Mechanical Engineering, B.S.E.

General education

The General Education Requirements are comprised of three parts: Foundations, Explorations, and Integration. In addition, U.S. Diversity requirements must also be met. For details, refer to the General Education section of the catalog. In order to satisfy both general education and other program requirements, in some of the general education areas students should select from the courses listed below:

Foundations:

• Writing Foundations - WRT 1060
• Formal Reasoning (satisfied by MTH 1554; see Mathematics and Sciences)

Explorations: One course from each of the seven Explorations areas:

• Arts
• Language and Culture
• Global Perspective
• Literature
• Natural Science and Technology (satisfied by EGR 2400 or EGR 2500; see Engineering Core)
• Social Science (satisfied by ECN 1500, ECN 2010 or ECN 2020; see Additional Major Requirements) 
• Western Civilization (satisfied by PHL 1310; see Additional Major Requirements)

Integration:

• Knowledge Applications (satisfied by MTH 1555; see Mathematics and Sciences)
• Capstone (satisfied by ME 4999; see Required Professional Subjects)

U.S. Diversity:

• May be met by an approved course in the Explorations area

Writing Intensive:

• Writing Intensive in the Major (satisfied by ME 4999; see Required Professional Subjects)
• Writing Intensive in General Education (may be met by an approved course in the Explorations area)

Additional Major Requirements:

All mechanical engineering students must meet the following requirements. Courses from these selections can meet general education exploration areas above.

• Professional Ethics: PHL 1310 - Introduction to Ethics in Science and Engineering
• Economics: Choose one from ECN 1500, ECN 2010 or ECN 2020

In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an SECS Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their general education courses.

Mathematics and Sciences

Students must complete at least 30 credits in the required math/science area. Students with fewer than 30 credit hours of math/science, for example due to transfers from another institution, must take additional courses to satisfy this requirement. Additional courses in math/science must be from the approved departmental list or by petition of exception.

• MTH 1554 - Calculus I (4)
• MTH 1555 - Calculus II (4)
• APM 2555 - Introduction to Differential Equations with Matrix Algebra (4)
• MTH 2554 - Multivariable Calculus (4)
• CHM 1430 - Chemical Principles (4) or CHM 1440 - General Chemistry I  (1)
• PHY 1610 - Fundamentals of Physics I (4) or PHY 1510 - Introductory Physics I  (4)
• PHY 1620 - Fundamentals of Physics II (4) or PHY 1520 - Introductory Physics II  (4)
• Approved Math/Science Elective from list below (4)

Engineering Core

• EGR 1200 - Engineering Graphics and CAD (1)
• EGR 1400 - Computer Problem Solving in Engineering and Computer Science (4)
• EGR 2400 - Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering (4)
• EGR 2500 - Introduction to Thermal Engineering (4)
• EGR 2600 - Introduction to Industrial and Systems Engineering (4)
• EGR 2800 - Design and Analysis of Electromechanical Systems (4)

Required Professional Subjects

• ME 3200 - Engineering Mechanics (4)
• ME 3250 - Mechanics of Materials (4)
• ME 3300 - Computer-Aided Design (3)
• ME 3500 - Introduction to Fluid and Thermal Energy Transport (4)
• ME 3700 - Properties of Materials (4)
• ME 4200 - Vibrations and Controls (4)
• ME 4300 - Mechanical Systems Design (4)
• ME 4500 - Energy Systems Analysis and Design (4)
• ME 4999 - Senior Mechanical Engineering Design Project (4) or ME 4998 - Senior Project  (4)*

Note

*ME 4998  requires approval of project proposal by the Mechanical Engineering Department. If taken in place of ME 4999 , it must be team-based.

Professional Electives

Mechanical engineering students must complete at least 12 additional credits of 4000- or 5000-level ME, BE, ISE, or ECE designated courses (must have instructor’s permission to take 5000-level courses). At least 8 of these credits must have an ME designation. Students interested in broadening their knowledge in a specific area of mechanical engineering should elect sequences of courses as described in the specialized professional depth areas listed below:

Optional Specializations:

The Mechanical Engineering Department offers optional specializations in Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing, and Energy to students interested in broadening their knowledge in a specific area of mechanical engineering and wishing an area of specialization in their degree. Specializations are available to, but not required of, any student enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. The sequences of courses listed below for each specialization are taken to satisfy the professional electives requirement. Note that completing the Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization may require more than 128 credits. Students may earn only one specialization and the specialization must be completed as part of their degree. The specialization will be noted on the students’ transcript and diploma.

Major Standing

To enroll in 3000- or higher level courses and to become candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in Mechanical Engineering, students must gain major standing. An application for major standing should be submitted prior to intended enrollment in 3000- or higher level courses.  Students can obtain the major standing form from the SECS Undergraduate Advising Website. At the time that major standing is approved, students with majors of Pre-Mechanical Engineering will have their major changed to Mechanical Engineering. Approval of both a major standing application and change of major to Mechanical Engineering is required prior to enrolling in any 3000- or higher-level courses.

To gain major standing in Mechanical Engineering, students must:

A) have an average GPA of 2.0 in the following mathematics and science courses: MTH 1554 , MTH 1555 , APM 2555 , CHM 1430  (or CHM 1440 ), PHY 1610  (or PHY 1510 ), PHY 1620  (or PHY 1520 );

B) have an average GPA of 2.0 in the following engineering core courses: EGR 1200 , EGR 1400 , EGR 2400 , EGR 2500 , EGR 2600 , EGR 2800 . Note that some mechanical engineering courses require a minimum grade of C in EGR 2500  or EGR 2800 ;

C) have no more than two grades below C in the required courses in A and B above;

D) have not attempted any course listed in A and B above more than three times; and

E) have not repeated more than three different courses listed in A and B. Courses in which a W (withdrawal) grade is recorded will not be counted.

Conditional major standing may be granted in the semester in which the student will complete the courses listed in A and B above.

Performance requirements

Satisfactory completion of the program requires a GPA of at least 2.0 within each course group: mathematics and sciences, engineering core, and professional courses (including required professional subjects and professional electives) and a grade of C or better in the senior design capstone course (ME 4999 or ME 4998). Within professional courses, at most two grades below C are permitted, at most two different courses may be repeated, and a total of three repeat attempts per course are permitted.

Sample mechanical engineering schedule

Students entering the School of Engineering and Computer Science with the required background may follow a schedule such as the one indicated below. However, students will need additional time to complete the program if they do not have the required background upon entrance to the program.