UNDERGRADUATE STUDY - Information for Current Undergraduates
Overview
The undergraduate program of study in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley addresses both the quest to understand how things work and the desire to put this understanding to practical use. The student body is guided by faculty who merit national and international recognition, who are members of prestigious engineering societies and counted among the outstanding scholars in their profession. The faculty is committed to the advancement of the fundamental engineering sciences encountered by undergraduates in a curriculum that is heavy in "basics." This is balanced by their demonstrated interest and active participation in practical developments as well. Thus, our graduates can function at the leading edge of engineering practice, tackling jobs that are far from dull or routine.
Mechanical Engineering includes the science and art of formulation, design, development and control of systems and components involving thermodynamics, mechanics, fluid mechanics, mechanisms and the conversion of energy into useful work. The undergraduate program provides a broad scientific and technical background in mechanical engineering. Undergraduate specialization is provided in the choice of
technical
electives from the subject areas of applied mechanics, automatic controls,
electro-mechanical systems, energy conversion, fluid mechanics, heat and mass
transfer, manufacturing systems and materials processing, mechanical design,
cryogenics, thermodynamics, robotics and automation, biomedical and
environmental engineering,
ocean engineering,
and nuclear engineering.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has adopted a set of educational objectives that frame the undergraduate curriculum. During the first two years, coursework emphasizes mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing, materials, statics and graphics -- much of this in common with the other engineering curricula. In the last two years, the emphasis is on mechanics of solids and fluids, thermodynamics, heat transfer manufacturing, design and controls; instrumentation, experimentation and system synthesis. The requisite laboratory course in the senior year is the cornerstone of the curriculum. Students may also participate in group design projects or research projects as part of their program. Specialization may be pursued through a wide selection of elective courses, double major programs and programs jointly offered by other departments. Click
here to go directly to the Table of Contents page of the
Announcement of the College of Engineering (PDF).
Note: the covers from the hard copy version do not appear in this PDF version. To find specific text in the PDF Announcement, do the following: On a PC: Type Control + F (if the document is automatically opened in your web browser, you instead might have to click the "Search" feature on the toolbar). On a Mac: Type Apple + F.
Click on
this
link for
a flowchart of course study in Mechanical Engineering.
Classes in Mechanical Engineering are relatively small. Students become easily acquainted with faculty and fellow students who come from all parts of the world and from different cultural backgrounds to find an academic home here. This exciting environment provides numerous opportunities for cultural enrichment, personal development, and recreation for the hard-working engineering student.
Engineering students and faculty at Berkeley take a serious competitive interest in their achievements. Our students are strongly represented each year among the top scholars on campus. With a generous gift from William G. and Mary C. Drake, the Department established a four year, fully funded, merit-based Drake Scholarship which is awarded to about six incoming Freshmen each year. For further information about the Drake Scholarship and other scholarships available to undergraduates, contact the Undergraduate Instruction Office (telephone 510-642-4094; email anayancy@me.berkeley.edu). Because of the widening range of technological needs and the limited areas of specialization in the undergraduate curriculum, students should consider graduate study to expand their scientific and technological capabilities in preparation for their engineering careers.
Additional details on the undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, as well as information regarding joint degree and interdisciplinary programs of study may be obtained from the College of Engineering or the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Instruction Office.
ME Minor
The minor in Mechanical Engineering is intended as an optional program that encourages coherence in the coursework that students undertake outside their major field(s) of study.
Requirements:
- For admission to the minor program, a minimum overall grade-point average of 3.00, as well as a minimum of 3.00 grade-point average in the prerequisite courses for the minor, which are: Physics 7A, Mechanical Engineering 104, Mechanical Engineering 105, and Civil Engineering 130.
- Upon admission to the minor, completion of a minimum of three (3) upper division courses in Mechanical Engineering, of which no more than one can be also counted toward the requirements of the major(s).
- A minimum of 2.00 grade-point average in the minor courses at graduation.
- Completion of the minor cannot delay graduation.
Procedures:
- After completion of the prerequisite courses, students will need to complete and submit to the Undergraduate Office of Mechanical Engineering (Room 6189 Etcheverry) a "Minor Program Application" form.
- The Department of Mechanical Engineering will approve or deny the application based on the stated guidelines. If the application is approved, the department will provide the student with a copy of the approved form and retain the original.
- Upon completion of the requirements for the minor, the student must complete and submit to the Undergraduate Office of Mechanical Engineering the "Confirmation of Completion" form.
- The department will verify the completion of the minor and send the original form to the Office of the Registrar, Sproul Hall, MC 5404 (note: for graduating seniors, this must be done no later than two weeks after the end of the graduation term).
- The department of Mechanical Engineering will also send a copy of the Confirmation of Completion" to the student's College or School and retain a copy for departmental file.
- A notation in the memorandum section of the student's transcript will indicate completion of the minor.
ME Student Awards
The Alexander & Ethel Levens Mechanical Engineering Award
Established in 1986 in memory of Professor Levens and his wife and is giving to undergraduate students for excellent performance in Mechanical Design. This award is available to two students each year; one lower division student who has shown the most excellent performance in graphics, and one upper division student who has shown the most excellent performance in mechanical design. $500-$1000 to each student.
The Frank Jarrett Machine Design Prize
Established in 1981 by Professor Frank L. Jarrett and a matching contribution from FMC Foundation to be used by the department on mechanical engineering as a donation fund. The Mechanical Engineering Department established the Frank Jarret Design Award to be presented each semester to the student with the most outstanding student project in machine design (ME102B). Prize of $500-1000.
Departmental Citations
http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/prizes/honorcit.html
The Departmental Citation Award was initiated in 1955 by the committee on Prizes with the approval and support of the Chancellor.
Undergraduate Research
- Undergraduate research projects are available in some ME faculty research groups. Students may receive credit through ME 199 units.
- Research at Berkeley
