Undergraduate Programs

Minors

Minor in Aerospace Engineering

The minor in Aerospace Engineering is offered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science. It is available to undergraduate students pursuing an ABET-accredited BS degree in Engineering.

Students develop a solid, broad-based background in engineering, arts, humanities, and social sciences with an emphasis in aerospace engineering, which includes the study of aerospace sciences such as aerodynamics, flight dynamics and control, aerospace structures, aerospace propulsion and the design of aerospace vehicles. During the junior and senior years, the students learn about aerospace engineering by taking five courses.

Aerodynamics: Thin airfoil theory, lifting-line theory for finite wings, slender body theory, linearized compressible flow and Prandtl-Glauert rule, supersonic thin airfoil theory, introduction to performance, and concepts of airfoil design.
Flight Dynamics & Control: Aircraft dynamics, aircraft stability, flight control, flying qualities, and the application of control theory to control system design.
Aerospace Propulsion: Introduction to propeller, jet, ramjet, and rocket propulsion, 1-D analysis of gas turbine engine performance, analysis and performance of air-breathing propulsion system, analysis and design of gas turbine engine components, e.g., inlets, nozzles, compressors, turbines, turbofan and turbo-propeller and combustors.
Aerospace Structures: Key features of aerospace structures, basic properties of aerospace materials, principles of stressed skin construction; bending, shear, and torsion of open and closed thin-walled cross-section beams, structural idealization, loads on flight vehicles, applications to wings and fuselages.
Aerospace Electives: Advanced courses in aerospace, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics or thermal sciences.

Students pursuing the Minor in Aerospace Engineering must complete a total of 15 units of coursework as described below. Courses selected for the minor program may count toward program requirements of the student’s major. Courses taken under the pass/fail grading option cannot be used for a minor program.

Required Courses (6 units):

MEMS 4301: Modeling, Simulation and Control

or ESE 441: Control Systems

MEMS 5700: Aerodynamics

Core Courses (3-6 units):

MEMS 5701: Propulsion

MEMS 5704: Aircraft Structures

Electives (3-6 units):

Any course from the MS in Aerospace concentration list can be used as an Aerospace Minor Elective.

Minor in Energy Engineering

This minor will provide students with course work that will enhance their background, knowledge, and skills in the topical area of Energy Engineering. The minor covers classes in several fields of science and engineering, encompassing the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science.

A minor in Energy Engineering requires the completion of 18 units selected from the following menus. It is open to undergraduate students pursuing an engineering major, students from the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) in Arts & Sciences, and the Environmental Studies major. Interested departments should expose students to energy and related concepts in their introductory courses:

Basic & Applied Sciences (two courses):

EECE 203: Thermodynamics I OR MEMS 301: Thermodynamics
MEMS 3410: Fluid Mechanics OR ChE 367: Transport I (Fluids)
EECE 303: Transport Phenomena III: Energy Transport Processes OR MEMS 3420: Heat Transfer (Spring)
ESE 332 Power, Energy and Polyphase Circuits (Spring)

Social Science/Policy/Economics Elective (one course):

EnSt 357: Environmental Problem Solving (Spring)
EnSt 350 W: Environmental Issues: Writing (Spring)
EnSt 451: Environmental Policy (Fall)

Electives (Choose three courses. One of the courses is required to be chosen from outside your major degree department. A partner department may approve the use of a course listed under Basic & Applied Sciences as elective.)

1. EECE 411: International Experience in Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering (Summer/Fall)

2. EECE 412: Sustainability Exchange: Community and University Practicums (Fall/Spring)

3. EECE 591: Energy and Buildings (Fall)

4. EECE/MEMS 5404: Combustion Phenomena (Fall)

5. EECE 311: Green Engineering (Fall)

6. EECE 421: Advanced Energy Laboratory (Fall)

7. EECE 552: Biomass Energy Systems & Engineering (Spring)

1. MEMS 5422: Solar Energy Thermal Processes (Summer)

2. MEMS 5420: HVAC I (Fall)

3. MEMS 5424: Thermo Fluid Modeling of Sustainable Energy Systems (Fall)

4. MEMS 5421: HVAC II (Spring)

5. MEMS 5705: Wind Energy Systems (Spring)

6. MEMS 412: Design of Thermal Systems (Spring)

7. MEMS 5423: Sustainable Energy Environmental Building Systems (Fall)

1. ESE 434: Solid State Power Circuits and Applications (Fall)

2. ESE 435: Electrical Energy Laboratory (Spring)

3. ESE 437: Sustainable Energy (Spring)

Committee to Oversee Energy Engineering Minor: Professor Peng Bai (EECE), Professor Bruno Sinopoli (ESE), and Professor David Peters (MEMS). The committee is to ensure that any course added to the above lists contain a significant amount of energy topics and that the entire program be cohesive.

Minor in Environmental Engineering Science

The Minor in Environmental Engineering Science may be earned by students receiving any of the Bachelor of Science degrees offered by the McKelvey School of Engineering, or the Environmental Studies or Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences degrees offered by the College of Arts & Sciences.

The Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering sponsors an undergraduate minor in Environmental Engineering Science. This 21-unit program prepares students to seek an entry-level position as an environmental engineer, scientist, or analyst. The minor also provides a solid foundation for undertaking graduate study in environmental engineering.

Information and requirements (.pdf)

Minor in Materials Science & Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is an interdisciplinary field that applies the fundamental knowledge of the physical sciences to create engineering innovations. In general, “engineering” implies actively designing a system for a given application; MSE enables the design of systems from the atoms up. MSE focuses on the interrelationship between a materials structure, from the subatomic- to the macro-scale, and the properties or behaviors that the material exhibits. Materials synthesis and processing techniques enable engineers to control and change the material structure in order to obtain the desired properties. Understanding the structure-properties-processing relationship requires a fundamental understanding of the underlying chemistry and physics, and is key to obtaining materials with the desired performance for engineering applications in a wide variety of fields, from computing to medicine to energy.

The minor in MSE builds upon the fundamental insights into material structure and properties gained through required introductory courses in chemistry and materials science. Students then select at least two courses from specialization “pick lists” to gain depth in a particular application area. A free elective provides the opportunity to gain additional depth in the fundamentals or exposure to another application area.

Requirements for the minor in MSE: 3 required course, 2 courses from specialization “pick lists”, 1 free elective (17 credits). Some courses have prerequisites. Students will be approved for the minor after discussing appropriate course selection with the adviser for the minor.

Required courses :

Chem 111A General Chemistry I (3 credits)
Chem 151 General Chemistry Laboratory I (2 credits)
MEMS 3610 Materials Science (3 credits) OR EECE 305 Materials Science (3 credits)

Read more about the Materials Science and Engineering minor. Pick list (.pdf)

For more information contact the adviser for the Minor in Materials Science and Engineering: Professor Kathy Flores (MEMS).

Minor in Mechanical Engineering

The Minor in Mechanical Engineering complements studies in a field related to mechanical engineering, such as biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, or architecture. The minor is intended to provide students with a credential that could enhance their opportunities for employment or graduate study. Completion of the minor demonstrates that the student has pursued a structured program approved by the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

Students pursuing the Minor in Mechanical Engineering must complete a total of 15 units of coursework as described below. Courses selected for the minor program may count toward program requirements of the student’s major (see examples below). The subjects selected for a Minor in Mechanical Engineering are expected to constitute a coherent program within the field of mechanical engineering. Courses taken under the pass/fail grading option cannot be used for a minor program.

Required Courses:

MEMS 253 Engineering Mechanics I: Statics and Strength of Materials OR BME 240: Biomechanics

MEMS 255 Engineering Mechanics II: Dynamics OR Physics 411: Mechanics

MEMS 350 Engineering Mechanics III: Mechanics of Deformable Solids

Electives: (Select 2 from this list):

MEMS 301: Thermodynamics OR EECE 203: Thermodynamics I OR BME 320B: Bioengineering Thermodynamics

MEMS 3410: Fluid Mechanics

MEMS 3610: Materials Science OR EECE 305 Materials Science

MEMS 3110: Machine Elements

MEMS 4310: Dynamics and Vibrations

Prerequisites for courses in the Mechanical Engineering Minor

Pre-requisites for required courses for the minor

MEMS 253: Mechanics I Pre-requisite: Physics 117A; Co-requisite: Math 217

MEMS 255: Mechanics II Pre-requisite: Math 217

MEMS 350: Mechanics III Pre-requisite: MEMS 253 or BME 240

Pre-requisites for electives for the minor:

MEMS 301: Thermodynamics Pre-requisites: Chem 111A, Math 132, Phys 117A

MEMS 3410: Fluid Mechanics Pre-requisites: MEMS 255, Math 233, Math 217

MEMS 3610: Materials Science Pre-requisite: Chem 111A

MEMS 3110: Machine Elements Pre-requisites: MEMS 253 or BME 240, MEMS 3610

MEMS 4310: Dynamics and Vibrations Pre-requisites: MEMS 255, ESE 318, ESE 319

To find out more about the Minor in Mechanical Engineering, please contact Professor Bayly, the program adviser.

Minor in Mechatronics

Advancements in power electronics, electronic sensors, computer hardware and software have led to an expanding role for “smart” systems, which combine electronic and mechanical components.

Automotive examples illustrate this point. The replacement of carburetors by fuel injection systems is almost universal, and hybrid/electric cars are replacing traditional automobiles. Not only are auxiliary devices such as fuel pumps, air bags, and air-conditioner compressors, but fundamental components such as intake and outtake valves will soon be driven by electric motors controlled by microprocessors. The internal combustion engine itself may be replaced by fuel cells and motors. Medical devices, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), robots, fly-by-wire aircraft, and wind turbines all also rely on electronic sensing of mechanical parameters and actuation of motion.

These examples suggest strongly that engineers who are adept in the design, analysis, and simulation of electro-mechanical systems will be in demand. The Minor in Mechatronics is created to encourage our students to study this important subject and provide recognition to those who do so.

This program is primarily designed for students in the ESE and MEMS departments and has been approved by the two departments. It is available for others as well.

For more information, contact the director of the Mechatronics Minor Program, Dennis Mell (ESE), or visit the Minor in Mechatronics webpage.

Minor in Nanoscale Science & Engineering

This minor will enhance students’ knowledge and skills in the area of nanotechnology. The minor consists of courses, labs, and a project with a participating faculty in the Nanotechnology minor program. The minor may be earned by any undergraduate student pursuing an Engineering or Arts & Sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Environmental Studies, Pre-Med) major.

For more information and requirements, visit the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering or contact a member of the Committee to Oversee Nanotechnology Minor: Professor Rohan Mishra (MEMS, Coordinator) or Professor Elijah Thimsen (EECE).

Information and requirements (.pdf)

Minor in Robotics

Robotic systems have wide application in modern technology and manufacturing. Robots can vary in complexity and use, from microrobots for surgical procedures to moderate-size robots common in manufacturing and undersea exploration to macrorobots used for disposal of nuclear wastes and as arms on space-station modules. The program designed for a Minor in Robotics provides a fundamental understanding of robotic operation and preliminary training in design and use of robots.

For more information about the Minor in Robotics, contact the program director, Dennis Mell (ESE) or visit the Minor in Robotics webpage.