Technical Specialization Course Tracks
The following groupings are possible specialty areas that you can study within the mechanical engineering program. Courses outside of ME can be used as an Engineering Technical Elective (ETE) or General Technical Elective (GTE) as noted. A Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective (METE) can also be used for ETE or GTE. A course noted as ETE can also be used for GTE.
To help you decide, electives have been grouped in tracks and focus areas.
Learn more about ME degree elective requirements »
Special Topics Electives (subject to change)
Special topic electives are not permanent course offerings and change periodically. Current course offerings may not be offered beyond the current academic year.
- ME 497: Machine Learning (Fall Only) (METE* or ETE or GTE)
- ME 497: Bio-Inspired Materials (New Spring 2024) (METE* or ETE or GTE)
- ME 497: Ethics in Engineering (New Spring 2024) (METE* or ETE or GTE)
* Requires petition to count as METE
Biomedical Systems Track
Specialization in the application of mechanical engineering to devices and instruments used in the medical field. Track courses include medical imaging, biofluids and prosthesis design.
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 460: Advanced Machine Design Problems (Spring Only) (METE or ETE or GTE)
- BME 406: Medical Imaging (Fall Only) (ETE or GTE)
- BME 408: Solid Mechanics of Biological Materials (ETE or GTE)
- BME 410: BioMicrofluids (Fall Only) (ETE or GTE)
- BME 419: Artificial Organs and Prosthetic Devices (ETE or GTE)
Design & Development Track
Machine Design Focus
Specialization in some of the most traditional and enduring mechanical engineering topics of design, motion, and dynamics of mechanical machinery. Track courses include advanced machine design, machine dynamics, strength of materials and stress analysis.
- ME 460: Advanced Machine Design (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 480: Machine Dynamics (METE or ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 402: Applied and Experimental Stress Analysis (ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 403: Strength Design in Materials and Structures (ETE or GTE)
Product Development & Manufacturing Focus
This track provides a specialization in developing a product starting with a customer need through to a manufactured device. Track courses include additive manufacturing, 3D solid modeling, project management and quality engineering.
- ME 471: Noise Control in Machinery (METE or ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 403: Strength Design in Materials and Structures (ETE or GTE)
- EDSGN 462: Introduction to Design for Additive Manufacturing (ETE or GTE)
- EDSGN 468: Engineering Design and Analysis with CAD (ETE or GTE)
- ENGR 405: Project Management for Professionals (ETE or GTE(
- ENGR 408: Leadership Principles (ETE or GTE)
- ENGR 425: New Venture Creation (ETE or GTE)
- IE 424: Process Quality Engineering (ETE or GTE)
- ENGR 310: Entrepreneurial Leadership (GTE)
- IE 302: Engineering Economy (GTE)
- IE 305: Product Design, Specification and Measurement (GTE)
Energy Systems Track
Combustion Systems Focus
Specialization in conversion of energy from combustion of fuels. Track courses include combustion processes, internal combustion engines, and rocket propulsion.
- ME 400: Thermodynamics of Power & Propulsion Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 404: Gas Turbines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 430: Introduction to Combustion (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 431: Internal Combustion Engines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 432: Rocket Propulsion (METE or ETE or GTE)
Turbomachinery Systems Focus
Specialization in the efficient transfer of thermal to mechanical energy. Track courses include advanced fluid dynamics and turbine design and operation.
- ME 404: Gas Turbines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 420: Compressible Fluid Flow I (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 422: Principles of Turbomachinery (METE or ETE or GTE)
- AERSP 412: Turbulent Flow (ETE or GTE)
- AERSP 423: Numerical Methods in Fluids (ETE or GTE)
Power Systems Focus
Specialization in the transfer of energy from one form to another, often as electricity in the end. Track courses include aspects of air pollution and nuclear reactor physics.
- ME 400: Thermodynamics of Power & Propulsion Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 404: Gas Turbines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 420: Compressible Fluid Flow I (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 422: Principles of Turbomachinery (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 433: Fundamentals of Air Pollution (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- NUCE 301: Fundamentals of Reactor Physics (Fall Only) (GTE)
Graduate School Preparation Track
Mechanical Sciences Focus
Specialization in some of the most traditional and enduring mechanical engineering topics of design, motion, and dynamics of mechanical machinery. Track courses include advanced machine design, machine dynamics and strength of materials.
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 460: Advanced Machine Design (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 480: Machine Dynamics (METE or ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 400: Advanced Strength of Material and Design (ETE or GTE)
Thermal Sciences Focus
Specialization in some of the most traditional and enduring mechanical engineering topics of thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. Track courses include advanced thermodynamics and fluid flow.
- ME 400: Thermodynamics of Power & Propulsion Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 420: Compressible Fluid Flow I (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 430: Introduction to Combustion (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
Materials Track
Specialization in design, properties and processing of engineered composite and emerging responsive materials. Track courses include advanced strength of materials, methods of fabrication and processing, and stress analysis.
- EMCH 400: Advanced Strength of Material and Design (ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 471: Engineering Composite Materials (ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 473: Composites Processing (ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 402: Applied and Experimental Stress Analysis (ETE or GTE)
- EMCH 403: Strength Design in Materials and Structures (ETE or GTE)
- ESE 313: Introduction to Principles, Fabrication Methods, and Applications of Nanotechnology (GTE)
Mechatronics & Robotics Track
Specialization in the control mechanical systems for a specific goal such as maintaining a prescribed motion profile, efficient energy utilization or force application. Track courses include control system design and analysis and robotics.
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 456: Introduction to Robotics (METE or ETE or GTE)
- EE 310: Electronic Circuit Design (GTE)
Transportation Systems Track
Aerospace Applications Focus
Specialization in the application of mechanical engineering in the aerospace field. Track courses include aerodynamics, rocket propulsion and astronautics.
- ME 400: Thermodynamics of Power & Propulsion Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 404: Gas Turbines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 427: Aerodynamics for Mechanical Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 432: Rocket Propulsion (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
- AERSP 309: Astronautics (GTE)
Vehicle Technologies Focus
This track includes traditional automotive engineering topics and advanced topics needed to meet today's needs for efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. Track courses include internal combustion engines, vehicle dynamics and autonomous vehicle sensing.
- ME 400: Thermodynamics of Power & Propulsion Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 431: Internal Combustion Engines (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 452: Vehicle Dynamics (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 455: Automatic Control Systems (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 460: Advanced Machine Design Problems (Spring Only) (METE or ETE or GTE)
- ME 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (METE or ETE or GTE)
- Academic Plans
- Core Courses
- Senior Lab Courses
- Technical Electives
- Technical Electives Course Descriptions
- Technical Elective Groupings