Specific course requirements for each major program are outlined in tables below. In addition to the required technical courses specifically indicated, a suggested scheduling of humanities and social science courses (HSS) are distributed in the curricula for students to use to meet college general-education requirements. To graduate, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0, and the department requires at least a C- grade in each course required for the major.

Deviations from these programs of study must be approved by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee prior to taking alternative courses. In addition, technical elective (TE) course selections must have departmental approval prior to taking the courses if they are not selected from the pre-approved list. A complete list of technical electives for each major is available in the MAE Student Affairs lobby (EBU II, first floor). In the accredited programs, TE courses are restricted to meet ABET standards. Courses such as MAE 195, 197, and 198 are not allowed as technical electives in meeting the upper-division major requirements. MAE 199 can be used as a technical elective only under special circumstances. Policy regarding these conditions may be obtained from the department's Student Affairs Office.

Students are encouraged to complete lower and upper-division courses as suggested in the curriculum tables in a timely fashion and in the sequences outlined. Deviation in scheduling of MAE upper-division courses is strongly discouraged. Lower-division courses are offered more than once each year to permit students some flexibility in their program scheduling. However, many MAE upper-division courses are taught only once per year, and the courses are scheduled to be consistent with the curricula as shown in the tables. Students taking upper-division courses in a different order than that shown in the tables may experience conflicts as the schedules of different courses may overlap. A tentative schedule of course offerings is available from the department each spring for the following academic year.

Degree Check

It is a good idea to request a departmental degree check during your junior year to be sure that you are on track for graduation. Please come in and speak to Gerri Johnson. Allow up to 3 weeks for the degree check to be complete.

MAE students will not graduate with more than one D grade in any course within their major. This includes the required math, physics and chemistry courses.

Four-year Plans

B.S. Aerospace Engineering
B.S. Chemical Engineering
B.S. Engineering Science
B.S. Environmental Engineering
B.S. Mechanical Engineering

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Aerospace engineering is a four-year curriculum that begins with fundamental engineering courses in mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. Additional courses are required in aerospace structures, aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, controls, and aerospace design. Graduates of this program normally enter the aerospace industry to develop aircraft and spacecraft, but also find employment in other areas that use similar technologies, such as mechanical and energy-related fields. Examples include automobile, naval, and sporting equipment manufacturing. This program received ABET accreditation in 2002.

Recommended Course Sequence of Required Courses:
To graduate, the department requires at least a C- grade in each course required for the major.
WHEN SCHEDULING CLASSES, THE MAE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS THIS CURRICULUM GRID. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEVIATE FROM IT, YOU WILL EXTEND THE TIME TO GRADUATION.

• Chem. 6AH may be taken in place of Chem. 6.
• In fulfilling the humanities and social science requirements (HSS), students must take a total of at least twenty-four units in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, not including subjects such as accounting, industrial management, finance, or personnel administration. Ten HSS courses are listed here; individual college requirements may be higher.
• Technical Elective (TE) courses must be upper-division or graduate courses in the engineering sciences, natural sciences or mathematics selected with prior approval of the department. See the MAE Student Affairs office for a complete list of approved Technical Electives.

back to top ^

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (Now part of NanoEngineering)

back to top ^

ENGINEERING SCIENCE

The Engineering Science program resembles the Mechanical Engineering program, except that the course load of mechanical design is reduced, and control theory is not required. In addition to core courses in dynamics, vibrations structures, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and laboratory experimentation, a large number of technical electives are scheduled. This aspect of the curriculum allows flexibility, permitting specialization and in-depth study in one area of the engineering sciences or development of a sequence of courses emerging from the current research interests of MAE faculty and/or other departments, e.g., sequences in the earth sciences, transportation, or energy-related studies. Students intending to pursue postgraduate professional careers in non-technical fields such as business administration, law, or medicine may develop an appropriate sequence of courses. Although a sequence in the non-sciences may be permitted, the faculty adviser may insist on a substantial number of MAE or other science courses as Technical Electives. Students must consult their advisors to develop a balanced course of study to fulfill the Technical Elective requirements. This curriculum allows the highest number of Humanities and Social Science (HSS) courses to meet college general-education requirements.

Recommended Course Sequence of Required Courses:

FALL QUARTER	WINTER QUARTER	SPRING QUARTER
Year 1
Math 20A*	Math 20B*	Math 20C*
MAE 9	Phys 2A*	Phys 2B* and 2BL
Chem 6A*	Chem 6B	MAE 3*
Year 2
Math 20D	Math 20F	Math 20E
Phys. 2C and 2CL	HSS	MAE 130B
MAE 20	MAE 130A*	MAE 131A
HSS	HSS	HSS
Year 3
MAE 105	MAE 101A*	MAE 101B*
MAE 110A	MAE 130C	MAE 170
MAE 107	MAE 160 or MAE 131B	TE
MAE 140	HSS	HSS
Year 4
MAE 150*	MAE 171A*	MAE 171B
MAE 101C*	TE	TE
TE	TE	TE
HSS	HSS	HSS

WHEN SCHEDULING CLASSES, THE MAE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS THIS CURRICULUM GRID. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEVIATE FROM IT, YOU WILL EXTEND YOUR TIME TO GRADUATION.

• In fulfilling the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) requirements, students must take at least 24 units in the arts, humanities and social sciences, not including subjects such as accounting, industrial management, finance or personal administration. Twelve HSS courses are listed here; individual college requirements may be higher or lower.
• Technical Elective (TE) courses must be upper-division or graduate courses in the engineering sciences, natural sciences or mathematics and must be selected with prior approval of the department. A sequence of non-science courses may also be selected with prior approval (see program description). See the MAE Student Affairs Office for a complete list of approved Technical Electives.

*COURSES MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PREREQUISITES TO COURSES IN THE IMMEDIATELY SUCCEEDING OR CONCURRENT QUARTER.
back to top ^

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

The Environmental Engineering program resembles the Chemical Engineering program for the first two years. In the third and fourth year, the programs diverge: an environmental engineering sequence is offered, as well as further specialization in fluid mechanics, and a wide choice of Technical Elective (TE) courses, both from within MAE and in other departments. This major builds on the strong education that UCSD undergraduate engineers receive in physics, chemistry and mathematics and introduces topics which are of concern to industry operating in today's world where environmental stewardship is increasingly seen as an important aspect of business. Both locally and internationally it is recognized that industry must operate within increasingly restrictive environmental regulations, and that societies' sensitivity to environment and sustainability continues to grow.

Recommended Course Sequence of Required Courses (updated 5/8/2009):
All juniors and seniors as of May 2009 may still choose to follow the previous curriculum (see below).


Previous curriculum:
To graduate, the department requires at least a C- grade in each course required for the major.
WHEN SCHEDULING CLASSES, THE MAE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS THIS CURRICULUM GRID. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEVIATE FROM IT, YOU WILL EXTEND THE TIME TO GRADUATION.

• Humanities and Social Science (HSS) courses should be selected to meet general education requirements of the colleges. Individual college requirements may be higher or lower than what is listed here.
• Technical electives (6): at least 2 must be from MAE and 2 must be upper division courses.
• See MAE Student Affairs for a complete list of approved Technical Electives.

back to top ^

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

The Mechanical Engineering Program has a traditional ABET accredited four-year curriculum involving mechanics, vibrations, thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, materials, control theory and mechanical design. Graduates of this program find employment in the high-technology elector-mechanical industry as well as in the mechanical and aerospace industry.

Recommended Course Sequence of Required Courses:

FALL QUARTER	WINTER QUARTER	SPRING QUARTER
Year 1
Math 20A*	Math 20B*	Math 20C*
MAE 9	Phys 2A*	Phys 2B* and 2BL
Chem. 6A*	Chem 6B	MAE 3
HSS	HSS	HSS
Year 2
Math 20D	Math 20F*	Math 20E
Phys. 2C and 2CL	MAE 130A*	MAE 131A
MAE 20	HSS	MAE 130B
HSS	HSS	HSS
Year 3
MAE 105	MAE 101A*	MAE 101B*
MAE 110A	MAE 143A*	MAE 143B
MAE 140	MAE 130C	MAE 170*
MAE 107	MAE 160 or MAE 131B	HSS
Year 4
MAE 101C*	MAE 156B	MAE 171B
MAE 150*	MAE 171A*	TE
MAE 156A*	TE	TE
TE	HSS	HSS

WHEN SCHEDULING CLASSES, THE MAE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS THIS CURRICULUM GRID. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEVIATE FROM IT, YOU WILL EXTEND YOUR TIME TO GRADUATION.

• Chem 6AH and 6BH may be taken in place of Chem 6A and 6B.
• In fulfilling the Humanities and Social Science (HSS) requirements, students must take at least 24 units in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, not including subjects such as accounting, industrial management, finance, or personnel administration. Ten HSS courses are listed here; individual college requirements may be higher or lower.
• Technical Elective (TE) courses must be upper-division or graduate courses in the engineering sciences, natural sciences or mathematics and must be selected with prior approval of the Department. See the MAE Student Affairs Office for a complete list of approved Technical Electives.

*COURSES MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PREREQUISITES TO COURSES LISTED IN THE IMMEDIATELY SUCCEEDING OR CONCURRENT QUARTER.
back to top ^