Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Program Overview
Introduction to Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at the University of California, San Diego, offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to excel in their chosen field. The department's instructional and research programs are focused on advancing scientific knowledge and creating technological innovations to solve complex problems in various disciplines.
Department Focus
The MAE department's research encompasses a wide range of areas, including solid mechanics, materials, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, dynamics, systems, and controls, energy, and plasmas. The faculty collaborate across disciplines and often with faculty from other engineering departments, the School of Medicine, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. All MAE programs of study have strong components in laboratory experimentation, numerical computation, and engineering design.
The Undergraduate Program
Degree and Program Options
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers traditional, accredited engineering programs leading to a BS degree in mechanical engineering and a BS degree in aerospace engineering. The BS programs require a minimum of 180 units.
- Mechanical Engineering: A traditional four-year curriculum in mechanics, vibrations, thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, materials, control theory, and mechanical design.
- Aerospace Engineering: A four-year curriculum that prepares students for a career in the aeronautical and astronautical industries, related technology industries, or for graduate school.
Other Undergraduate Programs of Study in MAE
- Engineering Mechanics Minor: Involves successful completion of seven MAE courses, including at least five upper-division courses open to students who meet the course prerequisites.
- Double Majors and Minors: The policy of the UC San Diego Academic Senate does not approve double majors and minors within engineering departments.
Program Accreditation
- The BS degree program in aerospace engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
- The BS degree program in mechanical engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Major Requirements
Specific course requirements for each major program are outlined in tables. In addition to the required technical courses, a suggested scheduling of humanities and social science courses is distributed in the curricula for students to meet college general-education requirements. To graduate, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0.
General-Education/College Requirements
For graduation, each student must satisfy general-education course requirements determined by the student's college as well as the major requirements determined by the department. The seven colleges at UC San Diego require widely different general-education courses, and the number of such courses differs from one college to another.
Professional Licensing
All students are encouraged to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination as the first step in becoming licensed as a professional engineer (PE).
Mechanical Engineering
The mechanical engineering program has a traditional four-year curriculum involving mechanics, vibrations, thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, materials, control theory, and mechanical design.
Recommended Course Sequence--Mechanical Engineering
| FALL | WINTER | SPRING |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| MATH 20A | MATH 20B | MATH 20C |
| CHEM 6A | PHYS 2A | PHYS 2B |
| GE | GE | MAE 3 |
| GE | GE | GE |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| MATH 18 | MATH 20D | MATH 20E |
| PHYS 2C | MAE 8 | GE |
| MAE 20 | MAE 30A | MAE 30B |
| GE | GE | MAE 131A |
| Junior Year | ||
| MAE 11 | MAE 101A | MAE 101B |
| MAE 105 | MAE 143A | MAE 143B |
| MAE 40 | GE | MAE 170 |
| MAE 107 | MAE 160 or MAE 131B | GE |
| Senior Year | ||
| MAE 101C | MAE 171A | MAE 156B |
| MAE 150 | MAE 156A | TE |
| TE | TE | TE |
| GE | GE | TE |
Mechanical Engineering with Specializations
- Controls and Robotics: Designed for students who want to understand the fundamentals of controls and optimization and their applications in robotics.
- Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Systems: Designed for students who are interested in the fundamentals of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and engineering applications.
- Materials Science and Engineering: Designed for students who are interested in materials fundamentals and applications in engineering.
- Mechanics of Materials: Designed for students who are interested in gaining expertise in the areas of mechanics of solid and soft materials.
- Renewable Energy and Environmental Flows: Designed for students who are interested in technologies that enable sustainable growth, in flow and transport in atmosphere, ocean, and groundwater, and renewable energy solutions for the electric power system.
Aerospace Engineering
The aerospace engineering program is a four-year curriculum that begins with fundamental engineering courses in mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.
Recommended Course Sequence--Aerospace Engineering
| FALL | WINTER | SPRING |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| MATH 20A | MATH 20B | MATH 20C |
| MAE 2 | PHYS 2A | PHYS 2B |
| CHEM 6A | GE | GE |
| GE | GE | GE |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| MATH 18 | MATH 20D | MATH 20E |
| PHYS 2C and 2CL | MAE 8 | MAE 131A |
| MAE 21 | MAE 30A | MAE 30B |
| GE | GE | GE |
| Junior Year | ||
| MAE 105 | MAE 101B | MAE 104 |
| MAE 11 | MAE 143A | MAE 143B |
| MAE 101A | SE 160A | MAE 170 |
| MAE 107 | GE | GE |
| Senior Year | ||
| MAE 142 | MAE 155A | MAE 155B |
| MAE 113 | MAE 175A | GE |
| GE | TE | TE |
| TE | TE | TE |
Aerospace Engineering with Specializations
- Astrodynamics and Space Applications: Designed for students who are interested in the fundamentals of astronautical engineering and its applications to space flight, mission analysis, navigation, and human space exploration.
- Aerothermodynamics: Designed for students who are interested in the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and heat transfer, including compressibility effects, and their applications to the design of propulsion and aerodynamic components and systems.
- Flight Dynamics and Controls: Designed for students who want to understand the fundamentals of flight mechanics and controls, including optimization, and their applications to the design of flight simulation systems and autonomous aerial vehicles.
Policies and Procedures for MAE Undergraduate Students
Admission to the Major
The degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering are selective. Because of heavy student interest in these majors, and the limited resources available to accommodate this demand, maintenance of a high-quality program makes it necessary to limit enrollments.
Transfer Students
Applicants seeking admission as transfer students will be considered for admission into the mechanical and aerospace majors. Enrollment is limited in the mechanical and aerospace engineering majors due to heavy demand and limited resources.
Continuing Students Changing Majors
Beginning in summer 2025, selective majors allow students to apply to switch in once per year. Selection will be based on a point system that considers academic performance and other factors.
Academic Advising
Upon admission to the major, students should consult the catalog or MAE website for their program of study and contact the undergraduate advisers if they have questions. The program plan may be revised in subsequent years, but curriculum revisions require approval by the undergraduate adviser or the Undergraduate Affairs Committee.
Program Alterations/Exceptions to Requirements
Variations from, or exceptions to, any program or course requirements are possible only if a petition is approved by the MAE Undergraduate Affairs Committee before the courses in question are taken.
Independent Study
MAE students may take MAE 199, Independent Study for Undergraduates, under the guidance of an MAE faculty member. This course is taken as an elective on a P/NP basis. Under very restrictive conditions, however, it may be used to satisfy one upper-division technical elective course requirement for the major.