Mechanical Engineering Major (B.S.)

Mechanical Engineering Major (B.S.)

Student working on a manufacturing machine

What is a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering?

This program is tailored to students who want to pursue a professional career in industry or advanced studies in engineering. Students develop abilities in design, analysis and experimentation through a foundation of math, physics, chemistry and computer science, before moving to more advanced engineering topics that include mechanical design, control systems and energy generation/conversion. This program also gives students the chance to focus on advanced technical areas of their choice. As professionals in the field, our graduates solve a wide range of interdisciplinary engineering problems and societal grand challenges.

Why study mechanical engineering at UNH?

You’ll analyze, design, build, test and maintain the tools and products of our growing technological society, working in state-of-the-art laboratories such as the John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center, the Jere A. Chase Ocean Engineering Lab and the Flow Physics Facility, which houses the longest wind tunnel of its type in the world. Our faculty are leading researchers in their fields, and they care deeply about your education. The curriculum is challenging but flexible, providing opportunities for you to participate in research, internships, co-ops and capstone projects that will prepare you for a variety of in-demand careers.

Potential Careers

  • Aerospace
  • Automotive industries
  • Biomedical engineering
  • Manufacturing/industrial engineering
  • Ocean engineering
  • Power generation
  • Robotics
Mechanical Engineering
Kingsbury Hall, W101
33 Academic Way
Durham, NH 03824

 

 

P: 603.862.1352
E: mechanical.engineering@unh.edu

  • UNH SEDS prepared this student for NASA
    Nick Olibrice is a senior mechanical engineering student whose experience in SEDS helped him land a fellowship at the Johnson Space Center this past summer. 
    UNH SEDS prepared this student for NASA
    Nick Olibrice is a senior mechanical engineering student whose experience in SEDS helped him land a fellowship at the Johnson Space Center this past summer. 
  • Meet a Wildcat: Mechanical Engineering
    Alex Mills is a senior mechanical engineering major here at the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Read more to learn about why he loves being a student in his department. 
    Meet a Wildcat: Mechanical Engineering
    Alex Mills is a senior mechanical engineering major here at the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Read more to learn about why he loves being a student in his department. 
  • Nate McCarvill is a mechanical engineering student and for his senior capstone project he developed an automated door for CNC machines with the Robert E. Morris Company. 
    Nate McCarvill is a mechanical engineering student and for his senior capstone project he developed an automated door for CNC machines with the Robert E. Morris Company. 
  • Sandcasting in Innovation Scholars Advanced Manufacturing Lab
    Watch first-year student Jacob Lewis and his classmates complete sandcasting lab as part of Innovation Scholars advanced manufacturing cohort.
    Sandcasting in Innovation Scholars Advanced Manufacturing Lab
    Watch first-year student Jacob Lewis and his classmates complete sandcasting lab as part of Innovation Scholars advanced manufacturing cohort.
  • Meet a Wildcat in Mechanical Engineering
    Watch Alana Pettaway discuss her favorite things about attending the University of New Hampshire and advice for those considering attending UNH.
    Meet a Wildcat in Mechanical Engineering
    Watch Alana Pettaway discuss her favorite things about attending the University of New Hampshire and advice for those considering attending UNH.

Curriculum & Requirements

The B.S.M.E. curriculum provides students with a solid engineering core and prepares students for professional engineering careers or for graduate study.  The department has course sequences in mechanics, thermal/fluid sciences, and systems and controls. Modern experimental methods are taught in a course sequences starting in the junior year. The two-semester senior design project requires students to utilize the skills they have learned in their courses and function in an engineering team. The five technical electives required in the program give the students the opportunity to focus on advanced technical areas of their choice.

With their advisers' assistance, students should plan a program based on the following distribution of courses that totals not less than 128 credits. Note: mechanical engineering graduates typically exceed this requirement depending on what elective courses they select in the curriculum. Within the constraints of satisfying all the requirements and having all the necessary prerequisites, schedules may vary because of scheduling needs or student preference.  Curriculum flexibility allows students to pursue a co-op experience or a minor, if interested which will potentially delay graduation.  Some mechanical engineering elective courses may not be offered every year.

The Mechanical Engineering (B Sci in Mechanical Engineering) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
ME 441
or ME 477
Introduction to Engineering Design and Solid Modeling 1
or Introduction to Solid Modeling
4
CHEM 405 Chemical Principles for Engineers 2 4
OR
CHEM 403
CHEM 404
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry II 2
MATH 425 Calculus I 3 4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits16
Spring
ENGL 401 First-Year Writing 4 4
MATH 426 Calculus II 4
PHYS 407 General Physics I 2 4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits16
Second Year
Fall
ME 525 Statics 4
IAM 550 Introduction to Engineering Computing 4
MATH 528
or MATH 525
Multidimensional Calculus 5
or Linearity I
4
PHYS 408 General Physics II 4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits20
Spring
ME 503 Thermodynamics 3
ME 526 Mechanics of Materials 3
ME 561 Introduction to Materials Science 4
MATH 527
or MATH 526
Differential Equations with Linear Algebra 5
or Linearity II
4
 Credits14
Third Year
Fall
ME 608 Fluid Dynamics 3
ME 627 Dynamics 3
ME 705 Thermal System Analysis and Design 4
ECE 537 Introduction to Electrical Engineering 4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits18
Spring
ME 603 Heat Transfer 3
ME 643 Machine Design 3
ME 646 Experimental Measurement and Data Analysis 4
ME 670 Systems Modeling, Simulation, and Control 4
 Credits14
Fourth Year
Fall
ME 755
or TECH 797
Senior Design Project I 6
or Undergraduate Ocean Research Project
2
ME 747 Experimental Measurement and Modeling of Complex Systems 4
Technical Elective 3-4
Technical Elective 3-4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits16-18
Spring
ME 756
or TECH 797
Senior Design Project II 6
or Undergraduate Ocean Research Project
2
Technical Elective 3-4
Technical Elective 3-4
Technical Elective 3-4
Discovery Program Elective 4
 Credits15-18
 Total Credits129-134
1

ME 441 Introduction to Engineering Design and Solid Modeling satisfies the Discovery Inquiry requirement.  Note: ME 477 does not satisfy the Discovery Inquiry requirement.  An alternative Discovery Program Inquiry course or Inquiry Attributes course is required.  Permission is required to take ME 477 in place of ME 441.

2

CHEM 405 Chemical Principles for Engineers or CHEM 403 General Chemistry I and CHEM 404 General Chemistry II, or  PHYS 407 General Physics I satisfies the Discovery Physical Science (with lab) category.

3

MATH 425 Calculus I satisfies the Discovery Foundation Quantitative Reasoning category.

4

ENGL 401 First-Year Writing satisfies the Discovery Foundation Writing Skills category.

5

MATH 525 Linearity I and MATH 526 Linearity II  also counts as a 600 level technical elective course typically completed in the senior year of the program. Permission is required to take Linearity I and II.

6

ME 755, ME 756 and TECH 797 satisfy the Discovery Senior Capstone Experience category. 

Degree Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement: 128 credits
Minimum Residency Requirement: 32 credits must be taken at UNH
Minimum GPA: 2.0 required for conferral*
Core Curriculum Required: Discovery & Writing Program Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement: No

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

Grade-Point Average Requirements

In order to graduate with a mechanical engineering B.S. degree, students must have at least a 2.0 grade-point average in all engineering and science courses, including required technical electives, normally taken as department requirements after the start of the junior year as defined in the degree plan below.

Predictor courses: To enter the sophomore year, students must achieve a greater than (but not equal to) 2.00 GPA in PHYS 407 General Physics I and MATH 426 Calculus II with no grade below a C.

To enter the junior year, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 in ME 525 Statics, ME 526 Mechanics of Materials, and ME 503 Thermodynamics with only one C- grade allowed and no grades below C-.

Students are allowed two repeats of these predictor courses to achieve the predictor rule requirements before being removed from the Program. This can be a single class repeated twice or two classes repeated once. Students are also removed from the program if if they obtain a semester GPA below 1.5 three times. Students may petition to be reinstated after one year out of the program.

Required Courses
CHEM 405Chemical Principles for Engineers0-8
or CHEM 403
CHEM 404
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry II
ECON 402Principles of Economics (Micro)4
or EREC 411 Environmental and Resource Economics Perspectives
ECE 537Introduction to Electrical Engineering4
ENGL 401First-Year Writing4
IAM 550Introduction to Engineering Computing4
MATH 425Calculus I4
MATH 426Calculus II4
MATH 527Differential Equations with Linear Algebra4
or MATH 525 Linearity I
MATH 528Multidimensional Calculus4
or MATH 526 Linearity II
ME 441Introduction to Engineering Design and Solid Modeling4
or ME 477 Introduction to Solid Modeling
ME 503Thermodynamics3
ME 525Statics4
ME 526Mechanics of Materials3
ME 561Introduction to Materials Science4
ME 603Heat Transfer3
ME 608Fluid Dynamics3
ME 627Dynamics3
ME 643Machine Design3
ME 646Experimental Measurement and Data Analysis4
ME 670Systems Modeling, Simulation, and Control4
ME 705Thermal System Analysis and Design4
ME 747Experimental Measurement and Modeling of Complex Systems4
ME 755Senior Design Project I2
or TECH 797 Undergraduate Ocean Research Project
ME 756Senior Design Project II2
or TECH 797 Undergraduate Ocean Research Project
PHYS 407General Physics I4
PHYS 408General Physics II4

 Technical Elective Requirements

Of the five technical elective courses, at least three of these courses must be taken in mechanical or ocean engineering, and these must be at least three credits and at the 600 or 700 level. At most, two may be selected from other 600- or 700-level courses in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS), which can include CS 410C Introduction to Scientific Programming/C, CS 410P Introduction to Scientific Programming/Python (equivalent to a 600 level technical elective), ESCI 501 Introduction to Oceanography, ECE 543 Introduction to Digital Systems, or a course approved by the department. Only one technical elective is allowed at the 400 or 500 level.  Courses that cover nearly identical material to core mechanical and ocean engineering courses, but in another CEPS department, will not be accepted as technical electives, e.g.,

CHBE 601Fluid Mechanics and Unit Operations3
CHBE 602Heat Transfer and Unit Operations3
CHBE 604Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics3
CEE 635Engineering Materials4
CEE 650Fluid Mechanics4
ECE 633Signals and Systems I3

Students should consult with their academic advisor before selecting technical electives outside of mechanical/ocean engineering.  With departmental  approval, the two technical electives outside of mechanical/ocean engineering can be used for studying a focused area/minor, with the restrictions that only one course can be at the 400 or 500 level and the focused area/minor must be in a bachelor's degree program.

Discovery Program Requirements

Students must satisfy the University's Discovery Program requirements. The following features are unique to students in the Mechanical Engineering Program:

As is the case across the University, all students are required to take an Inquiry course or an Inquiry Attributes course during their first two years. This can be satisfied with ME 441 Introduction to Engineering Design and Solid Modeling. Students who are exempt from ME 441 Introduction to Engineering Design and Solid Modeling due to prior engineering design and computer-aided design (CAD) experience must select an Inquiry 444 course or a course with an Inquiry Attribute and enroll in ME 477 Introduction to Solid Modeling. The Discovery Environment, Technology, and Society category requirement is met upon receiving a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering. The Discovery Social Science category must be satisfied with either ECON 402 Principles of Economics (Micro) or EREC 411 Environmental and Resource Economics Perspectives. The Discovery senior capstone experience is satisfied with either ME 755 Senior Design Project I and ME 756 Senior Design Project II or TECH 797 Undergraduate Ocean Research Project.

Transfer Policy for UNH Students into the Department of Mechanical Engineering

CEPS Students: To transfer into the freshman or sophomore year, students must earn a combined GPA greater than (but not equal to) 2.00 in PHYS 407 General Physics I and MATH 426 Calculus II with no grade below a C in these two courses.

If students are enrolled in ME 525 Statics (or CEE 500 Statics for Civil Engineers), ME 526 Mechanics of Materials (or CEE 501 Strength of Materials), or ME 503 Thermodynamics, they must earn a combined GPA of 2.00 with no grade below a C- in two of these courses with only one C- grade allowed to transfer into Mechanical Engineering. Note: A combined GPA greater than (but not equal to) 2.00 in PHYS 407 General Physics I and MATH 426 Calculus II with no grade below a C is also required.

Non-CEPS Students: To transfer into the Department of Mechanical Engineering from another college at UNH, students have to satisfy the CEPS college transfer policy as well as the Department of Mechanical Engineering transfer policies listed above according to their status.

  • 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.

Explore Program Details

Students work with their academic advisor to plan a program that is based on the courses shown in the UNH undergraduate catalog applicable to year of entry. 

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