BS in Engineering Mechanics
Program Overview
Mechanics is the study of forces that act on bodies and the resultant motion that those bodies experience. With roots in physics and mathematics, Engineering Mechanics is the basis of all the mechanical sciences: civil engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and aeronautical and aerospace engineering. Engineering Mechanics provides the “building blocks” of statics, dynamics, strength of materials, and fluid dynamics. Engineering mechanics is the discipline devoted to the solution of mechanics problems through the integrated application of mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles. Special emphasis is placed on the physical principles underlying modern engineering design.
Engineering Mechanics students are also encouraged to engage in undergraduate research with a faculty member. As a result, Engineering Mechanics students are prepared for careers at the forefront of a wide variety of fields, including the aerospace, electronics, automotive, manufacturing, software, and computer industries. Our ABET accredited curriculum also provides excellent preparation for graduate school in many different engineering disciplines.
To learn more about our Engineering Mechanics program check out our Engineering Mechanics brochure!
EM Curriculum Requirements
The flowsheets below are a semester-by-semester visual outline of the courses required within the Engineering Mechanics curriculum. These flowsheets are provided to enable students and advisors to visualize pre-, co-, and post-requisites associated with specific courses within the curriculum. This is a tool to enable you to understand how courses are connected throughout our curriculum to provide guidance regarding course registration and scheduling.
Please start by choosing the curriculum flowsheet corresponding to your entering Academic Catalog Year. With departmental approval, students may change to a newer catalog year if the degree requirements change. Students may not move to an older catalog year and may not mix and match requirements between catalog years. Students may request to change catalog years by completing the Academic Catalog Year – Request to Change form.
- Academic Catalog Year 2022 - 2023 and beyond
Visualization of pre-,co-, and post-requisites
- Course prerequisite chain
- Immediate prerequisite
- Credit or concurrent registration required
- Concurrent registration required
- Postrequisite course sequence
| First Year | Second Year | Third Year | Fourth Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall First Year | Spring First Year | Fall Second Year | Spring Second Year | Fall Third Year | Spring Third Year | Fall Fourth Year | Spring Fourth Year |
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TAM 195 (1) Introduction to engineering mechanics and its role in modern engineering analysis and design. Project activity. MATH 221 (4)1 First course in calculus and analytic geometry for students with some calculus background; basic techniques of differentiation and integration with applications including curve sketching; antidifferentation, the Riemann integral, fundamental theorem, exponential and trigonometric functions. Course Information: Credit is not given for both MATH 221 and either MATH 220 or MATH 234. Prerequisite: An adequate ALEKS placement score as described at http://math.illinois.edu/ALEKS/ and either one year of high school calculus or a minimum score of 2 on the AB Calculus AP exam. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one discussion and one lecture section beginning with the same letter. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. CHEM 102 (3) For students who have some prior knowledge of chemistry. Principles governing atomic structure, bonding, states of matter, stoichiometry, and chemical equilibrium. Course Information: Credit is not given for both CHEM 102 and CHEM 202. CHEM 102 and CHEM 103 are approved for General Education credit only as a sequence. Both courses must be completed to receive Natural Science and Technology credit. Prerequisite: Credit in or exemption from MATH 112; one year of high school chemistry or equivalent. All students enrolled in CHEM 102 should also enroll in CHEM 103. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for a combination of one lecture and one quiz section beginning with the same letter. CHEM 103 (1) Laboratory studies to accompany CHEM 102. Course Information: Additional fees may apply. See Class Schedule. Credit is not given for both CHEM 103 and CHEM 203. CHEM 102 and CHEM 103 are approved for General Education credit only as a sequence. Both courses must be completed to receive Natural Science and Technology credit. Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in CHEM 102 is required. Class Schedule Information: CHEM 103 is the laboratory course that accompanies CHEM 102. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. Introduction in research-based writing and the construction of academic, argumentative essays that use primary and secondary sources as evidence. This course fulfills the Campus Composition I general education requirement. Course Information: Credit is not given for both RHET 105 and any of these other Comp I courses: RHET 101, RHET 102, CMN 111 or CMN 112. Class Schedule Information: Students whose second language is English should take an English placement test through the Division of English as an International Language, before signing up for rhetoric. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. ENG 100 (1)3 Introduces students to the Grainger College of Engineering and their respective departments. Students will explore the academic environment at Illinois, developing skills that will aid in learning both inside and outside the classroom, build their leadership and collaborative skills, and build community inside and outside the classroom. Through class discussion and assignments, students will explore campus resources, examine and set goals for academic, personal, and professional development, and develop skills to work in diverse teams through a class project. Class Schedule Information: First-year students should enroll in the section corresponding to their major. FE (3)4 Free Elective |
CS 101 (3)5 Fundamental principles, concepts, and methods of computing, with emphasis on applications in the physical sciences and engineering. Basic problem solving and programming techniques; fundamental algorithms and data structures; use of computers in solving engineering and scientific problems. Intended for engineering and science majors. Course Information: Prerequisite: One of MATH 220 or MATH 221 or MATH 231 or MATH 241. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one lab-discussion and one lecture section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. MATH 231 (3) Second course in calculus and analytic geometry: techniques of integration, conic sections, polar coordinates, and infinite series. Course Information: Prerequisite: MATH 220 or MATH 221. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one discussion and one lecture section beginning with the same letter in Fall and Spring terms only. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. PHYS 211 (4) Newton's Laws, work and energy, static properties and fluids, oscillations, transverse waves, systems of particles, and rotations. A calculus-based approach for majors in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Course Information: Credit is not given for both PHYS 211 and PHYS 101. Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in MATH 231. Class Schedule Information: For students in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Exams are given in the evening (during fall and spring semesters). Register for a lecture (A) section, a discussion (D) section and a laboratory (L) section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. GEE (3)6 ME 170 (3)2 Geometry and topology of engineered components: creation of engineering models and their presentation in standard 2D blueprint form and as 3D wire-frame and shaded solids; meshed topologies for engineering analysis and tool-path generation for component manufacture; ISO and ANSI standards for coordinate dimensioning and tolerancing; geometric dimensioning and tolerancing. Use of solid-modeling software for creating associative models at the component and assembly levels with automatic blueprint creation, interference checking, and linked bill of materials. Course Information: Credit is not given towards graduation for both ME 170 and SE 101. Class Schedule Information: Reserved for Mechanical Science and Engineering students. Students must register for one lab and one lecture section. |
TAM 211 (3) Forces, moments, and couples; resultants of force systems; equilibrium analysis and free-body diagrams; analysis of forces acting on members of trusses, frames, etc.; shear-force and bending-moment distributions; Coulomb friction; centroids, center of mass, moment of inertia, polar moment of inertia, and product of inertia; virtual work; hydrostatic pressure; applications of statics in design. Course Information: Credit is not given for both TAM 211 and TAM 210. Prerequisite: PHYS 211; credit or concurrent registration in either MATH 241 OR MATH 257. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one discussion and one lecture section. MATH 257 (3) Introductory course incorporating linear algebra concepts with computational tools, with real world applications to science, engineering and data science. Topics include linear equations, matrix operations, vector spaces, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, inner products and norms, orthogonality, linear regression, equilibrium, linear dynamical systems and the singular value decomposition. Course Information: Credit is not given for both MATH 257 and any of MATH 125, MATH 225, MATH 227, MATH 415 or ASRM 406. Prerequisite: MATH 220 or MATH 221; CS 101 or equivalent programming experience. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for a lecture, a lab, and a discussion section. CHEM 104 (3) Lecture and discussions. Chemistry of materials, including organic and biological substances, chemical energetics and equilibrium, chemical kinetics, and electrochemistry. Course Information: Credit is not given for both CHEM 104 and CHEM 204. Prerequisite: CHEM 102 or CHEM 202 or advanced placement credit for one semester of college-level chemistry. Class Schedule Information: All students enrolled in CHEM 104 should also enroll in CHEM 105. Students must register for a combination of one lecture and one quiz section beginning with the same letter. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. CHEM 104 and CHEM 105 are approved for General Education credit only as a sequence. Both courses must be completed to receive Natural Science and Technology credit. CHEM 105 (1) Laboratory studies to accompany CHEM 104. Course Information: Additional fees may apply. See Class Schedule. Credit is not given for both CHEM 105 and CHEM 205. Prerequisite: CHEM 102 and CHEM 103; credit or concurrent registration in CHEM 104 is required. Class Schedule Information: CHEM 105 is the laboratory course that accompanies CHEM 104. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. CHEM 104 and CHEM 105 are approved for General Education credit only as a sequence. Both courses must be completed to receive Natural Science and Technology credit. ME 290 (0) Lectures by faculty and invited authorities, concerning the ethics and practices of mechanical engineering/engineering mechanics, as well as its relationship to other fields of engineering, to economics, and to society. Offered fall term only. Course Information: Approved for S/U grading only. GEE (3)6 |
TAM 212 (3) Kinematics and dynamics of the three-dimensional motion of particles; kinematics and dynamics of the plane motion of rigid bodies; methods of work energy and impulse momentum; moving reference frames. Course Information: Prerequisite: TAM 210 or TAM 211. MATH 241 (4) Third course in calculus and analytic geometry including vector analysis: Euclidean space, partial differentiation, multiple integrals, line integrals and surface integrals, the integral theorems of vector calculus. Course Information: Credit is not given for both MATH 241 and MATH 292. Prerequisite: MATH 231. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one discussion and one lecture section beginning with the same letter in Fall and Spring terms only. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. PHYS 212 (4) Coulomb's Law, electric fields, Gauss' Law, electric potential, capacitance, circuits, magnetic forces and fields, Ampere's law, induction, electromagnetic waves, polarization, and geometrical optics. A calculus-based approach for majors in engineering, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Course Information: Credit is not given for both PHYS 212 and PHYS 102. Prerequisite: PHYS 211; credit or concurrent registration in MATH 241. Class Schedule Information: For students in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Exams are given in the evening (during fall and spring semesters). Register for a lecture (A) section, a discussion (D) section and a laboratory (L) section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. TAM 251 (3) Relationship between internal stresses and deformations produced by external forces acting on deformable bodies, and design principles based on mechanics of solids: normal stresses, shear stresses, and deformations produced by tensile, compressive, torsional, and bending loading of members; beam deflections; elastic energy and impact; multi-dimensional stress states; buckling of columns. Course Information: Prerequisite: TAM 210 or TAM 211. TAM 252 (1) Design problems and projects intended to accompany TAM 251. Course Information: Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in TAM 251. FE (2)4 Free Elective |
MATH 441 (3) Basic course in ordinary differential equations; topics include existence and uniqueness of solutions and the general theory of linear differential equations; treatment is more rigorous than that given in MATH 285. Course Information: 3 or 4 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for both MATH 441 and any of MATH 284, MATH 285, MATH 286. 4 hours of credit requires approval of the instructor and completion of additional work of substance. Prerequisite: MATH 241; MATH 347 or MATH 348 is recommended. ME 200 (3) Classical thermodynamics through the second law; system and control-volume analyses of thermodynamic processes; irreversibility and availability; relations for ideal gas mixtures. Course Information: Credit is not given toward graduation for ME 200 and either ABE 340 or CHBE 321. Prerequisite: MATH 241. ECE 205 (3)7 ECE 205 is an introductory course on circuit analysis and electronics for non-majors in engineering. The course includes bi-weekly electronics lab experiments designed to provide students with hands-on experience. Basic principles of circuit analysis and DC circuits; time-domain analysis of 1st and 2nd order linear circuits; complex numbers, phasors, AC steady-state analysis; frequency response; op-amp, diode, and BJT circuits; logic gates and digital logic circuits. Credit is not given to Computer or Electrical Engineering majors. Course Information: Credit is not given to Computer or Electrical Engineering majors. Prerequisite: PHYS 212. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one lecture and one lab. TAM 335 (4) Fluid statics; continuity, momentum, and energy principles via control volumes; ideal and real fluid flow; introduction to the Navier-Stokes equation; similitude; laminar and turbulent boundary layers; closed-conduit flow, open-channel flow, and turbomachinery. Course Information: Credit is not given for both TAM 335 and either ME 310 or CEE 331. Prerequisite: TAM 212. Class Schedule Information: Labs will not meet until the first full week of class. Students must register for one lab and one lecture section. FE (3)4 Free Elective |
MATH 442 (3) Introduces partial differential equations, emphasizing the wave, diffusion and potential (Laplace) equations. Focuses on understanding the physical meaning and mathematical properties of solutions of partial differential equations. Includes fundamental solutions and transform methods for problems on the line, as well as separation of variables using orthogonal series for problems in regions with boundary. Covers convergence of Fourier series in detail. Course Information: 3 or 4 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. 4 hours of credit requires approval of the instructor and completion of additional work of substance. Prerequisite: One of MATH 284, MATH 285, MATH 286, MATH 441. TAM 324 (4)6 Course Information: Same as CEE 300. See CEE 300. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one lab and one lecture section. FE (3)4 Free Elective PHYS 213 (2) First and second laws of thermodynamics including kinetic theory of gases, heat capacity, heat engines, introduction to entropy and statistical mechanics, and introduction to application of free energy and Boltzmann factor. A calculus-based approach for majors in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Course Information: Credit is not given for both PHYS 213 and PHYS 101. Prerequisite: PHYS 211; credit or concurrent registration in MATH 241. Class Schedule Information: For students in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Exams are given in the evening (during fall and spring semesters). PHYS 213 meets only during part of the term; check the meeting dates. Register for a lecture (A) section, a discussion (D) section and a laboratory (L) section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. PHYS 214 (2) Interference and diffraction, photons and matter waves, the Bohr atom, uncertainty principle, and wave mechanics. A calculus-based course for majors in engineering, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Course Information: Credit is not given for both PHYS 214 and PHYS 102. Prerequisite: PHYS 212. Class Schedule Information: For students in engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Exams are given in the evening (during fall and spring semesters). PHYS 214 meets only during part of the term; check the meeting dates. Register for a lecture (A) section, a discussion (D) section and a laboratory (L) section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction. |
Solution of a real-world design problem: development, evaluation, and recommendation of alternative solutions subject to realistic constraints that include most of the following considerations: economics, environment, sustainability, manufacturability, ethics, health and safety, society, and politics. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in no more than two required ME courses; completion of all required courses for ME students. Concurrent enrollment in no more than two required TAM courses; completion of all required courses for EM students. Departmental approval required. Restricted to students in the Mechanical Sci & Engineering department. Restricted to students with Senior class standing. Class Schedule Information: Must register for one Lecture and one Laboratory-Discussion section. Students will receive a TIME CONFLICT AND AN APPROVAL ERROR when registering for this course. To receive the necessary overrides to regist TAM 470 (3) Modercomputational mechanics: mappings and iterative methods; stability; convergence; consistency; numerical and symbolic solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations; finite-difference methods; the finite-element method; spectral methods. Applications to problems in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and dynamics. Course Information: Same as CSE 450. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: CS 101; MATH 285 OR MATH 286 OR MATH 441. SFE (3)9 SFE (3)9 GEE (3)6 |
SFE (3)9 SFE (3)9 TAM 412 (4) Lagrangian mechanics of dynamical systems with an emphasis on vibrations; constraints and generalized coordinates; motion in accelerating frames; conservation laws and invariance of the Lagrangian; particle motion in one dimension, the two-body problem, and central-force motion; free and forced vibration of linearized single-degree-of-freedom and multi-degree-of-freedom discrete systems; weakly nonlinear vibrations; parametric resonance; introduction to Hamiltonian dynamics; rigid-body motions. Course Information: 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for both TAM 412 and AE 352. Prerequisite: MATH 225 or MATH 257 or MATH 415; MATH 285 or MATH 441; TAM 212. TAM 445 (4) Tensor algebra and analysis; kinematics of continua; mass, force, stress, and the general balance laws of continuum mechanics; introduction to constitutive equations. Course Information: 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: TAM 251. GEE (3)6 |
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Notes
Before reviewing the links, students should find their effective Academic Catalog Year. When clicking any links referenced below that take students to the Academic Catalog Year pages, they should be mindful of which Academic Catalog year is displayed.
- MATH 220 may be substituted. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus. 4 of 5 credit hours count towards degree.
- RHET 105 (or an alternative Composition I sequence) is taken either in the first or second semester of the first year, according to the student's UIN (SP if UIN is odd). ME 170 is taken the other semester. Composition I guidelines can be found at Degree and General Education Requirements under Written Communication Requirement.
- External transfer students take ENG 300.
- Additional coursework, subject to the Grainger College of Engineering restrictions to Free Electives, so that there are at least 128 credit hours earned toward the degree.
- CS 124 or ECE 220 may be substituted.
- General Education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements including the campus general education language requirement. ME 470 and TAM 324 will each satisfy a core course requirement and the Campus General Education Advanced Composition requirement.
- ECE 110 and either ECE 210 or ECE 211 may be substituted.
- ME 470 is taken either the first or second semester of the fourth year, according to the student's UIN (FA if UIN is odd, SP if UIN is even). Secondary Field Elective is taken the other semester.
- Secondary Field Electives totaling 12 hours, selected from department approved list or pre-approved by your departmental academic advisor.
The code used to present this flowsheet is based on original work shared by the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
EM Secondary Fields
One unique aspect of the Engineering Mechanics program is that students can focus their studies through a Secondary Field. Secondary Fields are often built around a student’s long-term career interests, integrating their Engineering Mechanics curriculum with another area of specialization.
Secondary fields come in two varieties, pre-approved or customized. There are seven pre-approved secondary field options listed below that specify required courses and provide a list of approved courses from which the student may choose. Alternatively, with departmental approval, the student may create their own, individualized secondary field option. For both the pre-approved and customized secondary field options, the secondary field will need to be formally declared by filing a digital EM Secondary Field petition at MechSE's undergraduate petitions link or by using a secondary field declaration form.
To create your own secondary field, courses chosen must:
- be related to mechanics,
- form a coherent and cohesive group,
- include at least two engineering courses,
- include at least 6 hours of 400-level coursework,
- have a maximum of 6 hours of 300-level coursework, unless otherwise approved, and
- total at least 12 hours of advanced-level* coursework distinct from required courses in the EM curriculum.
MechSE 2.25 GPA and TGPA Requirements
The MechSE Department maintains a cumulative 2.25 grade-point-average (GPA) requirement for lower-level technical courses. In order for a student to move onto upper-level (generally 300/400-level) ME or TAM courses, the 2.25 GPA requirement must be met. Failure to meet the 2.25 GPA will require students to retake previous coursework and potentially reduce course loads to meet the 2.25 GPA requirement.
Once students gets into their upper-level, more specialized coursework, a cumulative technical GPA (TGPA) requirement is implemented in addition to the traditional cumulative GPA requirement (>2.0 GPA to remain clear of academic warning status). Students who do not have a TGPA of atleast 2.0 will be subject to academic warning rules and will not be able to graduate. For more information on academic standing rules, please see the Student Code, Article 3 - Academic Standing Rules.
The back of the EM flowsheet indicates courses in the EM curriculum subject to 2.25 GPA and TGPA rules.