The major in mechanical engineering lays a foundation in the basic disciplines of mathematics, physics, and chemistry and in the engineering sciences of statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanics of deformable bodies, mechanics of fluids and transfer processes, materials science, and electrical sciences. An understanding of these sciences enables mechanical engineers to design parts of systems and understand whole systems, plan the production and use of energy, plan and operate industrial manufacturing facilities, and design automatic control systems for machines and other mechanical systems.
Mechanical engineering students develop an awareness of social and humanistic issues relating to business, environment, government, history, language, religion, and international relations. They also acquire an appreciation of professional and ethical responsibilities.
Educational Objectives
Within a few years of graduation, graduates of the mechanical engineering program will:
- have successful careers in engineering and beyond and will have assumed professional roles of increasing responsibility and impact;
- have acquired new knowledge and expertise through professional development opportunities or advanced education; and
- be engaged in workplace, professional, or civic communities.
Graduates from the Department of Mechanical Engineering B.S.E. program will be prepared to effectively contribute as engineers in a diverse and multidisciplinary work environment. They will have an ability to:
- identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
- 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;
- communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
- recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments which consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;
- function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
- develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions; and
- acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
The Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in mechanical engineering requires a minimum of 130 s.h. of credit. Students must have a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 on all college work used to satisfy degree requirements as well as in all coursework attempted at the University of Iowa.
All B.S.E. students are required to take the same collegiate curriculum. For information about these collegiate requirements, see the Bachelor of Science in Engineering, B.S.E. in the Catalog. Students completing the major in mechanical engineering fulfill the collegiate statistics requirement by completing STAT:2020 Probability and Statistics for the Engineering and Physical Sciences.
The major in mechanical engineering requires the following coursework.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Collegiate Curriculum | 50 | |
| Major Requirements (includes two 0 s.h. seminars) | 59 | |
| Focus Area | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 130 | |
Major Requirements
Major requirements include a set of common courses (56 s.h.), two departmental seminars (0 s.h.), and one capstone design course (3 s.h.).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| ME:2200 | Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design | 2 |
| ME:2300 | Manufacturing Processes | 3 |
| ME:3045 | Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME:3052 | Mechanical Systems | 4 |
| ME:3351 | Engineering Instrumentation | 2 |
| ME:3600 | Control of Mechanical Engineering Systems | 3 |
| ME:4048 | Energy Systems Design | 4 |
| ME:4055 | Mechanical Systems Design | 3 |
| ME:4080 | Experimental Engineering | 4 |
| ENGR:2110 | Statics | 2 |
| ENGR:2120 | Electrical Circuits | 3 |
| ENGR:2130 | Thermodynamics | 3 |
| ENGR:2510 | Fluid Mechanics | 4 |
| ENGR:2710 | Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR:2720 | Materials Science | 3 |
| ENGR:2750 | Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
| MATH:3550 | Engineering Mathematics V: Vector Calculus | 3 |
| PHYS:1612 | Introductory Physics II (with lab) | 4 |
Departmental Seminars
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| ME:2020 | Mechanical Engineering Program Seminar | 0 |
| ME:3091 | Professional Seminar: Mechanical Engineering | 0 |
Capstone Design Course
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| ME:4086 | Mechanical Engineering Design Project | 3 |
Focus Area
Students must select focus area courses according to guidelines established by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The mechanical engineering program offers a variety of focus area options, including standard focus areas developed and maintained by the program and flexible focus areas tailored to individual student interests.
Standard focus areas are offered in energy and environment, manufacturing, mechanical engineering design, and robotics and autonomous systems. For guidelines regarding tailored focus areas, see ME Focus Areas on the Department of Mechanical Engineering website.
Focus areas in mechanical engineering consist of required courses, focus area electives, and additional electives; carefully selected elective courses may contribute to earning a minor and/or certificate.
Energy and Environment
Students in the energy and environment focus area complete one required course (3 s.h.), two focus area electives (6 s.h.), and four additional electives (12 s.h.).
Required Energy and Environment Course
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| ME:5145 | Intermediate Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME:5160/CEE:5369 | Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
Energy and Environment Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| ME:4111/CEE:4511 | Scientific Computing and Machine Learning | 3 |
| ME:5145 | Intermediate Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME:5149 | Propulsion Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5160/CEE:5369 | Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| CEE:4107/CBE:4410 | Sustainable Systems | 3 |
Additional Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12 s.h. from these: | ||
| ME:4024 | Product Design and Realization | 3 |
| ME:4125 | Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:4175 | Computational Naval Hydrodynamics | 3 |
| ME:4186 | Enhanced Design Experience | 2-3 |
| ME:5143 | Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5210/CBE:5110 | Intermediate Thermodynamics | 3 |
| CBE:5405 | Green Chemical and Energy Technologies | 3 |
| CBE:5415/IGPI:5415 | Satellite Image Processing and Remote Sensing of Atmosphere | 3 |
| CBE:5417/IGPI:5417 | Physical Meteorology and Atmospheric Radiative Transfer | 3 |
| CEE:3371 | Principles of Hydraulics and Hydrology | 3 |
| CEE:4102 | Groundwater | 3 |
| CEE:4159/CBE:4459/IGPI:4159 | Air Pollution Control Technology | 3 |
| CEE:5380 | Fluid Flows in Environmental Systems | 3 |
| ECE:5620 | Electric Power Systems | 3 |
| ISE:2500 | Engineering Economy | 3 |
| An additional content area course | 3 | |
| May include one of these: | ||
| EES:1080/ENVS:1080 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 |
| EES:1290 | Energy and the Environment | 3 |
Manufacturing
Students in the manufacturing focus area complete two required courses (6 s.h.), two focus area electives (6 s.h.), and three additional electives (9 s.h.).
Required Manufacturing Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| ME:4111/CEE:4511 | Scientific Computing and Machine Learning | 3 |
| And one of these: | ||
| ME:4116/ISE:4116 | Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4140 | Modern Robotics and Automation | 3 |
| ME:5146 | Modeling of Materials Processing | 3 |
Manufacturing Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| ME:4024 | Product Design and Realization | 3 |
| ME:4116/ISE:4116 | Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4140 | Modern Robotics and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4145 | Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) | 3 |
| ME:4200 | Modern Engineering Materials for Mechanical Design | 3 |
| ME:5146 | Modeling of Materials Processing | 3 |
| ME:5167/CEE:5137 | Composite Materials | 3 |
| ME:5170 | Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics | 3 |
Additional Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 9 s.h. from these: | ||
| ME:4110/CEE:4515 | Computer-Aided Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4112/CEE:4512 | Engineering Design Optimization | 3 |
| ME:4117 | Finite Element Analysis | 3 |
| ME:4150 | Artificial Intelligence in Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4153/CEE:4532 | Fundamentals of Vibrations | 3 |
| ME:4186 | Enhanced Design Experience | 2-3 |
| ME:5114 | Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems | 3 |
| ME:5143 | Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5145 | Intermediate Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME:5159/CEE:5549 | Fracture Mechanics | 3 |
| ME:5300 | Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization | 3 |
| BME:5620 | Introduction to Applied Biomedical Finite Element Modeling | 3 |
| ECE:5550 | Internet of Things | 3 |
| ISE:3300 | Manufacturing Systems | 3 |
| ISE:3600/CEE:3142/STAT:3620 | Quality Control | 3 |
| ISE:3700 | Operations Research | 3 |
| ISE:4620 | Design of Experiments for Quality Improvement | 3 |
| ISE:4900 | Introduction to Six Sigma | 3 |
| An additional content area course | 3 | |
Mechanical Engineering Design
Students in the mechanical engineering design focus area complete two required courses (6 s.h.), two focus area electives (6 s.h.), and three additional electives (9 s.h.).
Required Design Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| ME:4111/CEE:4511 | Scientific Computing and Machine Learning | 3 |
| ME:4186 | Enhanced Design Experience | 3 |
Design Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| ME:4024 | Product Design and Realization | 3 |
| ME:4110/CEE:4515 | Computer-Aided Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4112/CEE:4512 | Engineering Design Optimization | 3 |
| ME:4117 | Finite Element Analysis | 3 |
| ME:5143 | Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5170 | Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics | 3 |
| ME:5300 | Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization | 3 |
Additional Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 9 s.h. from these: | ||
| ME:4116/ISE:4116 | Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4120 | Advanced Linear Control Systems | 3 |
| ME:4125 | Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:4140 | Modern Robotics and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4145 | Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) | 3 |
| ME:4150 | Artificial Intelligence in Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4153/CEE:4532 | Fundamentals of Vibrations | 3 |
| ME:4175 | Computational Naval Hydrodynamics | 3 |
| ME:4200 | Modern Engineering Materials for Mechanical Design | 3 |
| ME:5114 | Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems | 3 |
| ME:5120 | Vehicle System Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:5145 | Intermediate Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME:5149 | Propulsion Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5150/CEE:5540 | Intermediate Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
| ME:5154 | Intermediate Kinematics and Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:5159/CEE:5549 | Fracture Mechanics | 3 |
| ME:5160/CEE:5369 | Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| ME:5167/CEE:5137 | Composite Materials | 3 |
| ME:5179/CEE:5179 | Continuum Mechanics | arr. |
| An additional content area course | 3 | |
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Students in the robotics and autonomous systems focus area complete two required courses (6 s.h.), two focus area electives (6 s.h.), and three additional electives (9 s.h.).
Required Robotics and Autonomous Systems Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| ME:4111/CEE:4511 | Scientific Computing and Machine Learning | 3 |
| ME:4120 | Advanced Linear Control Systems | 3 |
Robotics and Autonomous Systems Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| ME:4116/ISE:4116 | Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4140 | Modern Robotics and Automation | 3 |
| ME:4145 | Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) | 3 |
| ME:4150 | Artificial Intelligence in Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4175 | Computational Naval Hydrodynamics | 3 |
| ME:4176 | Experimental Naval Hydrodynamics | 3 |
| ME:5114 | Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems | 3 |
| ME:5120 | Vehicle System Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:5170 | Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics | 3 |
| ME:6115 | Cooperative Autonomous Systems | 3 |
Additional Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 9 s.h. from these: | ||
| ME:4024 | Product Design and Realization | 3 |
| ME:4110/CEE:4515 | Computer-Aided Engineering | 3 |
| ME:4125 | Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:4153/CEE:4532 | Fundamentals of Vibrations | 3 |
| ME:4186 | Enhanced Design Experience | 2-3 |
| ME:5150/CEE:5540 | Intermediate Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
| ME:5154 | Intermediate Kinematics and Dynamics | 3 |
| ME:5300 | Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization | 3 |
| ECE:5550 | Internet of Things | 3 |
| ENGR:2730 | Computers in Engineering | 3 |
| An additional content area course | 3 | |
B.S.E./M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
A Bachelor of Science/Master of Science combined degree program is available for qualified University of Iowa undergraduate students. This allows students to complete a M.S. degree in two or three semesters after completion of their B.S.E. degree. Those in the combined degree program receive a B.S.E. degree when all requirements have been completed, and then become M.S. students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME).
The Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) combined degree program is primarily intended for students interested in pursuing the M.S. without thesis. However, the M.S. degree thesis option can be pursued in instances where students have been conducting research under the supervision of a ME faculty member since, at least, the summer following their junior year, and a ME faculty member is willing to advise them and serve as committee chair for their final exam.
Interested students should discuss the combined degree program with their advisor during their third year. Applications should be submitted during the second semester of their third year and before the start of their fourth year (two-semester blended model); see the U2G Program on the Department of Mechanical Engineering website. However, single-semester admits are allowed and must adhere to the application deadlines and other program requirements.
Accepted students are expected to have a minimum University of Iowa cumulative g.p.a. of at least of 3.25, and maintain this grade-point average throughout their time in the program. Undergraduate students whose UI cumulative grade-point average falls below this minimum are removed from the combined program.
Students may contact any ME faculty member to inquire about participation in the U2G combined degree program, research opportunities, and financial support.
Program Benefits
Students may apply up to 12 s.h. of graduate-level coursework toward both their B.S.E. and M.S. degrees. However, credit may not be applied to courses taken prior to admission to the combined degree program. Mechanical engineering courses eligible for graduate credit are numbered ME:4100 or above, except for ME:4186 Enhanced Design Experience. The courses selected must fulfill M.S. coursework requirements and be applicable to B.S.E. electives.
Students who select the thesis option can begin work on their M.S. thesis research with a faculty advisor during their fourth year of undergraduate studies.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores are not required for admission to the combined degree program. Students are assessed undergraduate tuition and fees until their B.S.E. degree has been conferred; then, students are assessed graduate tuition and fees, and they may be eligible for graduate assistantships.
Financial Support
Departmental funding preference is given to Ph.D. students. Students can discuss financial support possibilities with their advisor.
B.S.E./M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
The combined B.S.E. in mechanical engineering/M.S. in civil and environmental engineering enables undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering to begin work toward the M.S. in civil and environmental engineering while completing the bachelor's degree. Students admitted to the program may count 9 s.h. of coursework toward both the B.S.E. and M.S. degree requirements. They also may count an additional 3 s.h. toward the M.S. degree requirements before they have been awarded the B.S.E. degree. See the M.S. in civil and environmental engineering in the Catalog.
Engineering is a well-respected profession that is used as a foundation for a variety of careers in industry, medicine, law, government, and consulting. Engineering majors consistently claim several of the top ten spots on the list of top-paid majors for bachelor's degree graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). On average, 93-98 percent of graduates are employed in their field of study or pursuing advanced education within seven months of graduation.
Engineering Career Services develops and promotes experiential education and professional opportunities for students in the College of Engineering. Professional staff coordinate the college's co-op and internship program, engage in employer outreach, and provide opportunities for students to network with employers, including an engineering career fair each semester and other programming related to career development.
Engineering Career Services offers individual advising and class presentations on résumé and cover letter preparation, job and internship search strategies, interviewing skills, job offer evaluation, and much more. Engineering Career Services partners with the Pomerantz Career Center to facilitate on-campus interviewing, postgraduation outcome collection, and the University's online recruiting system, Handshake.