Mechanical Engineering

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Mechanical Engineering

Sc.B. in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is the broadest of all engineering disciplines. The traditional role of a mechanical engineer is to design engines and turbines; renewable and conventional energy conversion systems; vehicles and aircraft; tooling and manufacturing equipment, and building services. The field continues to evolve: today's mechanical engineers design biomedical devices and instrumentation; sensors; 3D printers; micro-electro-mechanical systems; and robots. Since all products need to be designed to withstand stress, vibrations and heat, mechanical engineers are in demand at nearly all companies, including those that design and manufacture consumer electronics; semiconductor and computer manufacturers, and software companies specializing in computer-aided-design.

The curriculum in Mechanical Engineering is intended to provide students with a broad interdisciplinary foundation; and specialized training in the two pillars of mechanical engineering: mechanical and thermal systems. The program offers a wide range of specialized tracks within mechanical engineering, allowing students to design a program tailored to their individual goals.

The concentration is composed of the following courses:

  • The interdisciplinary core courses for the Sc.B, taken during the first five semesters
  • A specialized upper level course in Mechanical Systems
  • A specialized upper level course in Fluid and Thermal Systems
  • Three additional specialized upper level elective engineering courses
  • A capstone design course
  • An advanced science course 
  • Four approved courses in the humanities and social sciences 

For example, courses may be combined to create the following focus areas within Mechanical Engineering. Suggested combinations of courses for each option are listed in the tables at the bottom of this page. These are just suggestions, and other options are possible. For the full requirements please consult the University Bulletin.

  • Aerospace Applications 
  • Biomechanics 
  • Energy Conversion and Fluid and Thermal Systems
  • Engineering Mechanics
  • Mechanical Systems: Dynamics, Materials and Design
  • Structures

For complete requirements, please see the University Bulletin.

SEM.COURSEDESCRIPTION
IENGN 0030 or ENGN 0032Introduction to Engineering or Introduction to Engineering: Design
 CHEM 0330Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure
 MATH 0190Single Variable Calculus, Part II (Physics/Engineering)
 Elective † 
IIENGN 0040Engineering Statics and Dynamics
 MATH 0200Multivariable Calculus, Part III (Physics/Engineering)
 CSCI 0111 or APMA 0160Computing Foundations: Data or Introduction to Scientific Computing
 Elective 
IIIENGN 0410Materials Science
 ENGN 0510*Electricity and Magnetism
 APMA 0350Applied Ordinary Differential Equations
 Elective 
IVENGN 0520Electrical Circuits and Signals
 ENGN 0720Thermodynamics
 APMA 0340Methods of Applied Mathematics II
 Elective 
VENGN 0310*Mechanics of Solids and Structures
 ENGN 0810Fluid Mechanics
 Advanced Science ** 
 Elective 
VIUpper Level Course 
 Upper Level Course 
 Elective 
 Elective 
VIIUpper Level Course 
 Upper Level Course 
 Elective 
 Elective 
VIIIUpper Level Course 
 Upper Level Course 
 Elective 
 Elective 
† A minimum of four electives must be in the humanities and social sciences.
* Students with an interest in ME can take ENGN 0310 in their sophomore year and ENGN 0510 in their junior year.
** May be taken in any semester after prerequisites have been satisfied.

Suggested upper level specialized courses

These are provided for guidance only. The requirements allow you to construct plans with other focus areas. For full requirements see the University Bulletin.

2a. Aerospace Applications  
PHYS 0790Physics of Matter 1 
ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
ENGN 1700Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion 
ENGN 1720Design of Thermal Engines 
or ENGN 1760Design of Space Systems 
ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
One of the following:  
ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
or ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
or ENGN 1740Computer Aided Visualization and Design 
or ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
Capstone Design  
ENGN 1000Projects in Engineering Design 
or ENGN 1930MIndustrial Design 
or ENGN 1931DDesign of Mechanical Assemblies 
2b. Biomechanics  
BIOL 0800Principles of Physiology 1 
ENGN 1210Biomechanics 
ENGN 1230Instrumentation Design 
ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
One of the following courses:  
ENGN 1700Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion 
or ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
or ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
One of the following course:  
ENGN 1220Neuroengineering 
or ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
or ENGN 1490Biomaterials 
or ENGN 1740Computer Aided Visualization and Design 
or ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
Capstone Design  
ENGN 1000Projects in Engineering Design 2 
or ENGN 1930MIndustrial Design 
or ENGN 1931DDesign of Mechanical Assemblies 
2c. Energy Conversion: Fluids and Thermal Systems  
PHYS 0790Physics of Matter 1 
ENGN 1700Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion 
ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
ENGN 1720Design of Thermal Engines 
ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
One of the following courses:  
ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
or ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
or ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
Capstone Design  
ENGN 1000Projects in Engineering Design 
or ENGN 1930MIndustrial Design 
or ENGN 1931DDesign of Mechanical Assemblies 
2d. Engineering Mechanics  
PHYS 0790Physics of Matter 1 
ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
One of the following:  
ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
or ENGN 1360Soil Mechanics and Principles of Foundation Engineering 
or ENGN 1420Kinetics Processes in Materials Science and Engineering 
or ENGN 1700Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion 
or ENGN 1740Computer Aided Visualization and Design 
Capstone Design  
ENGN 1000Projects in Engineering Design 
or ENGN 1380Design of Civil Engineering Structures 
or ENGN 1720Design of Thermal Engines 
or ENGN 1760Design of Space Systems 
or ENGN 1930MIndustrial Design 
or ENGN 1931DDesign of Mechanical Assemblies 
2e. Mechanical Systems: Dynamics, Materials, and Design  
PHYS 0790Physics of Matter 
ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
One of the following courses:  
ENGN 1380Design of Civil Engineering Structures 
or ENGN 1720Design of Thermal Engines 
or ENGN 1760Design of Space Systems 
One or two of the following courses:  
ENGN 1700Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion 
or ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
or ENGN 1720Design of Thermal Engines 
or ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
Capstone Design  
ENGN 1000Projects in Engineering Design 
or ENGN 1930MIndustrial Design 
or ENGN 1931DDesign of Mechanical Assemblies 
Up to one of the following:  
ENGN 1230Instrumentation Design 
or ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
or ENGN 1380Design of Civil Engineering Structures 
or ENGN 1440Mechanical Properties of Materials 
or ENGN 1620Analysis and Design of Electronic Circuits 
or ENGN 1740Computer Aided Visualization and Design 
2f. Structural Mechanics  
GEOL 1450Structural Geology 
ENGN 1300Structural Analysis 
ENGN 1370Advanced Engineering Mechanics 
ENGN 1710Heat and Mass Transfer 
ENGN 1860Advanced Fluid Mechanics 
One of the following courses:  
ENGN 1740Computer Aided Visualization and Design 
or ENGN 1750Advanced Mechanics of Solids 
or ENGN 1760Design of Space Systems