Mechanical Science and Engineering
Department Office: 144 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1206 West Green, Urbana, (217) 333-1176
Curriculum in Mechanical Engineering
Undergraduate Program Office: 154 Mechanical Engineering Building
Fax: (217) 244-6534
E-mail: mechse-ug-advise@illinois.edu
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering may be the most diverse of the engineering fields, embracing many subfields and affecting all aspects of our lives. Mechanical engineers work on new machines, products, and processes that hold the promise of better lives for all of us. They are concerned with both technological and economic aspects in the design, development, and use of their products. Today, one of the challenges is to design efficient, low-cost machines and processes that use the fewest possible natural resources to improve the lives of people throughout the world.
The technical portion of the mechanical engineering curriculum is designed as a sequence of increasingly specialized experiences. The entering student's first year is spent mastering the basics of science: math, chemistry, and physics. Building on this base, in the second year students begin to take fundamental engineering courses such as statics, dynamics, basic circuits and electronics, thermodynamics, and strength of materials. By the third year, students are taking specialized mechanical engineering courses in the subfields of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, dynamic systems and controls, materials, mechanical design, and manufacturing. Finally, during the senior year, students have the opportunity to both broaden and deepen their knowledge of the field through technical elective courses. At the end of the curriculum, students take the capstone senior design course in which the knowledge and skills they have learned are applied to projects submitted to the department by industrial firms or by faculty members. Engineering design, communication, teamwork, and laboratory experiences are integrated throughout the curriculum from the first year to the last year.
A combined B.S.-M.S. Mechanical Engineering degree program is available. Its admission and course requirements are described in the College of Engineering program information section.
Overview of Curricular Requirements
The curriculum requires 128 hours for graduation and is organized as shown below.
Technical grade point average requirements for graduation and advanced-level course registration apply to students in this curriculum. These rules are summarized at the College of Engineering's undergraduate advising Web site.
Orientation and Professional Development
These courses introduce the opportunities and resources your college, department, and curriculum can offer you as you work to achieve your career goals. They also provide the skills to work effectively and successfully in the engineering profession.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 0 | ENG 100—Engineering Orientation1 |
| 0 | ME 390—Seminar |
| 0 | Total |
1. External transfer students take ENG 300—Engrg Transfer Orientation instead.
Foundational Mathematics and Science
These courses stress the basic mathematical and scientific principles upon which the engineering discipline is based.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 102—General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I |
| 4 | MATH 221—Calculus I1 |
| 3 | MATH 231—Calculus II |
| 4 | MATH 241—Calculus III |
| 3 | MATH 285—Intro Differential Equations |
| 3 | MATH 415—Applied Linear Algebra |
| 4 | PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics |
| 4 | PHYS 212—University Physics: Elec & Mag |
| 29 | Total |
1. MATH 220—Calculus may be substituted, with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.
Mechanical Engineering Technical Core
These courses stress fundamental concepts and basic laboratory techniques that comprise the common intellectual understanding of mechanical engineering.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | CS 101—Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci |
| 3 | ECE 205—Elec & Electronic Circuits |
| 1 | ECE 206—Elec & Electronic Circuits Lab |
| 3 | ME 170—Computer-Aided Design |
| 3 | ME 300—Thermodynamics |
| 4 | ME 310—Introductory Gas Dynamics |
| 4 | ME 320—Heat Transfer |
| 4 | ME 330—Engineering Materials |
| 3.5 | ME 340—Dynamics of Mechanical Systems |
| 3 | ME 350—Design for Manufacturability |
| 3.5 | ME 360—Signal Processing |
| 3 | ME 370—Mechanical Design I |
| 3 | ME 371—Mechanical Design II |
| 3 | ME 470—Senior Design Project |
| 2 | TAM 210—Introduction to Statics |
| 3 | TAM 212—Introductory Dynamics |
| 3 | TAM 251—Introductory Solid Mechanics |
| 52 | Total |
Technical Electives
The science electives augment the foundational science courses in an area of interest and preparation for later courses. The MechSE, statistics, and additional technical courses stress the rigorous analysis, design, and statistics principles practiced in mechanical engineering.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | Science elective(s), chosen from one of the following: CHEM 104 + CHEM 105 or MCB 150 or PHYS 213 + PHYS 214 |
| 6 | MechSE elective chosen from a departmentally approved list. |
| 3 | Statistics elective, one course chosen from: IE 300—Analysis of Data or STAT 400—Statistics and Probability I |
| 6 | Technical electives chosen from a departmentally approved list. |
| 19 | Total |
Liberal Education
The liberal education courses develop students’ understanding of human culture and society, build skills of inquiry and critical thinking, and lay a foundation for civic engagement and lifelong learning.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECON 102—Microeconomic Principles or ECON 103—Macroeconomic Principles |
| 3 | Electives from the campus General Education social & behavioral sciences list. |
| 6 | Electives from the campus General Education humanities & the arts list. |
| 6 | Electives either from a list approved by the college, or from the campus General Education lists for social & behavioral sciences or humanities & the arts. |
| 18 | Total |
Students must also complete the campus cultural studies requirement by completing (i) one western/comparative culture(s) course and (ii) one non-western/U.S. minority culture(s) course from the General Education cultural studies lists. Most students select liberal education courses that simultaneously satisfy these cultural studies requirements. Courses from the western and non-western lists that fall into free electives or other categories may also be used satisfy the cultural studies requirements.
Composition
These courses teach fundamentals of expository writing.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | RHET 105—Principles of Composition |
| Advanced Composition (satisfied by completing ME 470 in the Mechanical Engineering Technical Core ) | |
| 4 | Total |
Free Electives
These unrestricted electives, subject to certain exceptions as noted at the College of Engineering advising Web site, give the student the opportunity to explore any intellectual area of unique interest. This freedom plays a critical role in helping students to define research specialties or to complete minors.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Free electives. Additional unrestricted course work, subject to certain exceptions as noted at the College of Engineering advising Web site, so that there are at least 128 credit hours earned toward the degree.
|
Suggested Sequence
The schedule that follows is illustrative, showing the typical sequence in which courses would be taken by a student with no college course credit already earned and who intends to graduate in four years. Each individual's case may vary, but the position of required named courses is generally indicative of the order in which they should be taken.
First year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 102—General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I |
| 0 | ENG 100—Engineering Orientation |
| 4 | MATH 221—Calculus I1 |
| 4-3 | RHET 105—Principles of Composition or ME 170—Computer-Aided Design2 |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 15-14 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | Science electives4 |
| 3 | MATH 231—Calculus II |
| 3-4 | ME 170—Computer-Aided Design or RHET 105—Principles of Composition2 |
| 4 | PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics |
| 14-15 | Total |
Second year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CS 101—Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci |
| 4 | MATH 241—Calculus III |
| 4 | PHYS 212—University Physics: Elec & Mag |
| 2 | TAM 210—Introduction to Statics |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 16 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECE 205—Elec & Electronic Circuits |
| 1 | ECE 206—Elec & Electronic Circuits Lab |
| 3 | MATH 285—Intro Differential Equations |
| 3 | ME 300—Thermodynamics |
| 3 | TAM 212—Introductory Dynamics |
| 3 | TAM 251—Introductory Solid Mechanics |
| 16 | Total |
Third year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | MATH 415—Applied Linear Algebra |
| 4 | ME 310—Introductory Gas Dynamics |
| 4 | ME 330—Engineering Materials |
| 3.5 | ME 340—Dynamics of Mechanical Systems |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 17.5 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ME 320—Heat Transfer |
| 3 | ME 350—Design for Manufacturability |
| 3.5 | ME 360—Signal Processing |
| 3 | ME 370—Mechanical Design I |
| 0 | ME 390—Seminar |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 16.5 | Total |
Fourth year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | ME 371—Mechanical Design II |
| 3 | MechSE elective5 |
| 3 | Statistics elective6 |
| 3 | Technical elective7 or ME 470—Senior Design Project |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 3 | Free elective |
| 18 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | ME 470—Senior Design Project or Technical elective7 |
| 3 | MechSE elective4 |
| 3 | Technical elective7 |
| 3 | Liberal education elective3 |
| 3 | Free elective |
| 15 | Total |
1. MATH 220—Calculus may be substituted, with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.
2. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year as authorized. The alternative is ME 170.
3. Liberal education electives must include 6 hours of social & behavioral sciences and 6 hours of humanities & the arts course work from the campus General Education lists. ECON 102 or ECON 103 must be one of the social & behavioral sciences courses. The remaining 6 hours may be selected from a list maintained by the college, or additional course work from the campus General Education lists for social & behavioral sciences or humanities & the arts. Students must also complete the campus cultural studies requirement by completing (i) one western/comparative culture(s) course and (ii) one non-western/U.S. minority culture(s) course from the General Education cultural studies lists. Most students select liberal education courses that simultaneously satisfy these cultural studies requirements. Courses from the western and non-western lists that fall into free electives or other categories may also be used satisfy the cultural studies requirements.
4. Science elective(s) — 4 hours required. Choose from CHEM 104 + CHEM105, MCB 150, or PHYS 213 + PHYS 214. If MCB 150 is taken, then MCB 151 is also recommended. Note that PHYS 213 and PHYS 214 will normally be taken in the fourth semester or later, since they have PHYS 211 and PHYS 212, respectively, as prerequisites, in addition to MATH 241.
5. MechSE electives — 6 hours required. Choose from a departmentally approved list of MechSE Electives.
6. Statistics elective—3 hours required. Choose either IE 300 or STAT 400.
7. Technical electives—6 hours required. Choose from a departmentally approved list of Technical Electives.