Rev.

10/06

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CURRICULUM NOTES PROGRAM 284

[Effective for students entering ME after Spring 2006]
Shown below is a typical program of study including the recommended Freshman year. Courses need not
be taken in the semester indicated providing you observe prerequisites, but all courses are required. (The
program map on the web at: https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/Academics/Undergraduate/index.html
shows required prerequisites).
It is your responsibility to make sure you fulfill the degree requirements.
FRESHMAN YEAR
First Semester

Second Semester

(4) MA 165 Analytc Geometry & Calc I

(4) CHEM 115 General Chemistry
(3) ENGL 108 (or 106) English Composition I
(3) ENGR 126 Comput Tool for Engrs
(2) CGT 163 Intro to Graphics for Mfg.a
(1) ENGR 100 Engineering Lectures

(4) MA 166 Analytc Geometry & Calc II

(3 or 4) Sci. Selective (CHEM 116 or CS 158)
(4) PHYS 172 Mechanics
(3) COM 114 Fundament of Speech

17

14
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Third Semester

Fourth Semester

(4) MA 261 Multi-variate Calculus

(3) ME 200 Thermodynamics I
(3) ME 270 Basic Mechanics I
(1) ME 290 Mech. Engr. Seminar
(3) PHYS 241 Electricity & Optics
(3) Economics Electiveb

(4) MA 262 Linear Alg. & Diff. Eq.

(3) ME 263 Intro. Mech. Engr. Design
(3) ME 274 Basic Mechanics II
(3) EE 201 Linear Circuit Anal
(1) EE 207 Elect. Meas. Tech.
(3) World Affairs & Cultures Electiveb

17

17
JUNIOR YEAR
Fifth Semester

Sixth Semester

(3) MA 303 Diff. Eq. for Engrs. & Sc.

(4) ME 309 Fluid Mechanics
(3) ME 323 Mech. Of Materials
(3) ME 365 Systems & Measurements
(3) General Education Electiveb

(4) ME 352 Machine Design I

(3) ME 375 Syst. Modeling & Analysis
(3) MSE 230 Struc. & Prop. Materials
(3) Technical Electived
(3) General Education Electiveb

16

16
SENIOR YEAR
Seventh Semester

Eighth Semester

(4) ME 315 Heat & Mass Transfer

(3) Restricted Electivec
(3) Technical Electived
(3) Free Electivee
(3) General Education Electiveb

(3) ME 463 Engineering Design

(3) Restricted Electivec
(3) Technical Electived
(3) Technical Electived
(3) General Education Electiveb

16

15

Minimum total credit hours required 128.

a, b, c, d, e See Other Side.

ELECTIVES
The 39 credit hours of electives must be chosen in accordance with the following conditions:
a. Introductory Engineering Courses (required)
1. Entering Freshman interested in Mechanical Engineering are required to take a Science Selective
(CHEM 116 or CS 158).
2. CGT 163 Introduction to Graphics for Manufacturing is a required course in the ME curriculum
(and a prerequisite for ME 263). Students interested in ME should take CGT 163 as part of the
introductory engineering program.
b. General Education Electives (18 hrs)
Eighteen credit hours of general education electives must be chosen from the areas of:
agricultural economics, audiology and speech sciences, child development and family
studies, communication, creative arts, economics, english, foreign languages and literatures,
history, interdisciplinary studies, philosophy, political sciences, psychological sciences, and
sociology and anthropology.
Two restrictions to the General Education Electives include the following:

Economics Elective (3 cr. hrs.) Any approved economics course will satisfy the
economics elective requirement. ECON 252 Macroeconomics is recommended. Please
note that ECON 251 Microeconomics is not a prerequisite for ECON 252
Macroeconomics.
World Affairs & Cultures Elective (3 cr. hrs.) General education elective courses that
emphasize an international and/or cultural perspective will satisfy the world affairs &
cultures elective requirement. Pre-approved general education courses that meet this
requirement are shown in bold.
For the general criteria see the Guide to the General Education program available on the web at:
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/Academics/Undergraduate/GenEds.html.
c. Restricted Electives (6 hrs.)
Students are required to complete two of the following three courses to satisfy the Restricted Elective
requirement. The remaining course may be taken as a technical elective or as a free elective.
ME 300 Thermodynamics II
ME 452 Machine Design II
ME 475 Automatic Control Systems
d. Technical Electives (12 hrs.)
Students must complete 12 credit hours in engineering, mathematics, natural sciences, or
project/honors option research to satisfy the Technical Elective requirements. The general criteria
for technical electives are provided below. A list of pre-approved technical elective courses is
provided on the web at:
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/Academics/Undergraduate/METechElects.html. Any
substitutions must have prior approval of the Associate Head.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Non-required ME 400 and 500 level courses.

Physics courses of higher level than PHYS 241.
Chemistry courses of higher level than CHM 116.
Advanced biology courses and veterinary science courses
Mathematics courses more advanced than MA 303
Technical writing, ENGL 421
300, 400, or 500 level courses in any engineering school other than mechanical engineering that
are not duplicates of other courses taken.

e. Free Elective (3 hrs.)

Students are permitted one 3 credit hour Free Elective. The Free Elective can be satisfied by most
courses on campus with few exceptions. The general guidelines are listed below.
1. Additional General Education Electives or Technical Electives can be used for free elective
credit.
2. Excess introductory engineering electives can be used for the free elective.
3. ROTC courses may be used for free elective credit.
4. The primary exceptions that are not permitted for the free elective are remedial courses and
courses not intended for technical majors.
5. One course we would recommend you consider is CSR 342 Personal Finances.
Note: i.
ii.
iii.

The pass/not pass option may not be used for any courses required for graduation. All courses
counted toward any graduation requirement must be taken for a grade. However, any extra
courses not being utilized for graduation may be taken pass/not pass.
A list of project/honors option research topics is available in the Counseling Office (ME 222).
Deviations from the stated core curriculum must be approved by the Curriculum Committee
of the School of Mechanical Engineering. Requests for substitutions must be made in
writing; they should be submitted to Professor Jones (ME 222).
SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
POLICY ON SCHEDULE REVISIONS

Reference:

University Regulations, Part 2, Section V.F

Policy initiated January 9, 1978
Policy revised August 25, 1982

Students registered in the School of Mechanical Engineering will be subject to the following policies
relating to Schedule Revisions:
1. Course Additions, Change of Level, or Change of Grade Option
Academic advisors in the School of Mechanical Engineering will not approve course
additions, change of level, or a change of grade option (i.e., for a grade vs. P/NP) after the
end of the fourth week of a semester, the second week of a summer session, or the first week
of Maymester. All courses counted toward BSME graduation requirements must be take for
a grade.
2. Late Withdrawal from a Course Assignment
Academic advisors in the School of Mechanical Engineering generally will not approve
withdrawal from a ME or non-ME course after the end of the fourth week of a semester, the
first two weeks of a summer session, or the first week of Maymester. The one exception is
when there are extenuating circumstances out of the control of a student that necessitates
withdrawal from a course (e.g., a death in the family, a serious illness, etc.). In this case, a
student will receive a W (withdrawal) grade if they have earned passing grades at the point
of withdrawal, which will have no impact on the students GPA. The student will need to
provide written documentation of the extenuating circumstances. However, if a student does
not have passing grades at the point of withdrawal, he or she will receive a WF (withdraw
failing) grade.