Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Areas of Concentration

Effective for students entering in Fall 2020 or after, students may select an optional concentration.  Concentrations are intended to give students a more in-depth perspective into a particular area of focus within mechanical engineering and applied mechanics.  Students must formally declare their concentration by submitting a MEAM concentration declaration form (form link coming spring 2021).  Students may only select one concentration. 

*Courses appearing with an asterisk require permission of the instructor.

Please note: Due to NGSS changes to course numbering in March 2022, this page has been updated to reflect the new 4-digit course numbers. 

 

Courses Required if No Concentration Declared

Students who not formally declare one of the three optional concentrations must take a series of four prescribed foundational courses:

  • MEAM 3020 Fluid Mechanics (1 CU) – Fall
  • MEAM 3210 Dynamic Systems and Control (1 CU) – Spring
  • MEAM 3330 Heat & Mass Transfer (1 CU) – Spring
  • MEAM 3540 Mechanics of Solids (1 CU) – Fall

Dynamics, Controls, and Robotics Concentration

Medical micro-robots, self-driving cars, interplanetary spacecraft, and hydrofoil catamarans critically rely on aspects of mechanical engineering. This concentration focuses on developing a practical and theoretical understanding of motion (dynamics), algorithms for achieving desired motion (controls), along with the design and creation of just about anything that moves.

The Dynamics, Controls, and Robotics Concentration requires the completion of the following 4 CUs:

  • MEAM 3200 Intro to Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems (1 CU) – Fall
  • MEAM 3210 Dynamic Systems and Control (1 CU) – Spring
  • MEAM 300-level breadth elective (choose any MEAM 3000-level course beyond MEAM 3200 and MEAM 3210)
  • Concentration-approved MEAM Upper-Level depth requirement (choose from the following list)
    • MEAM 5100 Design of Mechatronic Systems
    • MEAM 5130 Feedback Control Design and Analysis
    • MEAM 5170 Control and Optimization with Applications in Robotics
    • MEAM 5200 Introduction to Robotics
    • MEAM 5350 Advanced Dynamics*
    • MEAM 5430 Performance, Stability and Control of UAVs

Mechanics of Materials, Structures and Design Concentration

Engineering materials, including metals, plastics, composites and biological tissues, are the building blocks of all engineered products. This concentration focuses on the experimental and mathematical characterization of the mechanical properties of these materials, as well as of the computation of internal forces (stresses) and deformations (strains) that develop on structures and mechanical devices made of these materials, either for design, manufacturing or performance evaluation including failure.

The Mechanics of Materials, Structures and Design Concentration requires the completion of the following 4 CUs:

  • MEAM 3210 Dynamic Systems and Control (1 CU) – Spring
  • MEAM 3540 Mechanics of Solids (1 CU) – Fall
  • MEAM 3000-level breadth elective (choose any MEAM 3000-level course beyond MEAM 3210 and MEAM 3540)
  • Concentration-approved MEAM Upper-Level depth requirement (choose from the following list)
    • MEAM 5050 Mechanical Properties of Macro/Nanoscale Materials
    • MEAM 5060 Failure Analysis of Engineering Materials
    • MEAM 5070 Fundamentals of Materials
    • MEAM 5080 Materials and Manufacturing
    • MEAM 5190 Elasticity and Micromechanics of Materials*
    • MEAM 5270 Finite Element Analysis

Energy, Fluids, and Thermal Systems Concentration

Energy conversion and power generation, aerospace engineering, materials fabrication and manufacturing, cooling of microelectronic equipment, and thermal control and treatment of living organisms are critically important in today’s economy. The MEAM Energy, Fluids, and Thermal Systems concentration is designed to provide the basic tools for dealing with these and other problems of current and future technological interest.

The Energy, Fluids, and Thermal Systems Concentration requires the completion of the following 4 CUs:

  • MEAM 3020 Fluid Mechanics (1 CU) – Fall
  • MEAM 3330 Heat & Mass Transfer (1 CU) – Spring
  • MEAM 3000-level breadth elective (choose any MEAM 3000-level course beyond MEAM 3020 and MEAM 3330)
  • Concentration-approved MEAM Upper-Level depth requirement (choose from the following list)
    • MEAM 5020 Energy Engineering
    • MEAM 5030 Direct Energy Conversion
    • MEAM 5270 Finite Element Analysis
    • MEAM 5360 Viscous Fluid Flow
    • MEAM 5450 Aerodynamics
    • MEAM 5610 Thermodynamics
    • MEAM 5800 Electrochemistry
    • MEAM 5700 Transport*
    • MEAM 5750 Micro and Nano Fluidics