College of Engineering
Degree Programs II
Major in Mechanical EngineeringMajor in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering encompasses a wide range of disciplines linked by a common thread: the use and control of electric, electronic, or electromagnetic energy. Electrical engineers design or support most areas of modern technology, including music and video media; consumer appliances and entertainment systems; medical imaging; computers; radars; robotics; remote sensing; fiber-optic and photonic networks; semiconductor devices; energy distribution; and integrated circuits and systems. The Electrical Engineering program prepares students for careers related to these critical areas of technology, and seeks to produce graduates who have:
- a strong foundation in electrical engineering with an appropriate balance between theory and application
- a wide repertoire of techniques and skills for the effective practice of modern electrical engineering
- an integrated view of the subfields of electrical engineering
- a broad education and ethical awareness to serve as responsible professionals
- an ability to expand their knowledge to adapt to changes in technology.
To produce these outcomes, electrical engineering students begin by learning the fundamentals in physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science. These basic foundations are then used to acquire discipline-specific knowledge and skills in electronics, electrophysics, signals and systems, and computers. In addition, students choose from a list of technical electives that provide specialization in fields such as communications, signal processing, control systems, solid-state devices, materials, photonics, circuit design, computer systems, and software. Throughout their program students also develop written and oral communication skills, ethics and professionalism, and a sense of how society and electrical engineering are connected.
Design is integrated throughout the curriculum, providing an important infrastructure to the program. During the senior year, electrical engineering students join computer engineering students in a year-long department-wide capstone design project that draws upon the skills they have learned in previous courses in the design thread. Structured to resemble a real engineering company, the capstone project requires students to design a product to meet customer specifications. Design teams are responsible for product conception, development, testing, and construction, as well as budget management, oral presentations, and documentation.
A total of 130 credits is required for graduation.
Curriculum
Freshman
First Semester (16 credits)
CAS CH 131 Principles of General Chemistry 4 cr
CAS MA 123 Calculus I 4 cr
CAS WR 100 Writing Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar
ENG EK 127 Engineering Computation 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
CAS MA 124 Calculus II 4 cr
CAS PY 211 Physics I 4 cr
CAS WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 130/131/132 Introduction to Engineering 4 cr
Sophomore
First Semester (16 credits)
CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus 4 cr
CAS PY 212 Physics II 4 cr
ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Second Semester (18 credits)
CAS MA 226 Differential Equations 4 cr
CAS PY 313 Waves and Modern Physics 4 cr
ENG EK 307 Electric Circuit Theory 4 cr
ENG EK 102 Introduction to Linear Algebra for Engineers (or CAS MA 142) 2 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Junior
First Semester (16 credits)
ENG EC 311 Introduction to Logic Design 4 cr
ENG EC 401 Signals and Systems 4 cr
ENG EC 410 Introduction to Electronics 4 cr
ENG EC 455 Electromagnetic Systems I 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
ENG EC 381 Probability Theory in Electrical and Computer Engineering 4 cr
Electronics elective 4 cr
Electrophysics elective 4 cr
Systems elective 4 cr
Senior
First Semester (16 credits)
ENG EC 463 Senior Design Project I 4 cr
Computer elective 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Technical elective 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
ENG EC 464 Senior Design Project 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Technical elective 4 cr
Technical elective 4 cr
Technical Electives
Technical electives are intended to provide additional technical and professional depth in particular areas of special interest to individual students. Specific courses to fulfill this requirement can be found on the Electrical Engineering program planning sheet.
Electronics Elective
Students must select one of the following courses to fulfill this elective: ENG EC 412, ENG EC 450, or ENG EC 571.
Electrophysics Elective
Students must select one of the following courses to fulfill this elective: ENG EC 456, ENG EC 471, or ENG EC 560.
Computer Elective
Students must select one of the following courses to fulfill this elective: ENG EC 312, ENG EC 327, or ENG EC 441.
Systems Elective
Students must select one of the following courses to fulfill this elective: ENG EC 402, ENG EC 415, or ENG EC 416.
Major in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is the largest and broadest of the mechanically oriented engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers are concerned with the analysis and design of structures and mechanisms, such as robots or the International Space Station. Mechanical engineers are also concerned with the flow of fluids, such as air and water, and the transfer of heat as in the air conditioner in your car or in the engine of a jet plane. Our program strives to give our students the basic skills, understanding, and knowledge they will need in order to become successful engineers in this rapidly advancing field.
Students completing the undergraduate program in mechanical engineering will have developed competence or acquired knowledge in the following areas:
- Engineering tools, including a strong background in engineering science and mathematics, experience with engineering computation using current software tools, and hands-on experience with measurement and instrumentation systems.
- Professional skills, including communication skills such as writing and public speaking, and team dynamics skills.
- Modeling, including modeling and formulation of engineering problems, finding the required solutions using appropriate combinations of analytical, numerical, and experimental tools, and utilizing physical insight to check for realistic results.
- Design, including both the design of individual components and a major design of a multicomponent system; to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
- Professional practice, including self-study skills; professional ethics; and an awareness of contemporary issues, business practices, and of the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context.
- Mechanical Systems, including the ability to design both thermal/fluid systems and structural/dynamical systems.
In order to achieve the program outcomes above, students in the Mechanical Engineering Program receive a strong background in the fundamentals of mechanical engineering science and substantial exposure to engineering applications and design, as well as intensive training in two other areas indispensable to modern engineering practice: laboratory experimentation and computer usage.
Most of the engineering science courses come from the two major stems of mechanical engineering: (1) energy and fluids, and (2) structures and motion in mechanical systems. During their sophomore and junior years, students take four first-level courses from the structures/motion stem (including two courses in engineering mechanics, mechanics of materials, and materials science) and three first-level courses from the energy/fluids stem (including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer). In their senior year, students have the opportunity to broaden and deepen their technical background through four advanced elective courses.
The required mechanical engineering design experience is integrated throughout the curriculum, beginning in the sophomore year and increasing in scope in each subsequent year. In the sophomore year, one engineering science course per semester requires a design project. In the junior year, major design projects are required in two courses (one from each engineering-science stem) as well as in a special 2-credit design course each semester. The special design courses introduce students to formal design methodologies, the use of CAD systems, and the professional aspects of engineering, including safety considerations and professional ethics. In the senior year, a design project is required in the instrumentation course. Also in the senior year, the design experience culminates in a two-semester capstone design sequence that builds on previous coursework, and in which small student teams work on major individual design projects. As part of the design experience, the professional aspects of engineering are stressed, including professional ethics, teamwork, and oral and written communications.
Students in the Mechanical Engineering Program gain experience in laboratory experimentation through experiments associated with all of their natural science courses (in the freshman and sophomore years) and with most of their engineering science courses (in their sophomore and junior years). Laboratory experience culminates in the senior year with an intensive mechanical measurements and instrumentation course.
Computer experience for mechanical engineering students begins in the freshman year with the required College-wide introductory computer course. It then continues throughout the curriculum, being required for some homework, projects, or laboratories in most subsequent engineering courses. Students gain experience in programming in MATLAB; and using commercial software packages for CAD, spreadsheet analysis, finite element analysis, and graphical-interface-driven laboratory systems for data acquisition, data analysis, and instrument control.
A total of 134 credits is required for graduation.
Curriculum (for students matriculating in September 2008 or after)
Freshman
First Semester (16 credits)
CAS CH 131 Principles of General Chemistry 4 cr
CAS MA 123 Calculus I 4 cr
CAS WR 100 Writing Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar
ENG EK 127 Engineering Computation 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
CAS MA 124 Calculus II 4 cr
CAS PY 211 Physics I 4 cr
CAS WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 130/131/132 Introduction to Engineering 4 cr
Sophomore
First Semester (18 credits)
CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus 4 cr
CAS PY 212 Physics II 4 cr
ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I 4 cr
ENG EK 156 Design and Manufacture 2 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Second Semester (18 credits)
CAS MA 226 Differential Equations 4 cr
ENG EK 307 Electric Circuit Theory 4 cr
ENG EK 102 Introduction to Linear Algebra 2 cr
Natural science elective 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Junior
First Semester (18 credits)
ENG BE 200 Introduction to Probability 2 cr
ENG ME 302 Engineering Mechanics II 4 cr
ENG ME 303 Fluid Mechanics 4 cr
ENG ME 304 Energy and Thermodynamics 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Second Semester (14 credits)
ENG ME 407 Computer-Aided Design and Manufacture 2 cr
ENG ME 419 Heat Transfer 4 cr
ENG ME 305 Mechanics of Materials 4 cr
ENG ME 306 Materials Science 4 cr
Senior
First Semester (16 credits)
ENG ME 310 Instrumentation and Theory of Experiments 4 cr
ENG ME 413 Machine Design I 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
ENG ME 414 Machine Design II 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Advanced Electives
These electives provide additional depth or breadth in either mechanical engineering science or another advanced technical or professional subject. Students must select courses that are on the list of acceptable courses found on the back of the mechanical engineering program planning sheet.
Curriculum (for students matriculating prior to September 2008)
Freshman
First Semester (16 credits)
CAS CH 131 Principles of General Chemistry 4 cr
CAS MA 123 Calculus I 4 cr
CAS WR 100 Writing Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar
ENG EK 127 Engineering Computation 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
CAS MA 124 Calculus II 4 cr
CAS PY 211 Physics I 4 cr
CAS WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar 4 cr
ENG EK 130/131/132 Introduction to Engineering 4 cr
Sophomore
First Semester (16 credits)
CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus 4 cr
CAS PY 212 Physics II 4 cr
ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Second Semester (18 credits)
CAS MA 226 Differential Equations 4 cr
ENG EK 307 Electric Circuit Theory 4 cr
Core elective 2 cr
Natural science elective 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Junior
First Semester (18 credits)
ENG ME 311 Engineering Design Using CAD 2 cr
ENG ME 302 Engineering Mechanics II 4 cr
ENG ME 303 Fluid Mechanics 4 cr
ENG ME 304 Energy and Thermodynamics 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Second Semester (18 credits)
ENG ME 312 Fundamentals of Engineering Design 2 cr
ENG ME 400 Engineering Mathematics 4 cr
ENG ME 419 Heat Transfer 4 cr
ENG ME 305 Mechanics of Materials 4 cr
ENG ME 306 Materials Science 4 cr
Senior
First Semester (16 credits)
ENG ME 310 Instrumentation and Theory of Experiments 4 cr
ENG ME 413 Machine Design I 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Second Semester (16 credits)
ENG ME 414 Machine Design II 4 cr
Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Advanced elective 4 cr
Core Electives
Core elective courses can be selected from the following:
Engineering courses at the 100 level or higher (ENG EK 280 and MET EK 311, EK 312, EK 317, and EK 318 cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.)
Natural science courses listed under the Natural Science Requirements that exceed the minimum requirements for the student’s degree program
Mathematics courses for which CAS MA 123 Calculus I is a prerequisite
Navy ROTC courses: 2 credits of core elective credit may be satisfied by one of the following:
OTP NS 102 Naval Ships Systems I
OTP NS 201 Naval Ships Systems II
OTP NS 301 Navigation and Naval Operations I
OTP NS 302 Navigation and Naval Operations II
Technical Electives
These electives provide additional depth or breadth in either mechanical engineering science or another advanced technical or professional subject. Students must select courses that are on the list of acceptable courses found on the back of the mechanical engineering program planning sheet.
Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215
16 October 2009
Boston University
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