ME Core Courses

The mechanical engineering core courses constitute the "meat" of the mechanical engineering program. You will acquire knowledge in the core classes that practitioners of mechanical engineering require to do their jobs.

You have already completed courses such as calculus, physics, and chemistry that will enable you to understand the material in these courses. These courses make up an ME student’s major GPA.

Core or Major GPA Rule

A student must have a minimum grade-point average of 2.00 in
this group of courses in order to graduate.

Material Science

Mat E 272. Principles of Materials Science and Engineering. (2-0) Cr. 2. F.S.SS. Prereq: Chem 167 or 177. Introduction to the structure of metals, polymers and ceramics. Crystal structure and imperfections in metals. Diffusion, mechanical properties, and failure mechanisms. Phase equilibrium diagrams and heat treatment principles for steels, cast irons, composite materials, and aluminum alloys. Corrosion and electrical properties. Engineering applications. Only one of 211, 272, or 392 may count toward graduation.

Engineering Mechanics Courses

E M 274. Statics of Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: Credit or enrollment in Math 166; credit or enrollment in Phys 111 or 221. Vector and scalar treatment of coplanar and noncoplanar force systems. Resultants, equilibrium, friction, centroids, second moments of areas, principal second moments of area, radius of gyration, internal forces, shear and bending moment diagrams.
H. Honors. F.S.

E M 324. Mechanics of Materials. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: E M 274. Plane stress, plane strain, stress- strain relationships, and elements of material behavior. Application of stress and deformation analysis to members subject to centric, torsional, flexural, and combined loadings. Elementary considerations of theories of failure, buckling. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 345. Dynamics. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: E M 274, credit or enrollment in Math 266 or 267. Particle and rigid body kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, kinetics of plane motion, rigid body problems using work-energy, linear, and angular impulse-momentum principles, vibrations. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Sophomore Design, Circuits and Motors

M E 270. Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design. (1-6) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: Engr 170, Phys 221. Introduction to fundamentals of mechanical engineering design with applications to thermal and mechanical systems. Examination of existing machines and systems.
Team-based projects, open- ended problems and prototyping. Application of engineering tools.Oral and written reports required.

E E 442. Introduction to Circuits and Instruments. (3-2) Cr. 2. Half-semester course. F.S. Prereq: Phys 222, Math 267. Basic circuit analysis using network theorems with time domain and Laplace transform techniques for resistive, resistive-inductive, resistive-capacitive, and resistive-inductive- capacitive circuits. Transient circuit behavior. Basic operational amplifiers and applications. Familiarization with common E E instrumentation and demonstration of basic principles. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E E 448. Introduction to AC Circuits and Motors. (3-2) Cr. 2. Half-semester course. F.S. Prereq: E E 303 or E E 441 or E E 442. Magnetic circuits. Power transformers. AC steady state and three-phase circuit analysis. Basic principles of operation and control of induction and single-phase motors. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Thermal Science Core Course

M E 231. Engineering Thermodynamics I. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: Math 265, Chem 167, Phys 222. Fundamental concepts based on zeroth, first and second laws of thermodynamics. Properties and processes for ideal gases and solid-liquid-vapor phases of pure substances. Applications to vapor power cycles. Credit for either 231 or 330, but not both, may be applied toward graduation.

M E 332. Engineering Thermodynamics II. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: M E 231. Gas power cycles. Fundamentals of gas mixtures, psychrometry, and thermochemistry. Applications to one-dimensional compressible flow, refrigeration, air conditioning and combustion processes. Nonmajor graduate credit.

M E 370. Engineering Measurements and Instrumentation. (2-3) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: EE 442, Stat 305. Fundamentals of design, selection, and operation of components of measuring systems. Measurement processes, data acquisition systems, analysis of data, and propagation of measurement uncertainty. Nonmajor graduate credit.

M E 335. Fluid Flow. (3-2) Cr. 4. F.S. Prereq: Credit or enrollment in M E 332, E M 345, Math 266 or 267, credit or enrollment in ME 370. Incompressible and compressible fluid flow fundamentals. Dimensional analysis and similitude. Internal and external flow applications.Lab experiments emphasizing concepts in thermodynamics and fluid flow. Written reports are required. Nonmajor graduate credit.

M E 436. Heat Transfer. (3-2) Cr. 4. F.S. Prereq: M E 335. Heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation. Similarity concepts in heat, mass, and momentum transfer. Methods for determination of heat transfer coefficients. Combined modes of heat transfer. Heat exchangers. Lab experiments emphasizing concepts in thermodynamics and heat transfer. Written reports are required. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mechanical Systems Courses

M E 324. Manufacturing Engineering. (3-2) Cr. 4. F.S. Prereq: M E 270, Mat E 272, E M 324. Plastic deformation and work hardening. Manufacturing processes including forming, machining, casting and welding with emphasis on manufacturing considerations in design. Modern manufacturing practices. Laboratory exercises will be an integral component of the course. Nonmajor graduate credit.

M E 325. Machine Design. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: Engr 170, E M 324, Stat 305.Philosophy of design and design methodology. Consideration of stresses and failure models useful for static and fatigue loading. Analysis, selection and synthesis of machine elements.Nonmajor graduate credit.

M E 421. Mechanical Systems and Control. (3-2) Cr. 4. F.S. Prereq: E M 345, Math 267, E E 442, 448. Modeling and simulation of mechanical systems. Development of equations of motion and dynamic response characteristics. Fundamentals of classical control applications, including mathematical analysis and design for closed loop control systems. Introduction to computer interfacing for data acquisition and control. Laboratory exercises for hands-on motion and control implementation. Nonmajor graduate credit.