Mechanical Engineering
Office of
Undergraduate Research
963
Declared
Majors
28
Average
Class Size
Courses
Getting Started
- Enroll in the first appropriate math course for you. If you’re unsure which class that is, meet with your ME EN advisor to discuss.
- Once you’re ready, enroll in Calculus I (Math 1210 or 1310) and ME EN 1000 Intro to Mechanical Design for Engineering Systems
- Explore the major and build skills with the optional ME EN 1800 Success in Mechanical Engineering
Making Progress
- Meet with your advisor often to discuss your progress, options for summer course work, and the graduation path that will work best for you.
- Keep track of prerequisites, required courses, and your own progress by using the Degree Plan Flowcharts. Your advisor can make a personalized one for you!
- Plan to complete mostly major coursework with one general education requirement each semester
- Choose an emphasis in your 3rd year and explore what technical electives you may want to take.
Finishing Up
- Enroll in the two-semester sequence for Senior Design (ME EN 4000 and 4010)
- Finish your technical electives and any remaining general education requirements
- Check your Degree Audit and meet with your academic advisor
Community
Getting Started
- Consider enrolling in the Mechanical Engineering Learning Community
- Enroll in ME EN 1800 Success in Mechanical Engineering
- Attend both the Get Involved Fair and Engineering Club Rush (info fairs for student organizations on campus).
Making Progress
- Build strong study groups with your peers
- Join an engineering student organization
- Attend the Welcome Event for the ME department each Fall and Spring Semester
- Attend research symposiums and other Undergraduate Student Advisory Committee events
- Check the ME Canvas Calendar for these events and more!
Finishing Up
- Consider running for a leadership position in an engineering-related club
- Apply to be a Mechanical Engineering Tutor or Peer Mentor (ask your advisor about opportunities)
- Network with your fellow classmates. They could be your future coworkers!
Knowledge & Skills
Getting Started
- Download your student licensed software, especially SOLIDWORKS and MATLAB
- Enroll in ME EN 2800 to develop strong time management and study skills
- Explore what skills (programming languages, soft skills, class content, etc.) are required for the future career you would like to pursue
Making Progress
- Meet with a Career Coach in the Career and Professional Development Center to prepare for an internship, job, or research position search
- Consider applying for an undergraduate research position and/or a UROP Grant, if you’re pursuing an honors degree, considering graduate school, or want to get some additional experience.
- Complete an internship if you’re planning on entering the workforce after graduation.
- Explore adding any related emphases, minors, and certificates with your advisor.
Finishing Up
- Complete technical electives that will prepare you with the knowledge and skills you need for your desired career. Consult with your advisor and faculty to explore all options.
- Prepare for and finish your senior design project.
- Take the FE exam.
Transformation
Getting Started
- Meet with your advisor to discuss goal-setting for your time in college
- Evaluate your course load and work load, and create a graduation plan that works for you
- Read the Engineering Grand Challenges. Which challenge do you want to address as an engineer?
Making Progress
- Reflect on what career you might pursue, do a mock internship search or job search, and focus on what skills you will want to develop in college to get you to that career path
- Analyze your study skills. What are you doing well to prepare? What could you do differently?
- Complete a job shadowing experience with a graduated alumni.
- Review the Research Areas websites and explore what area of Mechanical Engineering interests you the most.
- Complete an internship to explore different career options and areas of interest.
Finishing Up
- Complete your Senior Design project and share this experience at Design Day.
- Wrap up an internship or co-op experience. What did you learn during your time with that company?
Impact
Getting Started
- Consider getting involved in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program.
- Consider completing a Learning Abroad experience. Attend a Learning Abroad 101 Information Session.
Making Progress
- Grow your teamwork and communication skills while working in small groups with other classmates.
- Volunteer for leadership roles on your lab projects.
- Lead study groups for yourself and your peers.
Finishing Up
- Lead an engineering student group in a national competition.
- Present research at a conference or UROP symposium.
Careers
Getting Started
- Explore the Career & Professional Development Center’s website for resources and interest assessments
- Draft a resume and track all your experiences and skills acquisition
Making Progress
- Complete an internship or undergraduate research experience
- Update your resume and draft a cover letter
- Track all the experiences and skills you are gaining throughout your classes, labs, and co-curricular activities in a master resume
- Complete a mock interview with a Career Coach or an alumni
- Attend the the STEM Career Fair to explore internship and career opportunities
Finishing Up
- Identify what career and job opportunities will be the best fit for you and your experiences
- Meet with your Career Coach to create a comprehensive job search plan
- Apply for jobs and/or graduate programs
Start Your Career Journey
Find support at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)
About the Major
If you want to solve problems by designing, building, or creating something new, Mechanical Engineering is the major for you. Mechanical Engineers look at the products, systems, and materials existing in the world and devise ways to make them more efficient, more user-friendly, more sustainable, as well as stronger and faster! As an ME you would play a significant role in the design and manufacturing of all of the products and systems essential to everyday modern life: things like home appliances, bikes, snowboards, iPods, electric power generators, recreational equipment, hybrid automobiles, keyboards, satellites, wind turbines, wheelchairs, airplanes, surgical devices, robots, industrial equipment and environmental control systems. You will invent new products and machines that will surely improve everyone’s lives.
To do all that, Mechanical Engineers learn about controlling the movement of matter and energy. At the core of our curriculum are the engineering science classes where you learn to predict how energy, forces, fluids and materials will interact in almost any application or natural environment. A Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Utah provides you with skills you need to be an effective problem solver in the modern world.
To do all that, Mechanical Engineers learn about controlling the movement of matter and energy. At the core of our curriculum are the engineering science classes where you learn to predict how energy, forces, fluids and materials will interact in almost any application or natural environment. A Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Utah provides you with skills you need to be an effective problem solver in the modern world.
Learning Outcomes
- 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
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics, in order to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences in order to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Plan & Prepare
At the U, we plan for our students to have an exceptional Educational Experience identified by four broad categories we call the Learning Framework: Community, Knowledge & Skills, Transformation, and Impact. This major map will help you envision, explore, design, and plan your personalized Exceptional Education Experience with the Learning Framework at the core. In addition to assisting you in planning your coursework and navigating the requirements of your major, this map will help you incorporate other kinds of experiences to expand your knowledge, support your development, and prepare you for the future you want.