Graduate Mechanical Engineering Course Descriptions


Understanding course descriptions:

•  The number following the course title indicates total credit hours. For example, in the case of the following course:

Mech 509 MEMS Engineering 3 (2-3)

number 3 indicates that this is a three-credit course. If there are other numbers in parenthesis following the credit hour, they indicate the total number of lecture and laboratory hours per week. In the above example, (2-3) indicates that there are 2 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours per week.

•  Prerequisites are listed if there are courses you need to take before you enroll in a course. There are three types of prerequisites:

  1. Rec.: Recommended prerequisite
  2. Prereq.: Prerequisite course that must have been completed to take this course
  3. c//: Indicates that you may take the course at the same time you take the prerequisite

•  [M] indicates that this is a writing in the major type course. The course will require writing related to the major of the student.

•  Senior standing: In order to take this course the student must have completed at least 90 credits of course work towards the degree.

Graduate courses in the Major

Mech 509 MEMS Engineering 3 (2-3) Prereq Graduate Standing. Introduction to the design, fabrication, and application of microelectromechanical systems.

Mech 515 Advanced Heat Transfer 3 Prereq Graduate Standing. Rec Mech 404, Mech 521. Derivation of the energy conservation equation; laminar and turbulent forced convection heat transfer with internal and external flow; free convection.

Mech 521 Fundamentals of Fluids I 3 Prereq Graduate Standing; Mech 303. Governing equations of fluid mechanics accompanied by applications of Navier-Stokes equation to simple flow situations, boundary layer analysis.

Mech 532 Finite Elements 3 Prereq Graduate Standing. Theory of finite elements; applications to general engineering systems considered as assemblages of discrete elements.

Mech 538 Microfabrication Technology 3 (2-3) Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 438; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 438 and Mech 538.

Mech 540 Advanced Dynamics of Physical Systems 3 Prereq Graduate Standing. Newtonian dynamics, rotating coordinate systems. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, gyroscopic mechanics, other applications.

Mech 550 Advanced Topics for Nanoscience and Technology 3 (2-3) Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 450; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 450 and Mech 550.

Mech 567 Automation 3 (2-3) Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 467; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 467 and Mech 567.

Mech 568 Robotics 3 Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 468; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 468 and Mech 568.

Mech 574 Foundations of CAD 3 Prereq Graduate Standing. Topics fundamental to the creation of CAD, engineering visualization, and virtual reality based engineering software.

Mech 575 Geometric Modeling 3 (3) Prereq Graduate Standing. Study of the mathematics behind the creation of complex shapes for CAD using curves, surfaces, and solids.

Mech 576 Advanced Manufacturing Engineering 3 Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 476; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 476 and Mech 576.

Mech 579 Advanced Topics in Design and Manufacturing V 1-3 Prereq Graduate Standing. May be repeated for credit.

Mech 585 Computer-aided Design and Engineering Systems 3 Graduate-level counterpart of Mech 485; additional requirements. Credit not granted for both Mech 485 and Mech 585.

Mech 598 Seminar 1 Prereq Graduate Standing. May be repeated for credit. Current research interests. S, F grading.

Mech 600 Special Projects or Independent Study Variable credit. S, F grading.

Mech 700 Master's Research, Thesis, and/or Examination Variable credit. S, F grading.

Mech 702 Master's Special Problems, Directed Study, and/or Examination Variable credit. S, F grading.

Math 540 Applied Mathematics I 3 Prereq Math 315. Partial differential equations; Fourier series and integrals; Bessel functions; calculus variations; vector calculus; applications. Graduate level counterpart of Math 440. Credit not granted for both Math 440 and 540.