University of Texas at El Paso Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Engineers find high-paying careers in a large number of industries. They find work in large corporations and small businesses. They often create businesses of their own and find work related to their interests such as outdoor, indoor, travel.

Marketable Skills

Students will gain the following marketable skills: 

  1. Confidence: Be self-assured through appreciating your own talents, abilities, skills, and qualities.
  2. Critical thinking: Analyze and evaluate issues in order to solve problems and develop informed opinions.
  3. Entrepreneurship: Develop, organize, and manage ideas and opportunities turning them into new products, services, firms, or industries.
  4. Leadership: Step up, think, and act critically and creatively to bring others together to accomplish a common task.
  5. Problem-solving: Find solutions to difficult or complex issues.
  6. Teamwork: Participate as an effective, efficient member of a group in order to meet a common goal.

Additionally, students will learn about mechanical design and manufacturing. 

The Mechanical Engineering curriculum is designed for students who desire to enter industry or pursue advanced studies. The curriculum provides a broad range of courses in the areas of solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermal systems, design and manufacturing and dynamics and mechatronics.

Vision

The Mechanical Engineering Program strives to graduate mechanical engineers of the highest quality and to conduct state-of-the-art research.

Mission

The Mechanical Engineering Program makes a high-quality, relevant engineering education available to all residents of the El Paso binational region. The department dedicates itself to providing students a set of skills, knowledge and attitudes that will permit its graduates to succeed and thrive as engineers and leaders.

The Program strives to:

  • prepare its graduates to pursue lifelong learning, serve the profession and meet intellectual, ethical and career challenges; and
  • maintain a vital, state-of-the-art research enterprise to provide its students and faculty opportunities to create, interpret, apply, and disseminate knowledge.

General Upper Division Prerequisite

All students must demonstrate basic competency to take any upper-division course. An upper-division course is any MECH course in the Junior or Senior year. Competency can be demonstrated by completing the following courses at UTEP with a “C” or better.

MECH 2311Intro to Thermal-fluid Sci3
MECH 2322Mechanics of Materials3
MECH 2340Mechanics II -Dynamics3

Fast Track

The Fast-Track Program enables outstanding undergraduate UTEP students to receive both undergraduate and graduate credit for up to 15 hours of UTEP course work as determined by participating Master's and Doctoral programs.  Not all undergraduate programs have elected to participate in the Fast Track option, so students should see their departmental graduate advisor for information about requirements and guidelines. A list of courses that have been approved for possible use at the graduate level is found here

Degree Plan

Required Credits: 128

University Core Curriculum
Complete the University Core Curriculum requirements.42
Mechanical Engineering Designated Core (All courses require a grade of C or better.)
CE 2326 Econ for Engrs & Scientists is a designated core course. It is required for graduation even if other course is used to fulfill the core. All Mechanical Engineering majors are encouraged to take CE 2326 to fulfill the core.
Required Courses:
CE 2326Econ for Engrs & Scientists3
CHEM 1305
CHEM 1105
General Chemistry
and Laboratory for CHEM 1305
4
MATH 1508Precalculus (Listed if completed, but not required)3-5
or MATH 1310 Trigonometry and Conics
or MATH 1411 Calculus I
PHYS 2320Introductory Mechanics3
PHYS 2120Laboratory for PHYS 23201
Mechanical Engineering (Other Requirements) (All courses require a grade of C or better.)
Required Courses:
MATH 1411Calculus I4
MATH 1312Calculus II3
MATH 2313Calculus III3
MATH 2326Differential Equations3
Science Elective
Select one of the following options:4
General Biology
and Topics in Study of Life I C
General Chemistry
and Laboratory for CHEM 1306 C
Introductory Electromagnetism
and Laboratory for PHYS 2321
MATH/Science Elective
Select one of the following:
Organismal Biology
Matrix Algebra
Applied Analysis I
Numerical Analysis
Applied Analysis II
Survey of Modern Physics
Analytical Mechanics I
Probability and Statistics
MATH Elective
Select one of the following:
Matrix Algebra
Applied Analysis I
Numerical Analysis
Applied Analysis II
Probability and Statistics
Mechanical Engineering Major
Required Courses: 1
MECH 1305Graphic & Design Fundamentals C3
MECH 1321Mechanics I-Statics C3
or CE 2315 Statics
MECH 2103Engineering Computations1
MECH 2311Intro to Thermal-fluid Sci C3
MECH 2322Mechanics of Materials C3
or CE 2334 Mechanics of Materials
MECH 2331Matl & Manufacturing Processes C3
MECH 2340Mechanics II -Dynamics C3
MECH 2342Electro Mechanical Systems C3
or ECE 2301 Electric Circuits I
MECH 3312Thermodynamics 33
MECH 3314Fluid Mechanics 33
MECH 3334Mechanical Design 33
MECH 3345System Dynamics 33
MECH 3352Engineering Analysis 33
MECH 4315Heat Transfer 33
MECH 4366Senior Design Project 2, 33
Select one of the following:
Manufacturing Engineering Lab c
Additive Manufacturing Lab c
Metal Casting Lab c
Intelligent Manufacturing Lab
Select two of the following:
Mechatronics Lab 3
Thermo-fluid Lab 3
Solid Mechanics Lab 3
Eng. Drawings & Inspection Lab
Select one of the following:
Finite Element Analysis 3
Artificial Intel. in Mech. Eng
Intro to LabVIEW
Dynamic Systems Simulation 3
Special Topics in Computation 3
Select five of the following (minimum of one from each area):
Solid Mechanics Area
Aerospace Structures I
Aerospace Structures II
Principles of Engr Design 3
Capstone Design Projects
Mechanical Design II
Pre-Professional Experiences
Special Topics in Mech. Engr. 3
Thermal Fluid Area
Aerodynamics 1
Aerospace Propulsion
Aerodynamics II
Thermal System Design 3
Renewable Energy
Special Topics in Therm Fluid 3
Electro-Mechanical Area
Systems Modelling and Control
MECH Comp App Vision Robotics
Mechanical Systems Control
Elect. Instrumentation
Comm & Mech Sensor Protocols
Mechatronics 3
Special Topics in Elect-Mech 3
Total Hours128
C

Course require a grade of C or better.

1

All institutional courses appearing in this area count towards the major GPA with a minimum of 2.0

2

Must be in the last full semester and have a 2.0 GPA or better in major.

3

Course requires grade of D or better

University Core Curriculum (A program may recommend specific courses. All courses require a C or better.)

I. Communication (six hours)

Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility.
Select six hours of the following:6
For students whose secondary education was in English:
Written and Oral Communication
Writing About Literature
Rhetoric & Composition I
Rhetoric & Composition 2
Rhetoric, Composition & Comm
For students whose secondary education was not in English:
Expos Engl Compos-Spkr Esl
Res & Crit Writng Spkr Esl
TOTAL HOURS6

II. American History (six hours)

Courses in this category focus on the consideration of past events and ideas relative to the United States, with the option of including Texas History for a portion of this component area. Courses involve the interaction among individuals, communities, states, the nation, and the world, considering how these interactions have contributed to the development of the United States and its global role. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Social Responsibility, and Personal Responsibility.
HIST 1301History of U.S. to 18653
HIST 1302History of U.S. Since 18653
TOTAL HOURS6

III. Language, Philosophy & Culture (three hours)

Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Social Responsibility, and Personal Responsibility.
Select one of the following:3
Intro-African Amer Studies
Latina/o Presence in the U.S.
English Literature
English Literature
Intro to American Fiction
Intro to American Drama
Intro to American Poetry
Making of the "Other" Americas
World History to 1500
World History Since 1500
Introduction to Philosophy
Ethics
Introduct to Religious Studies
Seeing & Naming: Conversations
Introduction to Womens Studies
Global Feminisms
TOTAL HOURS3

IV. Mathematics (three hours)

Courses in this category focus on quantitative literacy in logic, patterns, and relationships. Courses involve the understanding of key mathematical concepts and the application of appropriate quantitative tools to everyday experience. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, and Empirical & Quantitative Skills.
Select one of the following:3
College Algebra
Trigonometry and Conics
Math in the Modern World
Math for Social Sciences I
Calculus I
Precalculus
Math for Social Sciences II
Statistical Literacy
Elementary Statistical Methods
TOTAL HOURS3

V. Life & Physical Sciences (six hours)

Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena using the scientific method. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on experiences. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Empirical & Quantitative Skills, and Teamwork.
Select one of the following:
Astronomy Lab I
Elem Astronomy-Solar System
Elem Astr Stars & Galaxies
Introductory Biology Lab
Human Biology Laboratory
Topics in Study of Life I
Organismal Biology Laboratory
Introductory Biology
Human Biology
General Biology
Organismal Biology
Human Anat/Physio Lab I
Human Anat/Physio Lab II
Human Anat/Physiology I
Human Anat/Physiology II
Laboratory for CHEM 1305
Laboratory for CHEM 1306
Intro General Chemistry Lab
Intro Organic & Biochem Lab
General Chemistry
General Chemistry
Intro to General Chemistry
Intro Organic & Biochemistry
Environmental Sci. Lab
Non-major Lab for ESCI 1301
Intro to Environmental Sci
Laboratory for GEOG 1306
Physical Geography
Lab for GEOL 1313
Lab for GEOL 1314
Principles of Earth Sci - Lab
Laboratory for Geology 1212
Principles of Earth Sciences
Principles of Earth Science
The Blue Planet
Natural Hazards
Intro to Physical Geology
Intro to Historical Geol
Fundamentals of Nutrition
Wellness Dynamics
Microorganisms and Disease
General Physics I
General Physics II
Laboratory for PHYS 2320
Laboratory for PHYS 2321
Introductory Mechanics
Introductory Electromagnetism
TOTAL HOURS6

VI. Political Science (six hours)

Courses in this category focus on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Social Responsibility and Personal Responsibility.
Required Courses:
POLS 2310Introduction to Politics3
POLS 2311American Gover & Politics3
TOTAL HOURS6

VII. Social & Behavioral Sciences (three hours)

Courses in this category focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes us human. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Empirical & Quantitative Skills, and Social Responsibility.
Select one of the following:3
Intro-Phys Anth/Archeolog
Intro-Cultural Anthropology
Cultural Geography
Intro to Linguistics
Asian American Studies
Econ for Engrs & Scientists
Intro to Chicano Studies
Interpersonal Communication
Mass Media and Society
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Introduction to Ed Psychology
Action Research in Classrooms
Introduction to Linguistics
Cultural Geography
Leadership in Action
Introduction to Linguistics
Lang. Inside & Out: Sel Topics
Introduction to Psychology
Introduction to Sociology
Cultural Geography
TOTAL HOURS3

VIII. Creative Arts

Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and works of the human imagination. Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical, creative, and innovative communication about works of art. Course objectives for this component are: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Teamwork, and Social Responsibility.
Select one of the following:3
Art Appreciation
History of Art I
History of Art II
Chicana/o Fine Arts Appreciat
Introduction to Dance
Intro-Art of Motion Pict.
Music Appreciation
Jazz to Rock
Music, Culture, and Society
Introduction to Theatre
TOTAL HOURS3

IX. Component Area Option (six hours)

a. A minimum of 3 SCH must meet the definition and corresponding Core Objectives specified in one of the foundational component areas. b. As an option for up to 3 semester credit hours of the Component Area Option, an institution may select course(s) that: (i) Meet(s) the definition specified for one or more of the foundational component areas; and (ii) Include(s) a minimum of three Core Objectives, including Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, and one of the remaining Core Objectives of the institution's choice.
Intro to Global Business
COMM 1301Public Speaking3
Business/Profession Comm
Intro-Computational Thinking
Computer Programming Sci/Engr
Eng Innovation and Leadership
Engineering Design Experience
Applied Engineering Analysis
Introduction to Leadership
Inquiry in Math & Science
Comm. Var. Across the Lifespan
Seminar/Critical Inquiry
TOTAL HOURS6
 

4-Year Sample Degree Plan

BS Mechanical Engineering (Starting with Pre-Calculus)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Summer
(if needed)
Precalculus
Trigonometry and Conics
FRESHMAN
Fall
RWS 1301Rhetoric & Composition I 13
UNIV 1301Seminar/Critical Inquiry 13
PHYS 2320Introductory Mechanics3
PHYS 2120Laboratory for PHYS 23201
MATH 1411Calculus I 14
MECH 1305Graphic & Design Fundamentals 13
Spring
HIST 1301History of U.S. to 1865 13
RWS 1302Rhetoric & Composition 2 13
CHEM 1305General Chemistry 13
CHEM 1105Laboratory for CHEM 1305 11
MECH 1321Mechanics I-Statics 13
or CE 2315 Statics
MATH 1312Calculus II 13
SOPHOMORE
Fall
HIST 1302History of U.S. Since 1865 13
MECH 2322Mechanics of Materials 13
or CE 2334 Mechanics of Materials
MECH 2331Matl & Manufacturing Processes 13
Design and Manufacturing Studio 1,81
MATH 2313Calculus III 13
Science Elective *4
Spring
CE 2326Econ for Engrs & Scientists 13
MECH 2340Mechanics II -Dynamics 13
MECH 2311Intro to Thermal-fluid Sci 13
MECH 2342Electro Mechanical Systems 13
or ECE 2301 Electric Circuits I
MECH 2103Engineering Computations 11
MATH 2326Differential Equations 13
JUNIOR
Fall
POLS 2310Introduction to Politics 13
MECH 3314Fluid Mechanics3
MECH 3312Thermodynamics3
MECH 3352Engineering Analysis3
Math Elective 1,33
Laboratory Experience 21
Spring
COMM 1302Business/Profession Comm 13
Language, Philosophy, and Culture3
MECH 3345System Dynamics3
MECH 3334Mechanical Design3
Science/Math Elective 43
Laboratory Experience 21
SENIOR
Fall
MECH 4315Heat Transfer3
Computational Elective 63
Design Elective Solid Mechanics Area 53
Design Elective Thermal Fluid Area 53
Design Elective Electro-Mechanical 53
Spring
POLS 2311American Gover & Politics 13
MECH 4366Senior Design Project 73
Design Elective Any Area 53
Design Elective Any Area 53
Creative Arts Elective3
Notes:
1 Grade of C or better required
2 From the department approved list of Design and Project Experience I and II courses.
3. Selected from MATH 3323, 3335, 4329, 4336, STAT 3320. By completing 3 of these electives you may be eligible for a Mathematics minor, interested students should consult the Department of Mathematics.
4. Approved courses are: BIOL 1306, PHYS 2325, PHYS 3351 or any course listed in NOTE 3 (not already taken). Also, as per the UTEP core curriculum requirements two of your science classes must be in the same area (either BIOL, PHYS, OR CHEM).
5. From the department approved list of Design Electives.
6. From the department approved list of Computational Electives.
7. Must be in the last full semester and have a 2.0 GPA or better in major.
8. From the department approved list of Design and Manufacturing Studio courses.
Total Hours128

BS Mechanical Engineering (Starting with Calculus)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
FRESHMAN
Fall
MATH 1411Calculus I 14
MECH 1305Graphic & Design Fundamentals 13
PHYS 2320Introductory Mechanics3
PHYS 2120Laboratory for PHYS 23201
RWS 1301Rhetoric & Composition I 13
UNIV 1301Seminar/Critical Inquiry 13
Spring
CHEM 1305
CHEM 1105
General Chemistry
and Laboratory for CHEM 1305 1
4
HIST 1301History of U.S. to 1865 13
MATH 1312Calculus II 13
MECH 1321Mechanics I-Statics 13
or CE 2315 Statics
RWS 1302Rhetoric & Composition 2 13
SOPHOMORE
Fall
HIST 1302History of U.S. Since 1865 13
MATH 2313Calculus III 13
MECH 2322Mechanics of Materials 13
or CE 2334 Mechanics of Materials
MECH 2331Matl & Manufacturing Processes 13
Design and Manufacturing Studio 1,81
Science Elective *4
Spring
CE 2326Econ for Engrs & Scientists 13
MATH 2326Differential Equations 13
MECH 2103Engineering Computations1
MECH 2311Intro to Thermal-fluid Sci 13
MECH 2340Mechanics II -Dynamics 13
MECH 2342Electro Mechanical Systems 13
or ECE 2301 Electric Circuits I
JUNIOR
Fall
POLS 2310Introduction to Politics 13
MECH 3314Fluid Mechanics3
MECH 3312Thermodynamics3
MECH 3352Engineering Analysis3
Math Elective 33
Laboratory Experience 1,21
Spring
COMM 1302Business/Profession Comm 13
Language, Philosophy, and Culture 13
MECH 3345System Dynamics3
MECH 3334Mechanical Design3
Laboratory Experience 21
Science/Math Elective 1,43
SENIOR
Fall
MECH 4315Heat Transfer3
Computational Elective 63
Design Elective Solid Mechanics Area 53
Design Elective Thermal Fluid Area 53
Design Elective Electro-Mechanical 53
Spring
POLS 2311American Gover & Politics 13
Creative Arts Elective 13
MECH 4366Senior Design Project 73
Design Elective Any Area 53
Design Elective Any Area 53
Notes:
1 Grade of C or better required
2 From the department approved list of Design and Project Experience I and II courses.
3. Selected from MATH 3323, 3335, 4329, 4336, STAT 3320. By completing 3 of these electives you may be eligible for a Mathematics minor, interested students should consult the Department of Mathematics.
4. Approved courses are: BIOL 1306, PHYS 2325, PHYS 3351 or any course listed in NOTE 3 (not already taken). Also, as per the UTEP core curriculum requirements two of your science classes must be in the same area (either BIOL, PHYS, OR CHEM).
5. From the department approved list of Design Electives.
6. From the department approved list of Computational Electives.
7. Must be in the last full semester and have a 2.0 GPA or better in major.
8. From the department approved list of Design and Manufacturing Studio courses.
Total Hours128