mechanical Systems
  • ME 225: Intro to Fluid Dynamics
  • ME 240: Fundamentals of Instrumentation/Measurement
  • ME 280: Intro to Material Science
  • ME 123: Thermodynamics
  • ME 205: Advanced Mechanical Design
  • ME 223: Heat Transfer
  • ME 226: Intro to Solid Mechanics
  • ME 241: Fluids Lab
  • ME 251: Heat Power Application
  • ME 260: Engineering Computation II
  • ME 110: Intro to CAD and Drawing
  • ME 120: Engineering Mechanics I

Upper-level writing courses (ME 204, 205, 240, 241) cannot be taken at a different university.

Technical Elective (One Course)

Students are required to complete one technical elective and normally take ME 104 during their first year. Alternately one of the following courses may be taken during any year.

  • Biomedical engineering – Any course at the 200 level or higher except BME 201
  • Computer science – 170, 171, 172, 173, and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Chemistry – 113 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Electrical and computer engineering – 112, 114, 140 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Mechanical engineering – Any course not otherwise required (with the restriction that EAS104/ME104 must be taken in the freshman year)
  • Optics – Any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Math – 150 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Statistics – 212 and 213

If taken within the first two semesters, students may take any of the Hajim introductory courses, including BME 101, CHE 150, ECE 101, ME 104, or OPT 101. All of these courses are cross listed as EAS 10X.

AP, IB, or transfer credit cannot be used to satisfy this requirement unless the offering department has granted equivalency. Please speak to the ME undergraduate coordinator if you intend to fulfill this requirement with outside credit.

Writing Requirements (Two Courses)

Students are required to take two writing courses:

  • WRTG 105: Introduction to Collegiate Writing (topics vary)
  • WRTG 275: Communicating Your Professional Identity

WRTG 105 or its equivalent must be taken during the first two semesters.

WRTG 273 helps students explore their professional identity within the field of engineering. Students will enhance their communication skills and learn strategies to fulfill their internship, career, and graduate school goals. This course is only two credits and can be taken any semester.

Natural Science Elective Requirement (One Course)

All ME majors must complete one four-credit natural science course to sharpen their skills as thinkers and scientists.

Students can choose from one of the following courses:

  • Astronomy – 111, 142 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Biology – 110, 111, 198 and any course at the 200 level or higher EXCEPT BIO 214
  • Chemistry – 132 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Earth and environmental science – 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 119 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Math – 150 and any course at the 200 level or higher
  • Physics – 103, 123, 143 and any course at the 200 level or higher

AP, IB, or transfer credit cannot be used to satisfy this requirement unless the offering department has granted equivalency. Please speak to the ME undergraduate coordinator if you intend to fulfill this requirement with outside credit.

Cluster Requirement (Four Courses)

All ME majors must complete a total of four courses* in humanities and/or social sciences. Three of these courses must constitute an approved cluster in humanities or social sciences. See the Cluster Search Engine to explore options.

The most popular clusters for ME majors are:

  • American Sign Language
  • Applied economics
  • Psychology as a social science

The fourth course can be chosen from any humanities or social science discipline and does not need to be related to the cluster. Software and computer courses cannot be used to satisfy the additional course requirement.

*A second major or minor in a humanities or social science area will also satisfy the cluster and additional course requirement.

Free Electives (If Needed)

Free elective courses are only necessary if student will not reach 128 credit minimum needed to graduate.

Sample Four-Year Program

If you anticipate deviating significantly from this program or declaring an additional major or minor, please contact the undergraduate coordinator.

First Year

Fall Courses (16 Credit Hours)

Spring Courses (16 Credit Hours)

ME 104: Engineering of Bridges *highly recommended OR Other Technical Elective

MATH 162: Calculus IIA

CHEM 131: Chemistry Concepts OR CHM 137: Chemical Principles for Engineers

PHYS 121: Mechanics

WRTG 105: Primary Writing Requirement

ME 120: Engineering Mechanics I – Statics

MATH 161: Calculus IA

Cluster Course #1

Second Year

Fall Courses (16 Credit Hours)

Spring Courses (16 Credit Hours)

MATH 165: Linear Algebra with Differential Equations

MATH 164: Multidimensional Calculus

PHYS 122: Electricity and Magnetism

ME 123: Thermodynamics

WRT 273: Communicating Your Professional Identity  (2 Credits)

ME 226: Intro to Solid Mechanics

ME 121: Engineering Mechanics II – Dynamics

ME 260: Engineering Computations II

(2 Credits)

ME 160: Engineering Computation I

(2 Credits)

ME 110: Intro to CAD and Drawing (2 credits)

Third Year

Fall Courses (16 Credit Hours)

Spring Courses (16 Credit Hours)

ME 225: Intro to Fluid Dynamics

ME 223: Heat Transfer

ME 280: Intro to Materials Science

ME 241: Fluids Lab

ME 240: Fundamentals in Instrumentation

OPT 210: Circuits and Microcontrollers for Engineers

Cluster Course #2

Cluster Course #3

Fourth Year

Fall Courses (16 Credit Hours)

Spring Courses (16 Credit Hours)

ME 204: Mechanical Design

ME 205: Advanced Mechanical Design

Natural Science Distribution Requirement (NSDR)

ME 251: Heat Power Application

ME 213: Mechanical Systems – Vibrations

Elective *if additional credit needed

Additional Course in Social Sciences of Humanities

Elective *if additional credit needed