Degree Specialties
This list serves as a guideline for areas for specialization so that students can further pursue their specific interests within the broad discipline of Mechanical Engineering if they wish to. Specializations are not listed on diplomas. The list does not change the flexibility in the ME graduate program – a degree specialization is not required. However, if students wish to specialize in a certain area, they can do so. To specialize in a given area, it is recommended that students take 3 to 5 courses in the area. The motivation is two-fold: i) it provides a concrete list of courses to take if they want to specialize in a given area, and ii) it may help students become effective more quickly in the workplace with a graduate degree. Students are encouraged to take courses in the various specialization areas in other departments as well.
600 level courses: also offered to undergraduate students
Specialization Areas and Recommended Courses
Fundamental Area - Design & Manufacturing
24-673 Special Topics in Soft Robots - Mechanics, Design and Modeling
24-674 Special Topics in Design of Biomechatronic Systems for Humans
24-684 Integrated Product Design
24-652 Special Topics in Experimental Micro- and Nano-Mechanics
24-656 Advanced Manufacturing
24-681 Computer Aided Design
24-682 Computer Aided Engineering
24-683 Design for Manufacturing and the Environment
24-687 Special Topics in Grad Challenges: Technology Identification and Product Design
24-724 Microelectromechanical System Design
24-757 Nano/Micro Manufacturing
24-778 Mechatronic Design
24-784 Decision Tools for Design & Entrepreneurship
24-785 Engineering Optimization
24-787 Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning for Engineering Design
Fundamental Area - Dynamics & Controls
24-652 Special Topics in Experimental Micro- and Nano-Mechanics
24-673 Special Topics in Soft Robots - Mechanics, Design and Modeling
24-674 Design of Biomechatronic Systems for Humans
24-675 Micro/Nano Robotics
24-676 Bio-Inspired Robotics
24-661 Vibration of Linear and Dynamic Systems
24-671 Special Topics in Practical Control and Automation
24-762 Vibrations of Elastic Systems
24-765 Dynamics
24-778 Mechatronic Design
24-771 Linear Systems
24-776 Nonlinear Controls
24-777 Complex Large-Scale Dynamic Systems
24-779 Special Topics in Robotics
Fundamental Area - Solid Mechanics, Vibrations and Materials
24-623 Molecular Simulation of Materials
24-652 Special Topics in Experimental Micro- and Nano-Mechanics
24-655 Cellular Biomechanics
24-659 Special Topics in Introduction to Biomechanics
24-661 Vibrations of Linear and Dynamic Systems
24-673 Special Topics in Soft Robots - Mechanics, Design and Modeling
24-751 Introduction to Solid Mechanics I
24-752 Introduction to Solid Mechanics II
24-753 Theoretical Solid Mechanics
24-754 Continuum Mechanics of Materials
24-755 Finite Element Methods in Mechanics I
24-756 Special Topics in Advanced Multiscale Modeling & Computation Engineering Materials
24-762 Vibrations of Elastic Systems
24-767 Mechanics of Fracture & Fatigue
24-769 Inelasticity: Theory and Computation
Fundamental Area - Thermal Fluids
24-613 Special Topics in Advanced Gas Dynamics
24-615 Microfluidics
24-616 Tribology - Friction, Lubrication and Wear
24-617 Special Topics in Mechanics of Complex Fluids
24-619 Biological fluid Mechanics
24-623 Molecular Simulation of Materials
24-626 Special Topics in Air quality Engineering
24-641 Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering
24-642 Fuel Cell Systems
24-643 Special Topics in Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems
24-711 Fluid Mechanics
24-717 Interfacial Fluid Mechanics
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-721 Advanced Thermodynamics
24-727 Special Topics in Aerosol Measurement Technology
24-730 Advanced Heat Transfer
24-731 Conductive Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-732 Convective Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-733 Radiative Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-734 Small Scale Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-735 Heat Transfer in Biology and Medicine (6 units)
24-736 Two-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer
24-740 Combustion and Air Pollution Control
24-744 Combustion
*Additional thermal fluids courses, particularly as they apply to the area of energy, can be found under the cross-cutting area “Energy and the Environment” below.
Cross-cutting Area - Bioengineering
24-615 Microfluidics
24-617 Special Topics in Mechanics of Complex Fluids
24-619 Biological fluid Mechanics
24-655 Cellular Biomechanics
24-657 Molecular Biomechanics
24-658 Computational Bio-Modeling and Visualization
24-659 Special Topics in Introduction to Biomechanics
24-674 Design of Biomechatronic Systems for Humans
24-676 Bio-Inspired Robotics
24-711 Fluid Mechanics
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-735 Heat Transfer in Biology and Medicine (6 units)
24-755 Finite Element Methods in Mechanics I
Cross-cutting Area - Computational Engineering
24-623 Molecular Simulation of Materials
24-658 Computational Bio-Modeling & Visualization
24-681 Computational Aided Design
24-682 Computational Aided Engineering
24-703 Numerical Methods in Engineering
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-755 Finite Element Methods in Mechanics I
24-756 Special Topics in Advanced Multiscale Modeling & Computation Engineering Materials
24-780 Engineering Computation
24-785 Engineering Optimization
24-787 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering Design
Cross-cutting Area - Energy & the Environment
24-616 Tribology
24-617 Special Topics in Mechanics of Complex Fluids
24-626 Special Topics in Air Quality Engineering
24-628 Energy transport and Conversion at the Nanoscale
24-629 Special Topics in Direct Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion
24-641 Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering
24-642 Fuel Cell Systems
24-643 Special Topics in Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems
24-723 Energy System Modeling
24-700 Special Topics in Climate Mitigation
24-711 Fluid Mechanics
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-721 Advanced Thermodynamics
24-722 Energy System Modeling
24-727 Special Topics in Aerosol Measurement Technology
24-730 Advanced Heat Transfer
24-731 Conductive Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-732 Convective Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-733 Radiative Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-736 Two-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer
24-740 Combustion and Air Pollution Control
24-744 Combustion
Cross-cutting Area - Micro/Nanotechnology
24-614 Microelectromechanical Systems
24-615 Microfluidics
24-616 Tribology
24-623 Molecular Simulation of Materials
24-627 Special Topics in Nanophotonics: Fundamentals and Applications
24-628 Energy transport and Conversion at the Nanoscale
24-652 Special topics in Experimental Micro- and Nano-Mechanics
24-655 Cellular Biomechanics
24-657 Molecular Biomechanics
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-675 Micro/Nano Robotics
24-724 Microelectromechanical System Design
24-734 Small scale Heat Transfer (6 units)
24-757 Nano/Micro Manufacturing
Cross-cutting Area - Product Development
24-656 Advanced Manufacturing
24-674 Design of Biomechatronic Systems for Humans
24-681 Computer Aided Design
24-682 Computer Aided Engineering
24-683 Design for Manufacturing and the Environment
24-684 Integrated Product Design
24-687 Special Topics in Grad Challenges: Technology Identification and Product Design
24-703 Numerical Methods in Engineering
24-718 Computational Fluid Dynamics
24-724 Microelectromechanical System Design
24-757 Nano/Micro Manufacturing
24-778 Mechatronic Design
24-784 Decision Tools for Design & Entrepreneurship
24-785 Engineering Optimization
24-787 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering Design
Cross-cutting Area - Robotics
24-661 Vibrations of Linear and Dynamic Systems
24-671 Special Topics in Practical Control and Automation
24-673 Special Topics in Soft Robots - Mechanics, Design and Modeling
24-674 Design of Biomechatronic Systems for Humans
24-675 Micro/Nano Robotics
24-676 Bio-Inspired Robotics
24-765 Dynamics
24-724 Microelectromechanical System Design
24-762 Vibrations of Elastic Systems
24-778 Mechatronic Design
24-771 Linear Systems
24-776 Nonlinear Controls
24-779 Special Topics in Robotics
24-681 Computer Aided Design
24-682 Computer Aided Engineering
24-787 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering Design
*And many additional courses available in conjunction with the Robotics Institute.