Bachelor's Degree

The Bachelors of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) degree in Mechanical Engineering (ME) at the University of Michigan involves completing 128 credit hours of courses in various categories, which include: College of Engineering (CoE) core, intellectual breadth, ME program specific courses, and general electives. Each of these categories and their corresponding requirements will be described in the Program Requirements section. Information on how to declare ME, prerequisites and co-requisites, planning your schedule, and other general guidance will be described in the Bachelor's Degree Guide section. For information on concentrations, minors, study abroad, dual and joint degrees, and combined undergraduate/graduate degrees please visit the Additional Academic Options section.

Program Requirements

CoE Core Courses

The College of Engineering requires that every engineering student, regardless of their proposed engineering major, complete specific courses in the core subjects of mathematics, engineering, chemistry, and physics. The ME department requires that students must earn a "C-" or better in all CoE Core courses, which are listed below with the number of credits for each course given in parenthesis:

• Math 115 - Calculus I (4)
• Math 116 - Calculus II (4)
• Math 215 - Calculus III (4)
• Math 216 - Introduction to Differential Equations (4)
• Engineering 100 - Introduction to Engineering (4)
• Engineering 101 - Introduction to Computers and Programming (4)
• Chemistry 130 (3) with Chemistry 125/126 (2), or Chemistry 210 (4) with Chemistry 211 (1)
• Physics 140 (4) with Physics 141 (1)
• Physics 240 (4) with Physics 241 (1)

For more information regarding the CoE Core course requirements, please visit the CoE Bulletin. As a general guide, the 100 level CoE Core courses should be completed during or before your freshman year, and the 200 level CoE Core courses should be completed during or before your sophomore year.

As part of the above CoE Core requirements, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requires that all CoE students complete 32 credits of non-engineering coursework in math and science during their undergraduate degree: 16 credits of math and 16 credits of science. For students who take all courses at UM, the CoE Core requirements account for the 16 credits of math, and 15 credits of science from the chemistry and physics courses; a total of 31 out of 32 required credits. The remaining 1 credit is satisfied by an additional 3 credit Advanced Math course required for ME students. For students that transfer credit for these courses from another institution, and do not receive the full amount of credits from UM, an additional math or science course may be required to reach the 32 total credits. The attached list of ABET Science Courses lists the science courses that have been approved to fulfill the missing math or science credits. For more detailed information regarding this requirement from the CoE Bulletin, please see the heading "Transfer credits for Core Math and Science".

Intellectual Breadth

As an engineer, it is important that you not only learn the technical concepts of your field, but also different modes of thought and areas of human accomplishment to better understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental and societal context. To assist students to gain a greater scope of diverse knowledge and to facilitate creativity, the College of Engineering requires that students, who have matriculated into the CoE for the Fall 2011 term or later, complete the Intellectual Breadth requirement. For students who have matriculated into the CoE before September 2011, the Humanities and Social Science Requirements apply, which can be found in the 2010-2011 CoE Bulletin.

Under the Intellectual Breadth requirement, each student must select 16 credits of intellectual breadth courses, subject to these rules:

• Humanities: At least 3 credits of Humanities classes marked HU in the LSA Course Guide; credit by test cannot be used to meet this requirement.
• Professional & Creative Development Courses (PCDC): No more than 4 credits of PCDC. This means that if you are interested in a certain PCDC course, you may count up to 4 credits of PCDC toward the Intellectual Breadth requirement, but taking a PCDC is not mandatory.
• ECON 101 (4) or ECON 102 (4): The ME department requires each student to take either micro economics (ECON 101) or macro economics (ECON 102) as part of their Intellectual Breadth requirements. Econ courses count as social sciences, which fall under the LAC category below.
• Liberal Arts Courses (LACs): The remainder of the 16 credits are drawn from any of the LACs.
• At least 3 credits of Humanities or LACs must be at the 300 level or higher.

For the complete explanation of the Intellectual Breadth requirement, and a listing of PCDC and LAC courses, please refer to the Intellectual Breadth section of the CoE Bulletin.

ME Program Specific Courses

Within the ME program, there are a few additional categories of program specific courses. These include ME Core courses, Technical Electives, Advanced Math, and EECS 314/215. For detailed ME course descriptions, please visit the ME Course List.

ME Core Courses

The ME Core courses consist of five categories: Design and Manufacturing, Mechanics and Materials, Dynamics and Controls, Thermal Sciences, and Laboratories and Technical Communication. In total, there are 45 credits of required ME Core courses; and together these subjects represent the fundamental technical competencies every mechanical engineering student must learn. The chart below outlines the courses from each of the core categories: 

Technical Electives (TEs)

All ME students are required to take 12 credits of advanced technical electives (a grade of at least "D" must be obtained in each course). It is the intent of the advanced technical elective requirement that students take a number of "core technical electives" to develop a deeper technical knowledge in specific areas of mechanical engineering.

The following guidelines for selecting advanced TEs show how to take a set of TEs that are routinely approved. Students who follow the guidelines given below need no further approval. These guidelines allow students flexibility to specialize in areas of interest, or to develop a broad base of technical knowledge.

Scroll down or click the link for the list of technical electives offered in Winter 2013.

Guidelines for Selecting Advanced Technical Electives (TEs)

For ME course descriptions, visit the ME Course List.

The 12 credits of advanced TEs required are broken down into 3 categories. 9 of the 12 credits must be taken in the ME Department. The categories are:

1. One class (at least 3 credit hours) must be a 400-level or higher class in Mechanical Engineering.  This may include 400-level classes off the core TE list, but does not have to. Note that ME490 or ME491 do not fulfill this requirement.
2. Two core classes (totaling at least 6 credit hours) must come from the following list:

A.Any other ME technical elective (including letter-graded 500-level ME courses).

B.Any non-ME class within the College of Engineering that is technical in nature and has a 300-level or higher prerequisite. If this course does not have a 300-level or higher prerequisite, then approval must be granted by the ME Undergraduate Program Committee via a petition submitted through the ASO. Approval has been granted for courses listed below to count as Category 3 technical electives. These courses do not require another petition to count as a Category 3 technical elective.

1. AEROSP 533 (ENSCEN 533) - Combustion Processes
2. EECS 401 - Probabilistic Methods in Engineering
3. ENGR 455 - Multidisciplinary Engineering Design II (For Multidisciplinary Design Minors)
4. IOE 452 (MFG 455) - Corporate Finance

C. ME490, or an equivalent senior-level independent study/research course in another engineering department that is approved by the ME Undergraduate Program Committee, can fulfill this requirement.

Technical Electives - Courses Offered Fall 2013

Mechanics and Materials

Design and Manufacturing

Thermal Sciences

Dynamics and Controls

Other

*You should take this class if you are interested in gaining research experience. Contact a faculty member with whom you are interested in working.  Alternatively, you may propose your own project and ask a faculty member to be your advisor. Research experience is encouraged if you are considering graduate school. See the Research/ Independent Study web page for details.

Students may also take other 500 level courses for advanced knowledge of a particular subject. Consult instructors for details about the course and/or consult the ASO as to its applicability as a Technical Elective.

Advanced Math

In addition to the CoE Core math courses, the ME department requires students to complete an advanced math. Students must earn a "D" grade or better to receive credit for the advanced math requirement, and it cannot be taken Pass/Fail. The approved list of advanced math courses recommended for ME students is provided below. In general, any math course at the 300-level or higher, that requires Math 215 or Math 216 as a prerequisite, is usually acceptable. Please visit the LSA Course Guide for math course descriptions.

• CEE 303 (4)- Computational Methods for Engineers and Scientists
• IOE 265 (4) - Probability and Statistics for Engineers
• MATH 354 (3) - Fourier Analysis and its Applications
• MATH 371 (3) - Numerical Methods for Engineers and Scientists
• MATH 417 (3) - Matrix Algebra I
• MATH 450 (4) - Advanced mathematics for Engineers I
• MATH 454 (3) - Boundary Value Problems for Partial Differential Equations
• MATH 471 (3) - Introduction to Numerical Methods
• ME 400 (3) - Mechanical Engineering Analysis
• OMS 301/ TO 301 (3) - Business Statistics and Management Science
• STATS 412 (3) - Introduction to Probability and Statistics
• STATS 425 / Math 425 (3) - Introduction to Probability
• STATS 426 (3)- Introduction to Theoretical Statistics

Note: Students interested in SGUS who are thinking of double counting their advanced math must select a course that has been approved as graduate level, which can be found on the Acceptable Graduate Math List.

Electrical Circuits

Also as part of the undergraduate ME degree, students must complete EECS 314 (4) - Electrical Circuits, Systems and Applications. Students must earn a "D" grade or better in EECS 314, and cannot take it Pass/Fail.

Students that wish to complete an Electrical Engineering minor would enroll in EECS 215 (4) - Introduction to Electronic Circuits, which would count in place of EECS 314 and follow the same grading rules. Students who are interested in the Electrical Engineering minor should contact the EE department for more information.

General Electives (GEs)

As part of the B.S.E. degree in ME, 119 required credits that come from the CoE Core, Intellectual Breadth, and ME Program Specific categories. General elective credits are the remaining credits needed to reach the 128 total credits toward program required for graduation, which usually amounts to 9 to 12 credits of GEs.

For transfer students, students that received credit by exam, or students that transferred one or more courses from another institution, your total number of credits from the other categories may not equal 119 credits. As a result, you may have to enroll in more or less than 9 general elective credits depending on how many credits are needed to reach the 128 credits required for graduation.

For the description of what courses count as general electives, please visit the CoE Bulletin, and scroll to the bottom of the Intellectual Breadth section.

Bachelor's Degree Guide

How to Declare ME

Beginning fall 2011, before you can declare Mechanical Engineering as your engineering program of study, the following requirements must be met:

1. You must have completed at least one full term of courses on the UM Ann Arbor campus. 
2. Have an overall UM GPA of 2.0 or better (3.0 or better if you are not currently in a College of Engineering program) in courses taken at the UM Ann Arbor campus and be in good standing. Students on Probation or Enrollment Withheld cannot declare a program.
3. Have completed (with a C or better), or earned credit by exam or transfer for, at least one course in each of these categories:
   a. Calculus (e.g. Math 115, 116, 156)
   b. Calculus based physics lectures (e.g. Physics 140, 160) or chemistry lectures (e.g. Chemistry 130)
   c. Required engineering courses (Engr. 100, 101, 151)

For all of these math, science and engineering courses taken at UM Ann Arbor the student must have earned a grade of C or better.  For repeated courses the most recent grade counts.

For more information, see the CoE Bulletin.

If you have met the above requirements, please follow the steps below to declare:

1. If you have met the requirements for declaring, please print off, fill out and sign the ME Declaration form which can be downloaded from the Forms page of the Undergraduate Handbook.
2. The "How to Plan Your Schedule" section, below, is useful to students completing the Long-Term Degree Planning form.
3. When completing your long-term degree plan, feel free to type in "TE" for Technical Elective, "HU/SS/IB" for Humanities/Social Sciences/Intellectual Breadth, "HU/SS 3xx level" (upper division), "GE" for General Elective, etc. Those details can be filled in later.
4. Once the form is complete, scan it, and send it as an e-mail attachment to me-aso@umich.edu, or drop the form off in person to a ME ASO staff member (2206 GGB). The forms will be reviewed and processed by one of the program or peer advisors. An advisor will follow-up with feedback and declare you remotely, or in person if a meeting is preferred.
   

Requesting an Override/Class Permission

Students do not need to be declared to register for 200 level ME courses, and if a class permission to register for a 300 level course is needed, e-mail me-aso@umich.edu  with your desired course lecture/lab/discussion numbers (as applicable), your UMID#, and a brief explanation of why the class permission/override is being requested.

• You must have a valid time conflict to receive an override.
• The advising team has access to your class schedule, so please be accurate and considerate of other students who may need a certain section of a course.
• Course overrides will not be provided due to personal preferences, such as, "I'm not a morning person. I prefer to not have classes before 10am."
• Your request will be handled in the order it was received.
• If there is a waitlist for a course, being #1 on the waitlist does not ensure you will receive an override for a course. Many factors are considered -- such as class standing, if the student needs the class to graduate this term, etc. -- before an override is issued.

How to Plan Your Schedule

As a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Michigan, the ME ASO is available to assist you, but each student is ultimately responsible for understanding CoE and ME policies and deadlines, ME degree requirements and how to select the appropriate courses, in the proper sequence, to complete his or her degree.

Personal Degree Audit

A great resource to take advantage of when planning your degree is the College of Engineering's Personal Degree Audit. 

General Scheduling Guidelines

When planning your schedule to satisfy all of the degree requirements for the College of Engineering and the Mechanical Engineering department, there are several general guidelines you should follow:

1. All CoE courses, including the 200 level Math and Physics courses, should be completed by the end of your sophomore year.
2. The ME degree consists of three design courses (ME 250, ME 350, and ME 450) and two laboratory courses (ME 395 and ME 495). NONE of these courses may be taken in the same semester. As a result, it is useful to start the planning process by placing these courses first, and then filling in the rest of your degree plan by following the prerequisites and co-requisites.
3. Most students are eligible to declare ME at the start of their sophomore year. For a student following a traditional four year college plan, this leaves six semesters to complete the ME curriculum. As none of the five design/laboratory courses can be taken in the same semester, there will be one semester in which you will not take a design/laboratory course; this is usually during the winter semester of your sophomore year. If you are interested in studying abroad, this semester is the optimal time to do so. Many institutions abroad do not offer appropriate design/laboratory courses, and as you progress in your degree it becomes increasingly difficult to find 300 and 400 level courses that will transfer. 
4. To maintain a more balanced schedule, we recommend students save some intellectual breadth and/or general elective requirements for later in their degree when the majority of their schedule would otherwise be filled solely with ME courses.
5. Intellectual breadth and general elective requirements can be fulfilled at community colleges over the spring/summer. This can be useful if a specific course will not fit into your schedule, or if you wish to maintain a lighter course load during the academic year. Many of these courses are offered in the evening, allowing for the simultaneous pursuit of a summer internship/co-op.
6. Many students that come to the ASO early in their degree are determined to complete their B.S.E. degee in exactly four years or less. While this is entirely achievable, an increasing number of our students prolong their degree a semester or two to pursue such things as study abroad or co-ops, both of which we highly encourage. Every student's personal goals and interests will be different, so keep this in mind when planning your schedule.

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

Within the ME degree there are numerous prerequisites and co-requisites that every student must follow when enrolling for courses, each of which is provided in the table below:

* For students minoring in EE, EECS 215 will count in place of EECS 314

P/A - Preceded or Accompanied By (i.e. a co-req)

Course Name (Credits)	Course Description	Requires	Leads to
Math 115 (4)	Calculus I	n/a	Math 116, Phys 140/141
Math 116 (4)	Calculus II	Math 115	Math 215, Math 216, ME 211, ME 235, ME 250
Math 215 (4)	Calculus III	Math 116	n/a
Math 216 (4)	Differential Equations	Math 116	EECS 314, P/A: ME 240, ME 320
Engr 100 (4)	Intro to Engineering	n/a	n/a
Engr 101 (4)	Intro to Computers and Programming	n/a	ME 250
Chem 130 (3) / 125 (1) / 126 (1)	General Chemistry and Lab	n/a	ME 235
Phys 140 (4) / 141 (1)	Physics I and Lab	Math 115	Phys 240/241, ME 211, ME 240
Phys 240 (4) / 241 (1)	Physics II and Lab	Phys 140/141	EECS 314, ME 395
EECS 314* (4)	Electrical Circuits	Math 216, Phys 240/241	P/A: ME 360
ME 211 (4)	Solid Mechanics	Math 116, Phys 140/141	ME 350, ME 382
ME 235 (3)	Thermodynamics I	Math 116, Chem 130/125/126	ME 320
ME 240 (4)	Dynamics and Vibrations	P/A: Math 216, Phys 140/141	ME 320, ME 350, ME 360, ME 395
ME 250 (4)	Design and Manufacturing I	Math 116, Engr 101	ME 350
ME 320 (3)	Fluid Mechanics I	Math 216, ME 235, ME 240	ME 335, P/A: ME 395
ME 335 (3)	Heat Transfer	ME 320	P/A: ME 495
ME 350 (4)	Design and Manufacturing II	ME 211, ME 240, ME 250, P/A: ME 382	ME 450, P/A: ME 495
ME 360 (4)	Systems and Controls	P/A: EECS 314, ME 240	ME 450, ME 495
ME 382 (4)	Behavior of Materials	ME 211	P/A: ME 350, P/A: ME 395
ME 395 (4)	Laboratory I	Phys 240/241, ME 240, P/A: ME 320, P/A: ME 382	ME 495
ME 450 (4)	Design and Manufacturing III	ME 350, ME 360, ME 395	n/a
ME 495 (4)	Laboratory II	P/A: ME 350, ME 360, ME 395	n/a

For a visual representation of the prerequisites and co-requisites listed above, see the various ME Course Flow Diagrams shown below. Each row in the diagram represents a sample term within an eight term (four year) degree, and is laid out to show when a student might take each course to satisfy the prerequisites and co-requisites for the ME degree. Although the sample schedules laid out in these ME Course Flow Diagrams would satisfy all requirements in the appropriate sequence, they are some of many possible schedules that would work depending on a students individual circumstances.

Click the thumbnails to see the full flow chart

Sample Schedule

The sample schedule below lists all courses required to complete a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. This sample schedule is meant to be a guide only and will likely be different from most students long-term degree plans. The sample schedule assumes all courses will be taken at UM Ann Arbor and that the degree will be completed in four years. Many students enter the College of Engineering with AP credit from high school or transfer credits from another institution during their degree. Additionally, students may prolong their degree past eight semesters to pursue co-op and/or study abroad opportunities. As ME courses are in high demand and can fill quickly, it is advisable that students remain flexible in their course selection for each term and have backup options. The Academic Services Office is happy to review degree plans, but each student is ultimately responsible for selecting a schedule that meets their needs within the degree requirements.

Mechanical Engineering
Sample Schedule 2011

	Total	Terms:
	Credit Hours	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Subjects Required by all Programs (52-55 hours)
Mathematics 115, 116, 215, 216+	16	4	4	4	4	-	-	-	-
Engineering 100, Introduction to Engineering+	4	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Engineering 101, Introduction to Computers+	4	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-
Chemistry 125/126 and 130 or Chemistry 210 and 2111+	5	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Physics 140 with lab 1412+	5	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-
Physics 240 with lab 2412+	5	-	-	5	-	-	-	-	-
Intellectual Breadth (including one course in micro- or macro- economics)	16	3	4	-	-	-	3	-	6
Related Program Subjects (7 hours)
Advanced Mathematics3	3	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-
EECS 314, Circuits (or EECS215)	4	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-
Program Subjects (45 hours)
ME 211, Introduction to Solid Mechanics +	4	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	-
ME 235, Thermodynamics I+	3	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-
ME 240, Introduction to Dynamics and Vibrations+	4	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-
ME 250, Design and Manufacturing I +	4	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-
ME 320, Fluids I+	3	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-
ME 335, Heat Transfer	3	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-
ME 350, Design and Manufacturing II +	4	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-
ME 360, Systems and Controls +	4	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-
ME 382, Engineering Materials +	4	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-
ME 395, Laboratory I +	4	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-
ME 450, Design and Manufacturing III +	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4
ME 495, Laboratory II	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Electives (21 to 24 hours)
Technical Electives3	12	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	6
General Electives	9-12	-	-	3	-	-		6	-
Total	128	16	17	16	15	15	17	16	16

Notes:
1. If you have a satisfactory score or grade in Chemistry AP, A-Level, IB Exams or transfer credit from another institution for Chemistry 130/125/126 or Chemistry 210/211, you will have met the Chemistry Core Requirement for the College of Engineering

2. If you have a satisfactory score or grade in Physics AP, A-Level, IB Exams or transfer credit from another institution for Physics 140/141 and/or Physics 240/241 you will have met the Physics Core Requirement for the College of Engineering.

3. Advanced Mathematics and Technical Electives: A list of approved courses is available on the ME Dept website & in the Academic Services Office (ASO), 2206 G.G. Brown.

(+) "C-" rule: Students must earn a "C-" or better in prerequisite courses indicated by the (+) symbol; anything less must be repeated prior to taking a subsequent class for which this class is required.

"D" Rule: No grade less than a "D" shall be earned in any course used for degree credit.

The Mechanical Engineering program offers several dual and joint degree programs * A 3.0 cumulative and math, science, and engineering grade point average is required for admissions to one of these programs. As well, minors through LS&A (see CoE Bulletin) and a Concentration in Manufacturing Systems Design or in Energy Systems is available. Refer to the ME Website or consult with staff in the ASO.

* There are dual degree programs with other Engineering Departments and Joint (MDDP) degrees with other Schools such as Music and LS&A.

Candidates for the B.S.E. (ME) - must complete the program listed above.  This is just a sample of a schedule that will lead to graduation in eight terms.

Additional Academic Options

Concentrations

Within the undergraduate degree, the ME department offers two concentrations: energy and manufacturing systems. Neither of these concentrations are required, however, they allow interested students to focus their technical electives in a specific subject area. If you elect to pursue a concentration in either energy or manufacturing, it is possible to satisfy both the ME technical elective requirements as well as the requirements for the concentration, which are provided below.

For students interested in declaring a concentration, please visit the Forms section of the Undergraduate Handbook and complete the Concentration Declaration sheet. You can either submit the completed form via email by sending a scanned pdf copy to me-aso@umich.edu, or by dropping it off in person to the ASO (2206 GGB). After you graduate and the completion of the concentration has been confirmed, you will see the concentration on your official transcript, but not your diploma.

If you have already declared a concentration and wish to drop it, please fill out another Concentration Declaration sheet and submit to the ASO again via email or in person.

Energy Concentration

Global economic, geopolitical, and environmental factors all suggest that improvements are needed in the way that energy is produced, converted, and utilized in the modern world. Mechanical systems are integral to all three of these activities. The undergraduate concentration in energy, consisting of 12 credit hours, is defined below. For more information, contact the peer or academic advisors in the Academic Services Office or Professor Wooldridge (mswool@umich.edu).

Students must be in good standing to declare the concentration and must pass all classes with satisfactory grades. Students may not take courses for the energy concentration pass/fail. Students may petition the ME ASO to have alternate courses considered.

Concentration requirements:

1. Required Course (3 cr):

   • ME 433 - Advanced Energy Solutions (1,2,3a)

2. Choice of Engineering Science Courses (6 cr):

   • AERO 335 - Aircraft and Spacecraft Propulsion (GE,5)
   • AERO 533 - Combustion Processes (3b)
   • AOSS 350 - Atmospheric Thermodynamics (GE,5)
   • AOSS 410 - Earth System Modeling (GE,5)
   • CEE 360 - Environmental Process Engineering (3b,5)
   • CEE 460 - Design of Environmental Engineering Systems (3b)
   • CEE 567 - Energy Infrastructure Systems (1,3b)
   • CEE 565 / ESENG 501 - Seminars on Energy System Technology and Policy (GE)
   • EECS 498-05 - Solid-State Lighting and Solar Cells NEW F10 (GE)
     
   • ME 336 - Advanced Thermodynamics (2,3a)
   • ME 432 - Introduction to Combustion (1,2,3a)
   • ME 438 - Internal Combustion Engines (1,3a)
   • ME 530 - Advanced Heat Transfer (1,3a)
   • ME 535 - Thermodynamics III (1,3a)
   • ME 537 - Advanced Combustion (1,3a)
   • ME 539 - Heat Transfer Physics (1,3a)
   • ME 571 / ESENG 505 - Energy Generation and Storage Using Modern Materials (1,3a)
   • ME 589 - Sustainable Design of Technological Systems (1,3a)
   • ME 599 - Novel Fuels (1,3a,4)
   • MSE 555 - Materials Energy Conversion (GE,5)
   • NERS 442 - Nuclear Power Reactors (3b, P1)

3. Choice of Natural Resource and Environment Courses (3 cr):

   • NRE 441 - Remote Sensing of Environment
   • NRE 475 / ENVIRON 475 / EHS 588 - Environmental Law
   • NRE 559 - International Environmental Policy and Law
   • NRE 560 / ENVIRON 360 / PSYCH 389 / UP 560 / SW 710 - Behavior and Environment
   • NRE 562 - Environmental Policy, Politics, and Organizations
   • NRE 571 / ECON 471 - Environmental Economics
   • ECON 370 - Environment & Resources Economics (may fulfill 3xx level HU/SS requirement)

(1) - Category 1 ME Technical Elective (400-level or higher)
(2) - Category 2 ME Technical Elective (core)
(3a) - Category 3a ME Technical Elective
(3b) - Category 3b Non-ME Technical Elective
(GE) - General Elective
(4) - Any 499 and 599 courses should transition to permanent numbers in the next year or two.
(5) - If in a dual degree program with ME, these courses do not count as Technical Electives for ME. 
(P1) - Permission of Instructor

Manufacturing Systems Concentration

The cross-disciplinary Manufacturing Systems Concentration (MSC) in Mechanical Engineering allows students to take both free electives and advanced technical electives that lead to the MSC being added to the BSE degree. This concentration is open to undergraduates pursuing a degree in the Mechanical Engineering department. The MSC focuses on a systems level approach to manufacturing and design for future requirements; it may also increase employment opportunities in the manufacturing sector.

The concentration consists of at least 13 credit hours of coursework in manufacturing related areas; specifically, three concentration core courses for 8 hours and two elective courses for 5-6 hours. For more information, contact the peer or academic advisors in the Academic Services Office, or Professor Elijah Kannatey-Asibu (asibu@umich.edu).

Concentration requirements:

1. Three Concentration Core Courses (8 cr):

   • ME 481 - Manufacturing Processes (1,2,3a)
   • ME 483 - Manufacturing Systems Design (1,2,3a)
   • IOE 425 - Manufacturing Strategies (GE)

2. Choice of One Process Course (3 cr):

   • ME 482 - Machining Processes (1,3a)
   • ME 487 - Welding (1,2,3a)
   • ME 586 - Laser Materials Processing (3a)
   • ME 588 - Assembly Modeling for Design and Manufacturing (3a)
   • ME 599 - Nanomanufacturing (3a,4)

3. Choice of One Systems Course (2-3 cr):

   • ME 401 - Engineering Statistics for Manufacturing Systems (1,3a)
   • ME 452 - Design for Manufacturability (1,2,3a)
   • ME 584 - Control of Manufacturing Systems (3a)
   • ME 587 - Reconfigurable Manufacturing (3a)
   • IOE 449 - Material Handling Systems (3b,4)

(1) - Category 1 ME Technical Elective (400-level or higher)
(2) - Category 2 ME Technical Elective (core)
(3a) - Category 3a ME Technical Elective
(3b) - Category 3b Non-ME Technical Elective
(GE) - General Elective
(4) - These ME 499 and 599 courses should transition to permanent numbers in the next year or two.
(5) - If in a dual degree program with ME, these courses do not count as Technical Electives for ME. 
(P1) - Permission of Instructor

Independent Study - ME490/ME491

The ME department at the University of Michigan has a multi-disciplinary approach to research that strikes a unique balance of trend-setting research and real-world impact that is highly respected around the world. Conducting research with a faculty member, through ME490 Independent Study, is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience and earn credit towards your degree at the same time.

Students with senior standing can receive technical elective credit for completing ME490 research. ME490 can only count for Category 3C technical elective credit; it will not count as an ME4xx level or higher technical elective (Category 1) or as a core technical elective (Category 2). For students interested in continuing their independent research project over two semesters, or completing two unique independent research projects, they can enroll in ME491. In the latter example, ME491 will be for General Elective credit if Technical Elective credit was completed previously. (ME491 is only available when you have already elected and completed ME490.)

If you are interested in doing a ME490 independent research project, please visit the ME490/491 Registration and Report Submission web page for complete step by step instructions, expectations, and due dates.

Minors

For students looking to compliment their Mechanical Engineering degree with additional coursework in another area of interest, there are several minors and programs available for you to choose from. In general, the department offering the minor is always the one responsible for establishing requirements for that minor and declaring students into the minor. Therefore, questions related to a specific minor should be directed to the department offering it and not the ME department.

Depending on the minor chosen and the amount of course overlap with ME degree requirements, some courses may be able to be counted for both the B.S.E. degree and the minor. If a course required for a minor will not fit in any of the categories of requirements for the ME degree, it will likely count as a general elective.

Students interested in pursuing a minor should visit the websites listed below. Additionally, the CoE Bulletin offers a broad overview of some of these minors that are offered through the College of Engineering.

• International Minor - The International Minor addresses the need for engineers who can combine technical expertise with international understanding. The International Minor requirements include foreign language proficiency, coursework pertaining to non-U.S. countries, intercultural communication skills, and global trends in engineering and business. Students must also pursue practical overseas experience through study, work or volunteer abroad. The minor requires 16-20 credits to complete, depending on the foreign language elected.
• Multidisciplinary Design Minor - This minor allows undergraduate engineering students to obtain practical hands-on experience designing, building, and testing technology systems in collaboration with students from other disciplines both inside and outside of engineering. The minor can be satisfied with 15 credits of coursework associated with specialized multidisciplinary team projects, which may include competitive teams such as Solar Car, Steel Bridge, and Human-Powered Submarines.
• Electrical Engineering (EE) Minor - The EE minor is offered through the EECS Department and is intended to give students the opportunity to pursue one of three paths: Systems: Communications, Control, Signal Processing, Electromagnetics and Optics, or Circuits and Solid State. ME students pursuing the EE minor must take EECS 215, which will count in place of EECS 314. For additional information, visit the EECS Department website.
• Entrepreneurship Program - Undergraduate engineering students are able to study business methods associated with writing business plans, obtaining venture capital and other funding, intellectual property, etc. The Program in Entrepreneurship Certificate requires at least 9 credits of business related courses and seminars.
• Business Minor - Undergraduate engineering students interested in business are welcome to apply to complete a minor in Business through the Ross School of Business. The Minor consists of 15 credit hours and has flexible core and elective components. Students admitted to the minor must complete all minor requirement courses for credit and for a grade (may not be taken pass/fail).  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 is required within the minor coursework.
• LSA Minors - Almost all LSA departments offer a minor available to students in any college at the UM Ann Arbor. If you are interested in pursuing a LSA minor, please contact the applicable department directly. For your convenience, the two most common LSA minors are listed below:

- Minor in Mathematics: Through the ME degree, students are required to take Math 215, Math 216, and an advanced math course, all of which can be double counted toward the math minor. Consequently, ME students interested in pursuing a math minor only need two additional courses to satisfy the Math Department's minor requirements.

- Minor in Physics: Similar to the math minor, several courses required for the ME degree will double count for the physics minor, including Physics 140/141 and Physics 240/241. To complete the physics minor two additional courses and a laboratory are required.

Study Abroad

Students who engage in Study Abroad opportunities gain first-hand knowledge of other cultures and learn to appreciate cultural diversity. In addition, from these experiences, students learn to approach engineering problems with new insight. This experience allows students to more readily adapt to new situations and successfully interact with colleagues from around the world.

If you are interested in studying abroad and earning credit internationally, please visit the study abroad section of the International Programs in Engineering website. Keep in mind that it will be difficult to find any of our design or lab courses abroad (i.e. ME 250, ME 350, ME 395, ME 450, and ME 495). Because none of these courses can be taken in the same semester, we recommend that students planning to go abroad do so the winter semester of their sophomore year (e.g. take ME 250 in the fall semester) or go abroad over a summer.

To determine if a study abroad course will transfer to the UM, please visit the CoE Transfer Credit Office website to locate the course CoE and LSA course equivalency databases.

If you are planning a study abroad experience, but not through the University of Michigan, you should complete a "Transfer Credit Approval Form" (TCAF). The TCAF is designed for current College of Engineering students to have a course pre-approved before their enrollment as a guest student.

Dual and Joint Undergraduate Degrees

Dual Degrees

Dual degrees may be obtained with Mechanical Engineering and other programs in the College of Engineering. These require 142 (minimum) credits hours, and result in the award of two B.S.E. degrees (one in Mechanical Engineering and one in the other program). Since these programs involve a substantial amount of double counting of credit, a dual degree student cannot enter the SGUS program. Transfer credit may also be limited.

Admission to a dual degree program requires approval from both departments and is available for any student who has maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher, both cumulative as well as in "core" subjects.

These dual-degrees programs currently exist:

1. Aerospace Engineering
2. Chemical Engineering
3. Computer Engineering
4. Computer Science
5. Computer Science Engineering
6. Civil and Environmental Engineering
7. Electrical Engineering
8. Engineering Physics
9. Industrial and Operations Engineering
10. Materials Science and Engineering
11. Naval Architecture and Marine Architecture
12. Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences

If you are interested in doing a dual degree with another undergraduate program within the College of Engineering that is not listed above, please send an e-mail to me-aso@umich.edu. The ASO will work with you to determine whether a specialized program can be established.

Joint Degrees

Joint Degrees allow students to pursue two separate bachelor degrees simultaneously in two different colleges.

• LS&A
• School of Music
• Art and Design

Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees

Sequential Graduate/Undergraduate Studies (SGUS)

The Rackham SGUS allows qualified CoE students to pursue a five-year combined Bachelor's and Master's degree. For more information, visit the Master's Degree and SGUS section of the Graduate Handbook.  

Engineering Global Leadership (EGL) Honors Program

The Engineering Global Leadership Honors Program (EGL) combines a traditional engineering undergraduate curriculum with courses in the Ross School of Business and the College of Literature, Science and Arts. The EGL Honors Program leads to a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the College of Engineering.

Employers often say that the inability of many professionals to communicate across cultures and across the engineering and business boundary is one of the greatest barriers to global competitiveness. The EGL Honors Program prepares students to bridge these gaps. The business curriculum encompasses the rudiments of marketing, accounting, and finance, and the LSA courses expose students to the language, history and customs of a student-selected region of the world.

EGL students are also required to complete a synthesis team project that provides them an opportunity to place their learning in an industry context, apply their technical knowledge in the field, and develop their teamwork skills. The success of EGL graduates confirms that this training is in high demand.

Requirements for All EGL Students

Along with the engineering degree requirements, EGL students must also complete:

• 2 semesters of the same 2nd year language, associated with the cultural region of their choice
• 12 credits of humanities/social science courses associated with the same cultural region
• 12 credits in the UM Ross School of Business
• EGL and Tauber Leadership Programs
• Tauber Institute Team Project (paid internship)
• Completion of a Bachelor's and Master's degree in the College of Engineering

Students are strongly encouraged to consider study or work abroad, which can be used as an option for satisfying some of the cultural core requirements.

Requirements for EGL Students Pursuing a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

All ME degree requirements apply to EGL students with the exception of micro or macro economics and the Category 3 ME Tech Elective (i.e. ME3xx level+ TE). These requirements are satisfactorily met through completion of the EGL program.

Application Information

Students should apply to the EGL program after having completed at least 2 semesters in the College of Engineering and after declaring an engineering major.

A 3.60 cumulative GPA and an interview are required for admission to the program. Students with at least a 3.55 cumulative GPA may apply and will be interviewed in the anticipation that a 3.60 cumulative GPA will be attained by the end of the semester in which the interview takes place. Application Deadline: October 15th. For more information, visit the EGL website.