Undergraduate Program

Director of Undergraduate Programs
Juan C. Heinrich

Introduction

In order to meet the challenge of today’s rapidly changing technologies, mechanical engineering students are well-grounded in the basic principles of analysis, design, experimentation and computer utilization. A range of technical electives enables students to develop and specialize in their fields of interest. After graduation, mechanical engineers conceive, plan and design a wide variety of devices, machines and systems for energy conversion and utilization, automation and robotics, environmental control, material processing and handling, manufacturing and CAD/CAM, dynamical systems, fluid flow and other purposes. They are active in creative design, applied research and development and management.

Degree Offered

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.)

Program Goals

The principal goal of the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.) program is to provide students with the fundamentals of mechanical engineering so that they have a solid base for an engineering career. This includes building a sufficient knowledge base, exercising creative and analytical capability, and developing communication skills so that the graduates can continue to expand their learning as their fields of interest and the scope of mechanical engineering evolve. Our core courses are intended to provide a broad base so that those who terminate their formal education with the B.S.M.E. degree can continue to grow intellectually. Likewise, the base provides insight into fields that students may choose to study at the graduate level.

This goal is met by a curriculum in which fundamental knowledge of earlier years is applied in later engineering courses. Specifically, the goals for the B.S.M.E. program at the University of New Mexico are closely linked to the criteria set forth by ABET. The following statement has been adopted by the Mechanical Engineering Faculty to represent our educational goals.

Outcomes

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University provides students with a quality mechanical engineering education. Each Mechanical Engineering student will demonstrate the following by the time of graduation:

an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
an ability to design and conduct experiments as well as analyze and interpret data;
an ability to design a system, component, or process that meets desired needs;
an ability to function in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams;
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
an ability to communicate effectively;
the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context;
a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning;
knowledge of contemporary issues;
an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

Objectives

The Department of Mechanical Engineering produces graduates who:

have the educational background necessary to compete successfully with peers who graduated from other institutions;
have an educational foundation which allows them to continue the growth of their careers.

Cooperative Education

To complement their formal course work with practical experience, mechanical engineering students may elect a cooperative education program in which they are employed full time by an industrial or governmental agency for a part of the year. They are full-time students for the remaining part of the year. Students who need financial aid or who wish to gain engineering experience will find this program attractive. The Department of Mechanical Engineering does not offer technical elective credit for cooperative education.

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Science Program in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Advisement

Upon admission to the ME program (until graduation), each student is assigned to one of the faculty members for advisement. Students in the ME program are required to seek advisement from their designated advisor each semester during the pre-registration period. The purpose of this session is to help the student with any problems he/she may have in his/her program of studies. Students are not be allowed to register until they have consulted with their advisor.

Policy on D or D+ Grades

Students admitted or readmitted to the Mechanical Engineering degree program may not apply a course toward the B.S.M.E. degree if the highest grade earned in the course is a D+ or less, regardless of where that grade was earned.

Planning for Graduate Studies

For those mechanical engineering students wishing to continue their education at an advanced level, the Mechanical Engineering Department offers the Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering (M.E.M.E.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. More information may be found in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog.

The Mechanical Engineering degree has proven to be excellent preparation for graduate engineering programs as well as for other professional programs such as law, business administration, medicine and dentistry.

Admission to Baccalaureate Program

Students must be admitted for study at the University of New Mexico and must have completed approximately one year of the freshman year subjects before applications are processed for admission to the Baccalaureate Program in Mechanical Engineering. Approval from the ME Department is required. Applicants must consult the appropriate undergraduate departmental advisor for evaluation of academic work before admission can be completed.

At least 18 credit hours of freshman year technical subjects (Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Physics and Chemistry) are required by the School of Engineering for admission into degree programs. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 in those technical courses is required for admission to undergraduate study in Mechanical Engineering. A total of 26 credit hours (technical plus non-technical courses) applicable to the B.S.M.E. degree is also required for admission with a grade point average of at least 2.20. All applicants must have completed English 110 or its equivalent before admission. All courses required in the B.S.M.E. program must have grades of C- or better for satisfying both admission and graduation requirements, except a C (or better) in Core Curriculum courses is required.

Students transferring from other units or the School of Engineering must have a grade point average of at least 2.50 on all required technical course work applied towards the B.S.M.E. degree before being admitted to Mechanical Engineering.

Transfer students from other universities or from other colleges at the University of New Mexico must complete at least 18 credit hours of required technical (Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Chemistry and Physics) courses applicable towards the B.S.M.E. degree at the University of New Mexico with a grade point average of at least 2.75 before being admitted to Mechanical Engineering.

For all transfer students, a grade point average of 2.20 is required for all (technical plus non-technical) courses taken at the University of New Mexico that are applicable towards the B.S.M.E. degree before being admitted to Mechanical Engineering.

Curriculum in Mechanical Engineering

Credit hours required for graduation: 130

Freshman Year	First Semester	Credit Hours
CHEM 121	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 123L	General Chemistry Lab	1
ENGL 110 (or ENGL 112; or ENGL 113)	Accelerated Composition (or Composition II; or Enhanced Composition)	3
ME 160L	Mechanical Engineering Design I	3
MATH 162	Calculus I	4
	Core Humanities Elective	3
		17
Freshman Year	Second Semester
CHEM 122	General Chemistry II	3
CHEM 124L	General Chemistry II Lab	1
ENGL 120	Composition III	3
PHYC 160	General Physics	3
MATH 163	Calculus II	4
CS 151L	Computer Programming Fundamentals for Non-Majors	3
		17
Sophomore Year	First Semester
ME 260L	Mechanical Engineering Design II	3	(2-4)
CE 202	Engineering Statics	3	(3-0)
PHYC 161	General Physics	3	(3-0)
MATH 264	Calculus III	4	(4-0)
ME 217	Energy, Environment and Society	3	(3-0)
		16	(15-4)
Sophomore Year	Second Semester
ME 306	Dynamics	3	(3-0)
ECE 203	Circuit Analysis I	3	(3-0)
MATH 316	Applied Ordinary Differential Equations	3	(3-0)
ME 318L	Mechanical Engineering Laboratory	4	(3-3)
	Core Writing and Speaking Elective	3
		16	(15-3)
Junior Year	First Semester
ME 317L	Fluid Mechanics	4	(3-3)
ME 301	Thermodynamics	3	(3-0)
CE 302	Mechanics of Materials	3	(3-0)
	Mathematics Elective ⁽³⁾	3	(3-0)
ECON 105	Introductory Macroeconomics	3	(3-0)
		16	(15-3)
Junior Year	Second Semester
ME 302 -or- ME 314	Thermodynamics II Design of Machinery	3	(3-0)
ME 360L	Mechanical Engineering Design III	3	(2-3)
ME 357	Introduction to Mechanical Vibrations	3	(3-0)
ME 370L	Engineering Materials Science	4	(3-0)
ME 352L	Materials Laboratory	1	(0-3)
	Core Second Language Elective	3	(3-0)
		17	(14-6)
Senior Year	First Semester
ME 320L	Heat Transfer	4	(3-3)
ME 459	Mechanical Engineering Design IV	3	(3-0)
ME 380	Analysis and Design of Mechanical Control Systems	3	(3-0)
	Mechanical Engineering Elective ⁽¹⁾	3	(3-0)
	Core Fine Arts Elective	3	(3-0)
		16	(15-3)
Senior Year	Second Semester
ME 460	Mechanical Engineering Design V	4	(2-3)
	Technical Elective ⁽²⁾	3	(3-0)
	Mechanical Engineering Elective ⁽¹⁾	3	(3-0)
	Mechanical Engineering Elective ⁽¹⁾	3	(3-0)
	Core Humanities Elective	3	(3-0)
		16	(14-3)

Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Option

Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) is a program in which the students design, build, and test a racing car. Students wishing to pursue the Formula SAE option, substitute the following curriculum for the second semester of their Junior year and both semesters of their senior year. All three FSAE courses must be completed for this option.

Junior Year	Second Semester	Credit Hours
ME 302 -or- ME 314	Thermodynamics II Design of Machinery	3	(3-0)
ME 360L	Mechanical Engineering Design III	3	(2-3)
ME 357	Introduction to Mechanical Vibrations	3	(3-0)
ME 370L	Engineering Materials Science	4	(3-0)
ME 352L	Materials Laboratory	1	(0-3)
ME 406L	Formula SAE Racecar Design	4	(3-0)
		18	(14-6)
Senior Year	First Semester
ME 320L	Heat Transfer	4	(3-3)
ME 459	Mechanical Engineering Design IV	3	(3-0)
ME 380	Analysis and Design of Mechanical Control Systems	3	(3-0)
ME 407	Formula SAE Racecar Fabrication Lab	3	(3-0)
	Core Fine Arts Elective	3	(3-0)
		16	(16-0)
Senior Year	Second Semester
ME 408	Formula SAE Racecar Test Lab	3	(1-0)
	Technical Elective ⁽²⁾	3	(3-0)
	Technical Elective ⁽¹⁾	3	(3-0)
	Core Humanities Elective	3	(3-0)
	Core Second Language Elective	3	(3-0)
		15	(16-0)

⁽¹⁾ Mechanical Engineering Electives include all Mechanical Engineering elective courses 300-level and above. Undergraduate Problems, ME 451/452, must be approved by the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Advisor to be used as a Mechanical Engineering elective.
⁽²⁾ Mechanical Engineering Technical Electives include all Mechanical Engineering elective courses 300 and above. Technical electives may be selected from the mechanical engineering electives or from appropriate upper-division (300-level and above) courses from Mathematics/Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, and Engineering. Technical Electives may not be taken on the CR/NC grading option.
⁽⁴⁾ Mathematics Elective course must be selected from MATH 311, 312, 313, 314, 321; or STAT 345.

For further information contact:
Undergraduate Coordinator
Mechanical Engineering, Room 200
MSC01 1150
1 University of New Mexico-0001
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 277-1325

Honors Program

Students with a Mechanical Engineering major GPA average of at least 3.50 are encouraged to enroll in the Honors Program. ME students may graduate with General Honors or with Department Honors or both. Information is available from department advisors and the University Honors Center.

Keys and Symbols Reference