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Mechanical Engineering, B.S.

Program Educational Objectives

According to ABET, which evaluates applied science, computing, engineering and technology programs for accreditation, “program educational objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation.”

The core objective of our undergraduate program is to provide our students an education that enables them to be productive, impactful, and fulfilled professionals throughout their careers. In light of this vision, the program educational objectives of the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon are to produce graduates who: 

  • Distinguish themselves as effective problem solvers who are capable of applying fundamentals of mechanical engineering alongside modern experimental and computational methods.
  • Are innovative and resourceful in their professional activities.
  • Excel in team settings, incorporating diverse viewpoints and ideas and implementing strategies for equitable participation.
  • Become effective communicators who are prepared to take on leadership roles in their organizations, their profession, and in society.
  • Conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner in the workplace.
  • Excel in diverse career paths within and beyond engineering profession, including in industry, academia, and government.

Student Outcomes

The undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Mechanical Engineering offers students significant opportunities to pursue directions of personal interest, including minors, additional majors, participation in research projects, and study abroad. Design and teamwork experiences occur at regular intervals in the curriculum, and graduates have significant hands-on experience through laboratories and projects.

Carnegie Mellon's Mechanical Engineering faculty members are in support of the following set of skills and outcomes put forth by ABET:

  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  • an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors 
  • an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  • an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  • an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  • an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  •  an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Curriculum

Minimum units required for B.S. in Mechanical Engineering: 382

The following template outlines the four-year B.S. program through the standard and recommended course sequence. To ensure that prerequisites are completed and to prevent scheduling conflicts, students should discuss any changes to this sequence with their department academic advisor. Students need a minimum of 382 units to complete the B.S. degree. Since there are variable units for some core requirements, additional units can be made up with free electives.

First Year

Fall Units
21-120Differential and Integral Calculus10
24-101Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering12
33-141Physics I for Engineering Students12
99-101Core@CMU3
76-101Interpretation and Argument9
 46
Spring Units
21-122Integration and Approximation10
xx-xxxSecond Introductory Engineering Course12
xx-xxxPhysics II/Computer Science/Chemistry*10-12
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 41-43

First Year Curriculum Notes:

  1. During the first year, Mechanical Engineering students complete 24-101 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering and one other introductory engineering course. 24-101 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering is a prerequisite for sophomore courses 24-261 Mechanics I: 2D Design , 24-221 Thermodynamics and 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation, as well as junior course 24-351 Dynamics. Students who are not able to take 24-101 in their first year will push the 24-261 Mechanics I: 2D Design, and 24-262 Mechanics II: 3D Design sequence into their junior year as well as 24-221 Thermodynamics. If 24-101 is taken in fall of sophomore year, students can take 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation 24-231 Fluid Mechanics and 24-351 Dynamics in sophomore spring to continue progress towards the Mechanical Engineering degree. 
  2. All Mathematics courses (21-xxx) required for the engineering degree must have a minimum grade of C in order to fulfill the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree and to count as a prerequisite for engineering core classes.
  3. Students must pass the following three courses before they begin the core Mechanical Engineering courses in the fall of their sophomore year:
         21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus​
         21-122 Integration and Approximation
         33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students

Sophomore Year 

Fall Units
24-221Thermodynamics10
24-261Mechanics I: 2D Design10
21-254Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers11
xx-xxxPhysics II/Computer Science/Chemistry*10-12
24-xxx24-203 TechSpark:Manual Machining OR 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation **and***3-4
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
39-210Experiential Learning I0
 53-56
Spring Units
24-231Fluid Mechanics10
24-262Mechanics II: 3D Design10
21-260Differential Equations9
xx-xxxPhysics II/Computer Science/Chemistry*10-12
24-xxx24-203 TechSpark: Manual Machining OR 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation **and***3-4
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
39-220Experiential Learning II0
 51-54
*

Physics II/Chemistry/Computer Science: 
First year students are encouraged to prioritize completing Physics II and Programming requirement over Chemistry in the first year.

  • The recommended Physics sequence is 33-141 / 33-142 for engineering students, however, 33-151 / 33-152 will also meet the CIT Physics requirement. 
  • The programming requirement can be filled with 15-110 Principles of Computing or 15-112 Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science. 
  • The Chemistry requirement can be filled with 09-105 Introduction to Modern Chemistry I or 09-111 Chemical Building Blocks.
**

24-203 and 24-251 Completed Sophomore Year:

24-203 TechSpark: Machine Shop Principles and 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation should be completed within the sophomore year, fall or spring. Both are required courses.

***

Waiving Electronics for Sensing and Actuation:

Mechanical Engineering (MechE) students who took the 18-100 Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering in their first year, have the option of waiving 24-251 Electronics for Sensing and Actuation. These units must be replaced with 3 units of graded Mechanical Engineering credit which could be done by taking a 12 unit MechE Technical Elective instead of a 9 unit course. Eligible students will be invited to complete a form to confirm their intention to waive 24-251.

 
 

Junior Year 

Fall Units
24-302Professional Development for Mechanical Engineers
(Offered Fall and Spring)		2
24-322Heat Transfer10
24-351Dynamics
(Offered Fall and Spring)		10
24-370Mechanical Design: Methods and Applications12
36-220Engineering Statistics and Quality Control9
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
39-310Experiential Learning III0
 52
Spring Units
24-302Professional Development for Mechanical Engineers
(Offered Fall and Spring)		2
24-311Numerical Methods
(Offered Fall and Spring)		10
24-321Thermal-Fluids Experimentation12
24-352Dynamic Systems and Controls
(Offered Fall and Spring)		12
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 45

Senior Year

Fall Units
24-441Product Design
(Offered Fall and Spring) ****		12
or 24-671 Electromechanical Systems Design
24-452Mechanical Systems Experimentation
(Offered Fall and Spring)		9
xx-xxxElective9
xx-xxxElective9
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 48
Spring Units
24-xxxMechanical Engineering Technical Elective9-12
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
xx-xxxElective9
xx-xxxElective9
 36-39
****

 Capstone Courses:

  • Mechanical Engineering students complete one capstone class either fall or spring of senior year. This course is the culmination of the knowledge gained over the previous years in mechanical engineering core classes. To fulfill the capstone course requirement, students can complete one of the following 24-441 Product Design (FALL OR SPRING), 24-671 Electromechanical Systems Design (FALL OR SPRING).
  • Capstone course can be taken either Fall or Spring of senior year.
  • Biomedical Engineering Double Majors may use the capstone for their double major instead of the above listed MechE capstone classes.
MechE Flowchart 2026-27

Electives

Mechanical Engineering Technical Electives

Students must take at least one approved non-core Mechanical Engineering course labeled as “Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective” in the example course sequence. The course must be an approved 24-xxx course (9-unit minimum) at the 300 level or above to fulfill the technical elective requirement. 

Students can also take mechanical engineering graduate courses to fulfill the technical elective requirement. Students must have the appropriate prerequisites for the course.  The prerequisites for graduate level courses are usually listed under "prerequisite knowledge" in SIO. Undergraduates do not have priority for graduate level courses. Students are encouraged to follow the guidance in the Waitlist Navigation Guide to improve chances of securing a seat.

Students can find a current list of courses on the Carnegie Mellon Schedule of Classes.

Students cannot use research or project courses to fulfill the technical elective requirement. However, these courses, with limitations, will count as free elective units. Up to 27 units of project/research may be counted in the free electives.  Project/research courses that do not fulfill the technical elective requirements are:

Free Electives

A Free Elective is defined as any graded course offered by any academic unit of the university.  Free electives offer students the opportunity to add additional majors and minors, pursue additional interests or deepen their experience in Mechanical Engineering. Typically, once the core requirements are completed, there remain about 45 units of free electives to reach the minimum of 382 to complete the degree.

Up to 9 units of Student Taught Courses (StuCO) and Physical Education courses, or other courses taken as Pass/Fail, may also be used toward Free Electives.

Guidance on Engineering Electives

The Mechanical Engineering department offers several elective courses for undergraduates seeking further knowledge and experience in specialty areas of mechanical engineering. These courses (with approval) can fulfill for your Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective, Free Electives, and/or additional major or minor requirements.

Robotics and Automation
Fundamental Courses
24-451Feedback Control Systems12
24-677Modern Control Theory12
24-760Robot Dynamics and Analysis12
24-773Multivariable Linear Control12
24-776Non Linear Control12
Application Courses
24-614Microelectromechanical Systems12
24-671Electromechanical Systems Design12
24-673Soft Robots: Mechanics, Design and Modeling12
24-753Special Topics: Robotic Materials: Designs, Principles & Mechanics12
24-774Advanced Control Systems Integration12
24-775Bioinspired Robot Design and Experimentation12
24-778Mechatronic Design12
Energy, Environment, and Thermal Fluid Systems
Fundamental Courses
24-711Fluid Dynamics12
24-718Computational Fluid Dynamics12
24-721Advanced Thermodynamics12
24-722Energy System Modeling12
24-730Advanced Heat Transfer12
Application Courses
24-381Environmental Systems on a Changing Planet
(Students must take 24-381 for Environmental Systems on a Changing Planet to fulfill the MechE Technical Elective requirement)		12
24-423Renewable Energy Engineering9
24-623Molecular Simulation of Materials12
24-626Air Quality Engineering12
24-628Energy Transport and Conversion at the Nanoscale12
24-629Direct Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion12
24-643Energy Storage Materials and Systems12
Product Design and Development
Fundamental Courses
24-651Material Selection for Mechanical Engineers12
24-688Introduction to CAD and CAE Tools12
Application Courses
24-632Special Topics: Additive Manufacturing Processing and Product Development12
24-633Additive Manufacturing Laboratory12
24-672Special Topics in DIY Design and Fabrication12
24-680Quantitative Entrepreneurship: Analysis for New Technology Commercialization12
24-691Mechanical Engineering Project Management12
24-692Special Topics: Engineering a Startup: How to Start and Grow a Hardware Company12
Autonomous Systems and Machine Learning
Fundamental Courses
24-451Feedback Control Systems12
24-677Modern Control Theory12
24-704Probability and Estimation Methods for Engineering Systems12
24-789Intermediate Deep Learning for Engineers6
Application Courses
24-774Advanced Control Systems Integration12
24-775Bioinspired Robot Design and Experimentation12
24-784Special Topics: Trustworthy AI12
Computational Engineering
Fundamental Courses
24-703Numerical Methods in Engineering12
24-780Engineering Computation12
24-783Advanced Engineering Computation12
24-785Engineering Optimization12
Application Courses
24-658Image-Based Computational Modeling and Analysis12
24-718Computational Fluid Dynamics12
24-755Finite Elements in Mechanics I12
24-781Engineering Computation ProjectVar.
Engineering Mechanisms and Materials
Fundamental Courses
24-634Structural Design12
24-635Structural Analysis12
24-652Mechanical Behavior of Engineering Materials12
24-653Special Topics: Materials and Their Processing for Mechanical Engineers12
24-751Solid Mechanics and Elasticity12
Application Courses
24-358Culinary Mechanics9
24-643Energy Storage Materials and Systems12
24-650Applied Finite Element Analysis12
24-684Nanoscale Manufacturing Using Structural DNA Nanotechnology12
24-755Finite Elements in Mechanics I12
24-753Special Topics: Robotic Materials: Designs, Principles & Mechanics12
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