Undergraduate Program

WHY MAJOR IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING?

The Mechanical Engineering Department prides itself in providing a challenging yet rewarding experience for undergraduate students to develop as engineers, scholars and citizens. The department supports an undergraduate degree program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME). Some highlights of the ME program:

  • Strong background in core engineering and science courses with course options in thermodynamics, fluids, mechanics of materials, machine design, computer-aided engineering, and heat transfer.

  • Advanced technical elective options that can be used in one of the ME transcriptable tracks (e.g. aerospace, automotive, automation and controls, biomechanics, etc.) or to obtain a minor in another field.

  • Four-course project-based experience in the middle years, with integrated design concepts and ME applied skills in programming, machining, instrumentation, and prototyping.

  • Yearlong multidisciplinary senior design capstone course offering real-world engineering experiences through client-driven projects and national competitions

  • Diverse student organizations to apply learning outside the classroom, grow a professional network, and gain valuable leadership experience.

Scheduling

The BSME Flowchart provides a typical schedule for a four-year program to fulfill the degree requirements. While this flowchart represents example paths, we invite our undergraduate students to discuss course options with department advisors.

ME-FLowchart Jan 24 reqs update

Advisement

Advisement is a crucial component of the ME undergraduate experience. Advisors assist students in developing academic skills, planning for course completion, setting post-graduation goals, and establishing professional relationships. The sections below give helpful tips for ME students at each stage of their undergraduate career. For questions about advisement, please contact Lizi Fapp, Chris Rief, or Kevin Pluta, the undergraduate major advisors for the Mechanical Engineering program. Refer to the Curriculum tab below for course offerings and program path options.

Advisement Tips: All Students

In addition to keeping track of prerequisite and corequisite chains, all Mechanical Engineering students should be aware of the following critical sequences of courses:

Advisement Tips: Freshmen

  • Review your transcript to ensure any AP, IB, and dual enrollment credits you have earned have transferred to Mines.

  • Mechanical Engineering recommends that you have a laptop or desktop computer that can run the SolidWorks computer-aided design program and other numerical analysis programs. Requirement specifications can be found at the Mines ITS Computer Recommendations page.

  • Review your schedule. Ensure that you are taking EDNS 151 Cornerstone – Design I and CSCI 128 Computer Science for STEM during your first year.

  • Review the ME flowchart and use the SMART Plan Tool to create a semester-by-semester course plan for graduation.

  • Meet with your CASA advisor at least once each semester.

  • If you are interested in studying abroad, meet with the International Office to start planning.

  • Attend office hours, introduce yourself to professors and TAs (build your network).

  • Attend/participate in ME-sponsored events. For example, these include Mechanical Mondays, a sticker design competition, and group advising.

  • Join a club or activity – school can be stressful, so it’s essential to find fun ways to connect with others on campus.

Advisement Tips: Sophomores
  • Review your schedule; ensure that you complete MEGN 200 and MEGN 201 by the end of your sophomore year. You are welcome to enroll in both courses in the fall semester, if there is space. We will ensure you are able to enroll in the remaining course(s) in the spring if you are unable to enroll in the fall.
  • Review degree evaluation in Degree Works.
  • Review and update the graduation plan.
  • Schedule a meeting with the ME faculty advisor to review and discuss academic goals, plan for graduation, degree evaluation, track/ASI/minor, and career aspirations.
  • Start considering tracks. The sooner you decide, the easier scheduling electives will be over the next two years.
  • Work with the Career Center to build a professional resume and attend both the fall and spring career fairs.
  • Attend/participate in ME-sponsored events.
  • Summer: look for/complete internship, undergraduate research (ex. MURF) or coursework (strongly recommended but not required). Make sure to balance your workload, especially if you are taking summer courses, as the 6- or 8-week format requires constant attention and typically involves 25-30 hours of work per week.
Advisement Tips: Juniors
  • Review your schedule. Ensure that you are taking MEGN 300 during the first semester and MEGN 301 (required prerequisite for EDNS 491) during the second semester. Note that MEGN381 is a pre- or co-requisite for MEGN301.
  • Take at least one midlevel or 400-level CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) course.
  • Attend office hours, introduce yourself to professors and TAs (build your network).
  • Review degree evaluation in Degree Works.
  • Review and update the graduation plan.
  • Last call to declare an ME track.
  • Meet with the ME faculty advisor at least once each semester to review your degree evaluation and your graduation plan. Discuss what would be appropriate internship opportunities and ME technical electives that align with your career aspirations.
  • Research graduate school and 4+1 (BS+MS) opportunities (if interested).
  • 25% of ME students went directly to graduate school*
  • Average starting salary with: MS = $84,200*, BS = $81,700* · For information on ME graduate programs, please review the ME Graduate website
  • Consider applying for a TA/tutoring position. This is an excellent opportunity to build your understanding of the subject matter while earning money, expanding your professional network, and fostering connections with the ME department.
  • Attend/participate in ME-sponsored events.
  • Review and update your resume and attend fall and spring career fairs.
  • Summer: look for/complete internship, undergraduate research (ex. MURF) or coursework (strongly recommended but not required). Make sure to balance your workload, especially if you are taking summer courses, as the 6- or 8-week format requires constant attention and typically involves 25-30 hours of work per week.

* 2023-24 Mines Career Center Annual Report

Advisement Tips: Seniors

  • Review your schedule. Ensure that you are taking EDNS 491 CAPSTONE DESIGN I during the first semester and EDNS 492 CAPSTONE DESIGN II during the second (and final!) semester.

  • Complete CULTURE AND SOCIETY (CAS) requirements.

  • Apply for graduation for the appropriate semester (must be completed after earning 90 credit hours and before the first day of the final semester of enrollment).

  • Review degree evaluation in Trailhead/Degree Works and finalize any forms (minors, course substitutions, catalog changes, etc.).

  • Review and update the graduation plan.

  • Meet with the ME faculty advisor to review degree evaluation and to discuss graduate school and career aspirations, how to connect with industry, and job-securing techniques for your field.

  • Apply to graduate school (if applicable).

  • Work with Career Center on resumé, cover letters, interviewing, and effective job searches.

  • Request recommendation letters and references from your professional network well in advance of the due dates.

Advisement Tips: Transfer Students

  • Review your transcript to ensure all applicable credits that you have earned have been transferred.

  • We encourage you to enroll in EDNS 151 and/or CSCI1 28 in the summer prior to starting at Mines. These are prerequisite courses for our Project-Based Design Sequence, including MEGN 200 and 201. You could also take MEGN 200 and/or 201 in the summer if you are able.

  • We also encourage you to think about how many semesters you might have with us in the ME program. If it is 5 semesters, then we would like to enroll you in MEGN 200 and 201 in your first full semester on campus. You will then advance into the MEGN 300 | MEGN 301 | EDNS 491 | EDNS 492 courses, which are all hard prerequisites to one another. Again, this is why it is important to consider EDNS 151 and CSCI 128 in the summer if at all possible. · Work closely with CASA before classes begin to review degree requirements and the first semester schedule.

  • Review flow chart/catalog degree requirements and use SMART Plan tool to create a semester-by-semester plan for graduation.

  • If you have any concerns about the critical course sequence listed in “All Students” section delaying graduation, please contact Lizi Fapp, Kevin Pluta, or Chris Rief, Advising Coordinators, or Dr. Daniel Blood, Associate Department Head, or Dr. Ventzi Karaivanov, Director of Undergraduate Studies – ME.

  • Attend/participate in ME-sponsored events.

  • Students who are Veterans of the U.S. military may be eligible to petition for EDNS 151 credit (talk to the CASA advisor for more details).

  • Review appropriate grade-level advising information contained on this page. Freshman – 0-29 credit hours, Sophomore – 30-59 credit hours, Junior – 60-89 credit hours, Senior – 90+ credit hours.

MINORS AND ASIs

ME TRACKS

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DISTINCTION

POSTER PRINTING

CAPSTONE DESIGN SUBMISSION

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

$81,700
2024 average starting salary for BSME graduates

78.5%
undergrads who complete internships

140
companies, national labs and universities
that hire our grads  

#14
in BSME degrees awarded, out of the top 50 institutions (ASEE Engineering by the Numbers, 2022)

Mechanical Engineering informational flyer

BSME DEGREE OVERVIEW

The Mechanical Engineering program intentionally embeds several professional and technical skills, e.g., working on teams, engineering design, technical communication, and programming, throughout the Mechanical Engineering curriculum. During the freshman and sophomore years, students complete a set of core courses that include mathematics, basic sciences, and fundamental engineering disciplines. This includes early open-ended design experiences in Introduction to Design (EDNS 151), Introduction to Mechanical Engineering: Programming and Hardware Interface (MEGN 200), and Introduction to Mechanical Engineering: Design and Fabrication (MEGN 201). Additionally, courses in Culture and Society (CAS) allow students to explore the linkages between the environment, human society, and engineered systems.

In the middle years, Mechanical Engineering offers a four-course project-based design sequence to learn engineering tools, including MATLAB, SolidWorks, and LabVIEW, in a hands-on environment. This experience teaches design methodology and emphasizes the creative aspects of the mechanical engineering profession. This course sequence helps prepare students for an open-ended, industry-based project in the senior design experience.

In the junior and senior years, students complete an advanced mechanical engineering core that includes fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, numerical methods, machine design, and manufacturing processes. This engineering core is complemented by courses in engineering economics and electives in Culture and Society (CAS). Students must also take one Advanced Engineering Science Elective course, three ME Technical Elective courses, and two additional free electives to explore specific fields of interest. In the senior year, all students must complete a capstone design course focused on a multidisciplinary engineering project.

Tracks in Mechanical Engineering offer an opportunity for ME undergrads to explore various topics in mechanical engineering in more depth. Students gain depth in the areas by focusing their ME Electives on four courses prescribed in each track. Each track is defined by one course required in the Advanced Engineering Science Elective and three courses required from the ME Elective courses, thereby not increasing the overall credit hour requirement. Please note that undergraduate students are not required to declare a track. Tracks are suggestions for students to gain advanced knowledge in a subdiscipline area and are “transcriptable.”

Students in mechanical engineering spend considerable time with design and testing equipment available in the W160, CTLM123, a large machine shop, the Labriola Innovation Hub, and automation spaces for prototyping and testing equipment. Students are also encouraged to get involved in research with our faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. These research areas include: Biomechanics: Solid Mechanics, Materials and Manufacturing; Thermal Fluid and Energy Systems; Robotics and Automation; and Interdisciplinary Research. Our students also find internship opportunities to gain practical experience and explore the various industries under the umbrella of mechanical engineering.

There are plenty of opportunities outside of the curriculum for students to explore their passions. We have an active Mines Maker Space, Robotics Club, and Abilities Research & Design Group, a group of students enabling those with disabilities to try new activities or advance their performance in a given sport. These are just a few of the clubs and societies where students engage with the community or compete in design challenges nationwide.

Program Educational Objectives (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering)

The Mechanical Engineering program contributes to the educational objectives described in the Mines’ Graduate Profile and the ABET Accreditation Criteria. Accordingly, the Mechanical Engineering Program at Mines has established the following program educational objectives for the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree:

Within three to five years of completing their degree, graduates will be able to:

  • Apply their Mechanical Engineering education as active contributors to their professional community and society more broadly;
  • Effectively communicate information and its practical and societal impact to a diverse and globally integrated society;
  • Demonstrate their commitment to professional development and life-long learning through workforce readiness training, professional community involvement, and community outreach;
  • Embody ethical, environmental and societal responsibility encompassing diversity, equity and inclusion in their professional activities.

 

The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

The enrollment and graduation data for the Mechanical Engineering program and other Mines programs can be found on the homepage of the Office of Institutional Research.

STUDENT OUTCOMES | BSME

The Student Outcomes for the Mechanical Engineering program are the same as those required by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). BSME graduates from our program will demonstrate:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics
  2. 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
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

ME PROGRAM CRITERIA

Lead Society: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

These program criteria will apply to all engineering programs that include “mechanical” or similar modifiers in their titles.

  1. Curriculum
    The curriculum must require students to apply principles of engineering, basic science and mathematics (including multivariate calculus and differential equations); to model, analyze, design and realize physical systems, components or processes; and prepare students to work professionally in either thermal or mechanical systems while requiring topics in each area.
  1. Faculty
    The program must demonstrate that faculty members responsible for the upper-level professional program are maintaining currency in their specialty area.

CURRICULUM

The Mechanical Engineering department offers a design-oriented undergraduate program that emphasizes fundamental engineering principles. Students receive a strong foundation in ME disciplines and a working knowledge of modern engineering tools. Many courses are augmented through hands-on and project-based experiences. Successful graduates are well prepared for an ME career in a world of rapid technological change. The program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Current course descriptions, course offerings and co-/prerequisites can be found on the Courses tab.

Click here to view the ME Flowchart for 2025-2026

Click here to view the Catalog

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

2024-2025
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2023-2024
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2022-2023
Flowchart| See Catalog Year

2021-2022
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2020-2021
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2019–2020
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2018–2019
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2017–2018
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

2016–2017
Flowchart | See Catalog Year

 

 

COURSES

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL ME COURSES IN THE ACADEMIC CATALOG
(select the courses tab)

 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TRACKS

Tracks in Mechanical Engineering offer an opportunity for ME undergrads to explore various topics in mechanical engineering in more depth.  Students gain depth in the areas by focusing their ME Electives on four courses prescribed in the tracks.  Each track is defined below with one course required in the Advanced Engineering Science Elective and three courses required from the ME Elective courses.  Note that undergraduate students are not required to align with a track. Tracks are suggestions for students to gain advanced knowledge in a subdiscipline area and are “transcriptable.”

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ME TRACKS

 

 CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ACADEMIC CATALOG

MINORS AND AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

  • Minors and Areas of Special Interest (ASI) are for students who have a major outside of Mechanical Engineering and want to supplement their degree with a Mechanical Engineering specialty minor or concentration. 
  • Students majoring in Mechanical Engineering, see the ME Tracks tab for specialty focus options.

The Mechanical Engineering department offers minors and areas of special interest (ASI). Students who elect a minor or ASI must fulfill all prerequisite requirements for each course in a chosen sequence. Students in the sciences or mathematics must be prepared to meet prerequisite requirements in fundamental engineering and engineering science courses. Students in engineering disciplines are better positioned to meet the prerequisite requirements. (See Minor/ASI section of the catalog for all requirements for a minor/ASI at Mines.)

View our current list of minors and ASIs.

 

 

COMBINED MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S DEGREES

Mechanical Engineering offers a combined program for our Master’s Non-Thesis Degree in which students have the opportunity to obtain specific engineering skills supplemented with graduate coursework in mechanical engineering. Upon completion of the program, students receive two degrees: the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Admission into a graduate degree program as a combined undergraduate/graduate degree student may occur once the student has reached 60 credits and students can begin taking graduate classes after completing 90 credits. In order to be eligible for the combined program, students must have one overlapping semester between their undergraduate and Graduate Program.  This means students must apply and be admitted to (at minimum) the same semester they are graduating with their Undergraduate Degree.  For example, if you are graduating in Spring 2026 you must be admitted to the Graduate Program for the Spring 2026 semester meaning you must apply in the Fall 2025 semester.  Students admitted into the combined program can double-count a maximum of 6 credit hours (2 courses) of graduate level coursework towards their undergraduate degree.  Courses eligible to double count meet the following criteria:
– 500 level or above
– Passed with a B- or better
– On the ME Electives List (Back of the ME UG Flowchart or listed as a 500 option if you are doing Tracks).

All requirements for the Combined Program can be found in the catalog.

Students will complete 30 credits for their MS degree which can include two double counted courses.  The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Bulletin provides detail for the graduate program and includes specific instructions for required and elective courses.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMBINED PROGRAM DETAILS, FAQS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ME GRADUATE PROGRAM

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ACADEMIC CATALOG

 

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

One way to apply learning outside the classroom at Mines is through active participation in student organizations. There are a number of mechanical engineering and professional engineering student organizations in which a student can become involved. Each organization extends networking opportunities and leadership experiences.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
Professional organization seeking to educate students and the community about the benefits of space and inspiring people through involvement in space-related projects.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEATING REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING ENGINEERS (ASHRAE)
Professional organization dedicated to shaping tomorrow’s built environment today. Exploring heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration engineering as well as building modeling, control systems and HVAC design.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (ASME)
The Mines chapter of ASME strives to serve and improve the Mines campus and community by advancing, educating and applying engineering knowledge. This is accomplished through service hours, tutoring, social and professional development events and project presentations. Projects include floating arm trebuchet, build-your-own long board and a kinetic wave sculpture.

MINES MAKER SOCIETY
The Maker Society functions to strengthen the collaborative mindset and streamline resources to develop a strong “making community” at Mines.

ROBOTICS CLUB
Mines Robotics is dedicated to bringing basic robotic knowledge and competition to the students of Mines and also encourages volunteering in STEM.

SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS (SAE)
SAE is a professional organization for scientists and engineers who have an interest in cars. The organization promotes learning and innovation in the automotive world and establishes many of the industry standards for the safety of automobiles and passengers. Mines has a collegiate chapter that is a branch of SAE International.

FORMULA SAE
Formula SAE challenges students to conceive, design, fabricate and compete with small formula-style racing cars. Teams spend 8–12 months designing, building and preparing their vehicles for a competition. These cars are judged in a series of static and dynamic events, including technical inspection, cost, presentation, engineering design, solo performance trials and high-performance endurance.

EXPLORE OTHER STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AT MINES

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A DEPARTMENT VISIT

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AN ADVISOR

 

What can Mechanical@Mines do for you?

In 2024, the year of our 150th anniversary, we will celebrate Colorado School of Mines’ past, present and possibilities. By celebrating and supporting the Campaign for MINES@150 you will help elevate Mines to be an accessible, top-of-mind and first-choice for students, faculty, staff, recruiters and other external partners. When you give, you are ensuring Mines becomes even more distinctive and highly sought-after by future students, alumni, industry, and government partners over the next 150 years. We look forward to celebrating Mines’ sesquicentennial with you and recognizing the key role you play in making the MINES@150 vision a reality through your investments of time, talent and treasure. Give now