Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MEMS)
The mission of the undergraduate program in mechanical engineering is to prepare students within the broad and evolving field of mechanical engineering. The program instills in students a capacity for creative design through critical and analytical thought. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) is the first step toward a career in industry, academia or government; it encourages a commitment to independent lifelong learning and professional development. In addition to their technical studies, students learn to communicate their ideas clearly and to conduct themselves in an ethical and socially responsible manner.
Program Educational Objectives
Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation. These objectives are based on the needs of the program's constituencies.
Within a few years of graduation, graduates of the BSME program are expected to do the following:
- Engage in professional practice and/or advanced study
- Further their knowledge and skills through education and/or professional development
- Serve society by using and communicating their knowledge and values
Student Outcomes
The Mechanical Engineering program has the following student outcomes that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the knowledge, skills and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program.
The student outcomes of the BSME program are as follows:
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts
- An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Curriculum
The curriculum is a four-year program leading to the first professional degree, the BSME, and it is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the Commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical Engineering. The curriculum prepares the student for professional practice or postgraduate education in a broad spectrum of mechanical and other engineering or professional fields. It provides critical knowledge in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, materials science, dynamics and control, and design. It includes 34 units of mathematics and basic sciences, 58 units of engineering topics, and 28 units of general education for a total degree requirement of 120 units. The general education requirement includes 18 units of social science and humanities.
Core courses must be taken for credit (i.e., for a grade). The social science and humanities courses may be taken on a pass/no pass basis. The undergraduate program provides the necessary foundations in these areas and the opportunity to specialize in topics of particular interest. Specialization is accomplished via the judicious choice of engineering electives taken as 3000, 4000 or 5000 level courses approved by the student's advisor. At the end of the four-year program, the student is ready to go on to graduate education or into research or professional practice.
Basic Core Courses
Computing Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Students should take one: | ||
| ENGR 3180 | Engineering Mathematics A | 3 |
| MEMS 2210 | Numerical Methods and Matrix Algebra | 3 |
Humanities, Social Sciences, and Writing
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities and social sciences (refer to McKelvey School of Engineering degree requirements for details) | 18 | |
| Free elective | 3 | |
| ENGR 3100 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| Total Units | 24 | |
Mathematics and Basic Science
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1520 | Calculus II | 3 |
| MATH 2130 | Calculus III | 3 |
| MATH 2500 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| MEMS 2210 | Numerical Methods and Matrix Algebra | 3 |
or ENGR 3180 | Engineering Mathematics A | |
| ESE 3260 | Probability and Statistics for Engineering | 3 |
| CHEM 1751 | General Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| CHEM 1601 | Principles of General Chemistry I | 3 |
or CHEM 1701 | General Chemistry I | |
| PHYSICS 1740 | Physics I | 3 |
or PHYSICS 1760 | Focused Physics I | |
| PHYSICS 1741 | Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
or PHYSICS 193L | Focused Physics I Laboratory | |
| PHYSICS 1742 | Physics II | 3 |
or PHYSICS 1680 | Focused Physics II | |
| PHYSICS 1743 | Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| Physical or Life Science (2000 level or above natural science course in Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences; or Environmental Studies) | 3 | |
| Total Units | 31 | |
Mechanical Engineering
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CSE 1301 Introduction to Computer Science or ENGR 1301 Introduction to Engineering Computing | 3 | |
| Recommendation to take ENGR 1301 | Introduction to Engineering Computing in place of CSE 1301; although we will still accept credit for CSE 1301 for the computing requirement. | |
| MEMS 1000 | Introduction to Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical Design | 2 |
| MEMS 1200 | Computer-Aided Design | 2 |
| MEMS 2050 | Mechanics and Materials Science Laboratory | 2 |
| MEMS 2510 | Statics and Mechanics of Materials | 3 |
| MEMS 2520 | Dynamics | 3 |
| MEMS 2610 | Materials Science | 3 |
| MEMS 3050 | Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer Laboratory | 2 |
| MEMS 3110 | Machine Elements | 3 |
| MEMS 3400 | Thermodynamics | 3 |
| MEMS 3420 | Heat Transfer | 3 |
| MEMS 3410 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| MEMS 3430 | Design of Thermal Systems | 3 |
| MEMS 3530 | Solid Mechanics | 3 |
| MEMS 4050 | Vibrations Laboratory* | 2 |
| MEMS 4110 | Mechanical Engineering Design Project | 3 |
| MEMS 4310 | Vibrations | 3 |
| MEMS 4320 | Modeling, Simulation and Control | 3 |
| MEMS senior electives | 9 | |
| Total Units | 58 | |
- *
MEMS 4050 will increase to 2 units in Fall 2026.