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Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering & Computer Science Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering

Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Degree Programs

The undergraduate curriculum at DU is unique and offers student the opportunity to study for two years in the Ritchie School of Engineering & Computer Science before declaring a specific discipline as a major.  To hear more about our curriculum, listen to a video from a current instructor.

Students interested in the dual-degree program, offering them the opportunity to earn a Bachelor and Masters degree in 5 years, should listen to a current student video.  This program allows a student to decide during their Junior year whether they are interested in earning a Masters degree concurrently. 

To view the most recent complete undergraduate engineering program booklet click here.

To view specific engineering bachelor and dual-degree plans for the year you entered click on your entrance year. If you wish to follow a more recent degree plan than the one you entered on, please see the Department Chair.
2010-2011 (MME program plans Pages. 21-21) 
2011-2012 (MME program plans Pages. 21-24)
2012-2013 (MME program plans Pages. 13-15)

 Bachelor and Dual-Degree Options    

Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering (BSME) 

The Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) is designed to teach and train a student to be a mechanical engineer. All engineering students begin with a two year common curriculum where the students learn the fundamentals and take courses from each of the three engineering disciplines represented at the university of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. After the initial two years, the students work on more advanced work in mechanical engineering and continue to work on integrated engineering projects and designs.

Although a specialization is not required for the BSME, a student desiring to achieve some depth in a special area may do so by taking several Technical Electives in the same area. Current available specializations include:

  • Materials
  • Robotics
  • Environmental Systems - Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • General Environmental Systems

Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering & Master of Business Administration (BSME/MBA)

The Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department and the Daniels College of Business also offer programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering & Master of Business Administration (BSME/MBA).  This program can be completed in 5 years total.

Bachelor of Science in Math, Science or Engineering & Master of Science in Engineering

Students interested in this program would have to fulfill all the requirements for the Bachelor's degree in his or her chosen field, and also complete all the requirements for the Engineering MS of choice. The minimum number of required credit hours for completing both degrees is 228 (183 + 45). Engineering BS degrees require 192 quarter hours. Each engineering discipline requires 8-12 hours of "Technical Electives." Since many "Technical Electives" are also co-listed with graduate-level courses, engineering students can count up to 9 hours of graduate-level courses for both the undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees. Engineering student as a result also have a minimum requirement of 228 (192 - 9 + 45) quarter hours.

Program application should occur after the student has junior-level standing. Early planning for these programs is very important especially for students who are not working toward an engineering BS degree. A student interested in these programs should seek out the help of an engineering adviser as early as possible in order to avoid extending the time necessary to complete both degrees.

Since many of the graduate engineering courses are offered every other year a student will begin taking graduate-level engineering courses in their fourth year. During the student's fourth and fifth years, a combination of graduate and undergraduate courses will be taken to fulfill the requirements of both degrees.

It should be realized that not all combinations of degrees will be possible within five years. (For example, a student who is taking Physics and Differential Equations in the Junior year, and desires a MS in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization area in solid mechanics, will not be able to complete the desired program in 5 years. The same student might be able to complete another combination, however.)

 

Engineering Minors

Mechanical Engineering Minors for non-engineering undergraduates

Students desiring to minor in any of the Engineering disciplines must take the equivalent of Calculus I, II, and III and it is recommended that they have University Physics I, II, and III in their curriculum. These courses can be taken to fulfill the mathematics and science requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees.

  • A grade of C- or better is needed in all Engineering courses.
  • A course that appears in more than one discipline may only be counted towards one minor.
  • The degree programs that "naturally flow" into an Engineering Minor are: Chemistry, Computer Science, Biology, Mathematics and Physics.

Minor in Mechanical Engineering

Required core courses, choose three (9 credit hours) out of the following four courses

  • ENME 2510 Engineering Mechanics I (3 credit hours)
  • ENME 2410 Materials Science I (3 credit hours)
  • ENME 2651 Fluid Mech/Heat Transfer I (3 credit hours)
  • ENME 2710 Engineering Thermodynamics I (3 credit hours)

Plus at least 11 credit hours of ENME courses numbered 2000 or higher. With prior approval of the department, courses outside of the discipline can be applied to the Mechanical Engineering minor.

3 Additional ENME courses numbered 2000 or higher must be substituted as replacements for the required core courses, if the required core course is a required course in the student's major or a course in another minor.

Engineering minors for engineering students 

A minor is not required for Engineering majors. Most Engineering students, however, will be able to complete a minor in Math and be close to a minor in Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science.

The minor (20-25 quarter hours) is a program of courses in a secondary area of concentration. Individual departments establish requirements for a minor and these are listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Not all of the possible majors at DU offer minors, some programs are only offered as minors, and not all minor are available to engineering students. Please consult the Undergraduate Bulletin for a list of available minors.

Since there are many courses outside of engineering that are required of engineering students, there are several minors that an engineering student can obtain without any extra courses or with just a few extra courses. Most engineering students will be able to qualify for a minor in math without needing to take any additional courses. A minor in physics can be obtained by taking an additional six-quarter hours. Other minors that will have reduced requirements for engineering students are chemistry and computer science.

Engineering curricula have only minimal opportunities for taking extra courses. Unless a student comes into DU with AP, IB or transfer credit or will take summer courses, adding a minor may mean that additional time is required to complete the degree.

  • GPA requirements as specified for the B.S. degree, apply to all engineering minor degrees.
  • A course that appears in more than one discipline may only be counted towards one minor.

Minor in Mechanical Engineering

A student in Computer or Electrical Engineering can get a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering minor requires the student take ENME 2410 Materials Science I or ENME 2651 Fluid Mech/Heat Transfer I and an additional 17 credit hours of ENME courses numbered 2000 or higher. With prior approval of the department, courses outside of the discipline can be applied to the minor. ENME courses that are required of all engineering students do not count towards a minor in Mechanical Engineering.

Minor in Computer Engineering

A student in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering can get a minor in Computer Engineering. Computer Engineering minor requires at least 20 credit hours of ENCE courses numbered 2000 or higher. With prior approval of the department, courses outside of the discipline can be applied to the minor. ENCE courses that are required of all engineering students do not count towards a minor in Computer Engineering.

Minor in Electrical Engineering

A student in Computer or Mechanical engineering can get a minor in electrical engineering. Electrical Engineering minor requires the student take ENEE 2222 Electronics and ENEE 3111 Signals and Systems and an additional 12 credit hours of ENEE courses numbered 2000 or higher. With prior approval of the department, courses outside of the discipline can be applied to the minor. ENEE courses that are required of all engineering students do not count towards a minor in Electrical Engineering.