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.

Collegiate Curriculum50
Major Requirements (includes two 0 s.h. seminars)59
Focus Area21
Total Hours130

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.).

All of these:
ME:2200Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design2
ME:2300Manufacturing Processes3
ME:3045Heat Transfer3
ME:3052Mechanical Systems4
ME:3351Engineering Instrumentation2
ME:3600Control of Mechanical Engineering Systems3
ME:4048Energy Systems Design4
ME:4055Mechanical Systems Design3
ME:4080Experimental Engineering4
ENGR:2110Statics2
ENGR:2120Electrical Circuits3
ENGR:2130Thermodynamics3
ENGR:2510Fluid Mechanics4
ENGR:2710Dynamics3
ENGR:2720Materials Science3
ENGR:2750Mechanics of Deformable Bodies3
MATH:3550Engineering Mathematics V: Vector Calculus3
PHYS:1612Introductory Physics II (with lab)4

Departmental Seminars

Both of these:
ME:2020Mechanical Engineering Program Seminar0
ME:3091Professional Seminar: Mechanical Engineering0

Capstone Design Course

This course:
ME:4086Mechanical Engineering Design Project3

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

One of these:
ME:5145Intermediate Heat Transfer3
ME:5160/CEE:5369Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids3

Energy and Environment Electives

Two of these:
ME:4111/CEE:4511Scientific Computing and Machine Learning3
ME:5145Intermediate Heat Transfer3
ME:5149Propulsion Engineering3
ME:5160/CEE:5369Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids3
CEE:4107/CBE:4410Sustainable Systems3

Additional Electives

12 s.h. from these:
ME:4024Product Design and Realization3
ME:4125Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics3
ME:4175Computational Naval Hydrodynamics3
ME:4186Enhanced Design Experience2-3
ME:5143Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering3
ME:5210/CBE:5110Intermediate Thermodynamics3
CBE:5405Green Chemical and Energy Technologies3
CBE:5415/IGPI:5415Satellite Image Processing and Remote Sensing of Atmosphere3
CBE:5417/IGPI:5417Physical Meteorology and Atmospheric Radiative Transfer3
CEE:3371Principles of Hydraulics and Hydrology3
CEE:4102Groundwater3
CEE:4159/CBE:4459/IGPI:4159Air Pollution Control Technology3
CEE:5380Fluid Flows in Environmental Systems3
ECE:5620Electric Power Systems3
ISE:2500Engineering Economy3
An additional content area course3
May include one of these:
EES:1080/ENVS:1080Introduction to Environmental Science3
EES:1290Energy and the Environment3

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

This course:
ME:4111/CEE:4511Scientific Computing and Machine Learning3
And one of these:
ME:4116/ISE:4116Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation3
ME:4140Modern Robotics and Automation3
ME:5146Modeling of Materials Processing3

Manufacturing Electives

Two of these:
ME:4024Product Design and Realization3
ME:4116/ISE:4116Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation3
ME:4140Modern Robotics and Automation3
ME:4145Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)3
ME:4200Modern Engineering Materials for Mechanical Design3
ME:5146Modeling of Materials Processing3
ME:5167/CEE:5137Composite Materials3
ME:5170Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics3

Additional Electives

9 s.h. from these:
ME:4110/CEE:4515Computer-Aided Engineering3
ME:4112/CEE:4512Engineering Design Optimization3
ME:4117Finite Element Analysis3
ME:4150Artificial Intelligence in Engineering3
ME:4153/CEE:4532Fundamentals of Vibrations3
ME:4186Enhanced Design Experience2-3
ME:5114Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems3
ME:5143Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering3
ME:5145Intermediate Heat Transfer3
ME:5159/CEE:5549Fracture Mechanics3
ME:5300Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization3
BME:5620Introduction to Applied Biomedical Finite Element Modeling3
ECE:5550Internet of Things3
ISE:3300Manufacturing Systems3
ISE:3600/CEE:3142/STAT:3620Quality Control3
ISE:3700Operations Research3
ISE:4620Design of Experiments for Quality Improvement3
ISE:4900Introduction to Six Sigma3
An additional content area course3

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

Both of these:
ME:4111/CEE:4511Scientific Computing and Machine Learning3
ME:4186Enhanced Design Experience3

Design Electives

Two of these:
ME:4024Product Design and Realization3
ME:4110/CEE:4515Computer-Aided Engineering3
ME:4112/CEE:4512Engineering Design Optimization3
ME:4117Finite Element Analysis3
ME:5143Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering3
ME:5170Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics3
ME:5300Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization3

Additional Electives

9 s.h. from these:
ME:4116/ISE:4116Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation3
ME:4120Advanced Linear Control Systems3
ME:4125Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics3
ME:4140Modern Robotics and Automation3
ME:4145Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)3
ME:4150Artificial Intelligence in Engineering3
ME:4153/CEE:4532Fundamentals of Vibrations3
ME:4175Computational Naval Hydrodynamics3
ME:4200Modern Engineering Materials for Mechanical Design3
ME:5114Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems3
ME:5120Vehicle System Dynamics3
ME:5145Intermediate Heat Transfer3
ME:5149Propulsion Engineering3
ME:5150/CEE:5540Intermediate Mechanics of Deformable Bodies3
ME:5154Intermediate Kinematics and Dynamics3
ME:5159/CEE:5549Fracture Mechanics3
ME:5160/CEE:5369Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids3
ME:5167/CEE:5137Composite Materials3
ME:5179/CEE:5179Continuum Mechanicsarr.
An additional content area course3

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

Both of these:
ME:4111/CEE:4511Scientific Computing and Machine Learning3
ME:4120Advanced Linear Control Systems3

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Electives

Two of these:
ME:4116/ISE:4116Manufacturing Processes Simulations and Automation3
ME:4140Modern Robotics and Automation3
ME:4145Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)3
ME:4150Artificial Intelligence in Engineering3
ME:4175Computational Naval Hydrodynamics3
ME:4176Experimental Naval Hydrodynamics3
ME:5114Nonlinear Control in Robotic Systems3
ME:5120Vehicle System Dynamics3
ME:5170Data-Driven Analysis in Engineering Mechanics3
ME:6115Cooperative Autonomous Systems3

Additional Electives

9 s.h. from these:
ME:4024Product Design and Realization3
ME:4110/CEE:4515Computer-Aided Engineering3
ME:4125Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics3
ME:4153/CEE:4532Fundamentals of Vibrations3
ME:4186Enhanced Design Experience2-3
ME:5150/CEE:5540Intermediate Mechanics of Deformable Bodies3
ME:5154Intermediate Kinematics and Dynamics3
ME:5300Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization3
ECE:5550Internet of Things3
ENGR:2730Computers in Engineering3
An additional content area course3

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.