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. COURSE DESCRIPTION
I ENGN 0030 or ENGN 0031 Introduction to Engineering or Honors Introduction to Engineering
  CHEM 0330 Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure
  MATH 0190 AP Calculus (Physics/Engineering)
  Elective †  
II ENGN 0040 Dynamics and Vibrations
  MATH 0200 Intermediate Calculus (Physics/Engineering)
  CSCI 0111 or APMA 0160 Computing Foundations: Data or Introduction to Scientific Computing
  Elective  
III ENGN 0410 Materials Science
  ENGN 0510* Electricity and Magnetism
  APMA 0350 Applied Ordinary Differential Equations
  Elective  
IV ENGN 0520 Electrical Circuits and Signals
  ENGN 0720 Thermodynamics
  APMA 0340 Methods of Applied Mathematics II
  Elective  
V ENGN 0310* Mechanics of Solids and Structures
  ENGN 0810 Fluid Mechanics
  Advanced Science **  
  Elective  
VI Upper Level Course  
  Upper Level Course  
  Elective  
  Elective  
VII Upper Level Course  
  Upper Level Course  
  Elective  
  Elective  
VIII Upper 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 0790

Physics of Matter 1  

ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics  

ENGN 1700

Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion  

ENGN 1720

Design of Thermal Engines  

or ENGN 1760

Design of Space Systems

ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics  

One of the following:

 

ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer  

or ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis

or ENGN 1740

Computer Aided Visualization and Design

or ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids

Capstone Design

 

ENGN 1000

Projects in Engineering Design  

or ENGN 1930M

Industrial Design

or ENGN 1931D

Design of Mechanical Assemblies
2b. Biomechanics  

BIOL 0800

Principles of Physiology 1  

ENGN 1210

Biomechanics  

ENGN 1230

Instrumentation Design  

ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics  

One of the following courses:

 

ENGN 1700

Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion  

or ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer

or ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics

One of the following course:

 

ENGN 1220

Neuroengineering  

or ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis

or ENGN 1490

Biomaterials

or ENGN 1740

Computer Aided Visualization and Design

or ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids

Capstone Design

 

ENGN 1000

Projects in Engineering Design 2  

or ENGN 1930M

Industrial Design

or ENGN 1931D

Design of Mechanical Assemblies

2c. Energy Conversion: Fluids and Thermal Systems

 

PHYS 0790

Physics of Matter 1  

ENGN 1700

Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion  

ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer  

ENGN 1720

Design of Thermal Engines  

ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics  

One of the following courses:

 

ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids  

or ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis

or ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics

Capstone Design

 

ENGN 1000

Projects in Engineering Design  

or ENGN 1930M

Industrial Design

or ENGN 1931D

Design of Mechanical Assemblies

2d. Engineering Mechanics

 

PHYS 0790

Physics of Matter 1  

ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics  

ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer  

ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids  

ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics  

One of the following:

 

ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis  

or ENGN 1360

Soil Mechanics and Principles of Foundation Engineering

or ENGN 1420

Kinetics Processes in Materials Science and Engineering

or ENGN 1700

Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion

or ENGN 1740

Computer Aided Visualization and Design

Capstone Design

 

ENGN 1000

Projects in Engineering Design  

or ENGN 1380

Design of Civil Engineering Structures

or ENGN 1720

Design of Thermal Engines

or ENGN 1760

Design of Space Systems

or ENGN 1930M

Industrial Design

or ENGN 1931D

Design of Mechanical Assemblies

2e. Mechanical Systems: Dynamics, Materials, and Design

 

PHYS 0790

Physics of Matter  

ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics  

ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids  

One of the following courses:

 

ENGN 1380

Design of Civil Engineering Structures  

or ENGN 1720

Design of Thermal Engines

or ENGN 1760

Design of Space Systems

One or two of the following courses:

 

ENGN 1700

Jet Engines and Aerospace Propulsion  

or ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer

or ENGN 1720

Design of Thermal Engines

or ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Capstone Design

 

ENGN 1000

Projects in Engineering Design  

or ENGN 1930M

Industrial Design

or ENGN 1931D

Design of Mechanical Assemblies

Up to one of the following:

 

ENGN 1230

Instrumentation Design  

or ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis

or ENGN 1380

Design of Civil Engineering Structures

or ENGN 1440

Mechanical Properties of Materials

or ENGN 1620

Analysis and Design of Electronic Circuits

or ENGN 1740

Computer Aided Visualization and Design

2f. Structural Mechanics

 

GEOL 1450

Structural Geology  

ENGN 1300

Structural Analysis  

ENGN 1370

Advanced Engineering Mechanics  

ENGN 1710

Heat and Mass Transfer  

ENGN 1860

Advanced Fluid Mechanics  

One of the following courses:

 

ENGN 1740

Computer Aided Visualization and Design  

or ENGN 1750

Advanced Mechanics of Solids

or ENGN 1760

Design of Space Systems