ME Undergraduate Program

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical Engineering (ME) is the application of the principles of physics in the analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is one of the broadest engineering disciplines and has one of the longest histories. Read more.

Managing your undergraduate education

The Undergraduate Office wants to help you be successful in managing your academic career; therefore, we strive to provide unofficial information and advice to aid you in meeting this responsibility. Since you bear the ultimate responsibility for your own academic progress, it is imperative that you be aware of policies, procedures and guidelines that affect your academic career. We recommend that you consider the publications and web sites in the right sidebar as an important part of your "desk reference" materials.

The ME program

The Department offers a broad range of outstanding Undergraduate Courses (undergraduate flowchart PDF) and Research Facilities. Our Undergraduate Program features a hands-on Senior Design Projects program. Please refer to the official Undergraduate Catalog. The Undergraduate Office encourages all our students to be familiar with their rights and responsibilities, tips on staying on track with the program, and other important terms that will make for a successful undergraduate experience. For more information in the department, check our about section.

U.S. News and World Report rankings

U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks the Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program among the top ten in the nation. See this report.

U.S. News and World Report currently ranks the Cockrell School of Engineering's Graduate Program eighth in the nation. See this report.

Salary information

The latest statistics from the U.S. Census (2011) report the mean annual salary for a mechanical engineer at $83,550. The Cockrell School of Engineering Salaries and Statistics report states the 2011 average starting for a mechanical engineer from this department was $66,615 compared to about $60,435 for all mechanical engineers nationally. Read more.

Student laptop requirements

Beginning in Fall of 2012, all undergraduates will be required to have their own laptops suitable to handle the software and hardware requirements of our mechanical engineering curriculum. We have set forth the minimum requirements needed for a student laptop. Please refer to the Laptop Requirements page on this site.