B.S. Mechanical Engineering

BSME Program Objectives

Program Educational Objectives

The CSUN undergraduate mechanical engineering program should prepare students to enter the engineering profession as a skilled practitioner who can make a solid contribution to the field, find job satisfaction, and have a lifelong career. To accomplish these overall goals, during the first few years following graduation a CSUN graduate is expected to:

1. Have an engineering job or a position that utilizes the application of their engineering education in the workplace
2. Demonstrate a record of professional development activities related to the successful practice of engineering
3. Accept additional responsibilities to meet evolving workplace needs and be regarded by colleagues and supervisors as an effective member of their organization

Student Outcomes

The program must have documented student outcomes that support the program educational objectives. Attainment of these outcomes prepares graduates to enter the professional practice of engineering. The 7 student outcomes are listed below.

1.  An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

• applies specific engineering knowledge of course subject area
• demonstrates specific engineering knowledge of subject area
• demonstrates analysis and judgment
• demonstrates effective communication in identifying, formulating and solving engineering problems

2.  An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

• can specify the design problem and its constraints
• explores alternative designs
• uses appropriate tools for design process and final design
• is able to optimize final design
• is able to document final design

3.  An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

• good overall communication strategy and structure
• effective written communication
• effective oral and visual communication

4.  An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

• recognizes and makes appropriate decisions in situations in which personal or professional ethics are required.
• makes engineering decisions and provides solutions which safeguard public safety and improve quality of life.
• considers alternative solutions
• optimizes design processes and systems to minimize use of resources and impact on the environment.
• knows regulations and standards used in practice.
• demonstrates knowledge of engineering and its impact on economic, ethical and environmental issues
• demonstrates ability to evaluate existing and emerging engineering or technological alternatives to prevent or minimize adverse impacts
• demonstrates ability to evaluate the effect of engineering solutions on local and global environment and the public’s quality of life
• students have knowledge of and interest in contemporary issues related to engineering and science
• students have the ability to use the library and internet to search for relevant information

5.  An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

• quality of overall team function
• communication among team members
• team organization and leadership
• level of multidisciplinary effort

6.  An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

• demonstrates familiarity with use and operation of laboratory instruments, sensors, and equipment
• demonstrates ability to formulate and communicate experimental results
• demonstrates ability to use computer tools for experimental data collection, data reduction and result presentation
• can use statistical techniques to estimate experimental uncertainties and calculate propagation of error

7.  An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

• students have strong analytical skills and knowledge of engineering fundamentals to provide a foundation for continual and independent learning
• students have the ability to conduct literature survey, assess, and use information to make engineering decisions
• students have an attitude that professional development and life long learning is necessary for successful profession
• students participate in professional societies, meetings, and networking with professionals
• students participate in local and national competitions and research

The BSME program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

To apply for admission, or to learn more about CSUN, visit the Admissions and Records website.

Please see CSUN Catalog for ME course descriptions.

For students who wish to pursue a double major, where both majors are offered by the College of Engineering and Computer Science, two conditions must be satisfied:

• The second major must require at least 30 units of additional non-overlapping coursework.
• The chairs of both departments offering the two majors must sign the approval form (except if both majors are in one   department, then that chair's signature is sufficient)."

Additional information about the undergraduate program is available in the CSUN catalog.

Please see Prospective Students page for more information.

Course Substitution Policy

Effective May 19, 2014, the Mechanical Engineering Department at CSUN only accepts course substitution requests from matriculated students (those enrolled in a CSUN degree program) who must repeat a course after their third attempt at CSUN, or in cases where the student has exhausted his/her grade forgiveness and averaging units.

Mechanical Engineering majors may take lower division, articulated courses at colleges offering such courses without the need for pre-approval. Course substitution forms are not required for articulated courses as these classes will be automatically incorporated into the student's record after an official transcript is provided to and processed by the Office of Admissions and Records. For a list of articulated courses, visit https://assist.org/.

This policy supersedes the College of Engineering and Computer Science pre-approval requirement.

Course Substitutions/Updating your DPR

The Mechanical Engineering department policy requires that prerequisite courses appear on a student’s Degree Progress Report (DPR) with a passing grade prior to a student being able to enroll in the subsequent courses. A course that is not articulated with CSUN courses requires prior approval and the submission of a detailed syllabus for the determination of whether such course could be substituted on a student’s DPR.

*Transfer coursework requires a grade of "C" or higher in order to be used as part of the BSME program.

**In order to have your DPR updated with coursework you have taken off campus (even those that are currently in progress), official transcripts should be turned in to the office of Admissions and Records for processing.

**A list of articulated (pre-approved) coursework can be found at assist.org.  If a class is not listed on this website, it will require pre-approval from the Department Chair before the class can be used as part of your program.  See section regarding Course Substitution Pre-Approvals in this drop down menu.

Course Substitution Pre-Approval Procedure

If you are interested in taking coursework off campus which is not articulated, you will need to have pre-approval from the Department Chair before it can be used as part the BSME program. 

To have the class reviewed, an email should be submitted to with a copy of the class syllabus as a PDF attachment.  The body of the email should include your name, your 9 digit CSUN ID number, as well as what class you are requesting pre-approval for. 

All pre-approvals and course substitutions are made on a case by case basis, and all decisions are made by the Department Chair.  Office staff does not have a list of pre-approved courses that can be used for credit.

Please refer to the Academic Advising Page.

Catalog Year 2023 and Later Flowchart

ME Flow Chart 2023 and Later (PDF)

Catalog Year 2022 and Earlier Flowchart

ME Flow Chart 2022 and Earlier (PDF)

Please refer to the CSUN Catalog to check course prerequisites.

Course Catalog

1. No transfer grade lower than a "C" will be accepted from another institution to satisfy College of Engineering and Computer Science requirements.
2. A grade of “C-” or better is required in all courses in the major. More stringent prerequisite requirements may apply to some courses.
3. Senior year courses cannot be taken unless the student has previously completed, or is concurrently completing, all freshman-, sophomore- and junior-year requirements.  The Mathematics department requires a grade of “C” in prerequisite courses.

PDF Version for Electives (PDF)

ME Elective Suggested by Area of Emphasis

It is recommended to choose one of the following 6 areas of emphasis to plan your senior elective courses

Select a total of 12 units 

Please refer to the CSUN Catalog to check degree requirements and roadmap.

Course Catalog

UPPER-DIVISION SENIOR ELECTIVES (12 UNITS):

Students must select 12 units of electives from 400 and/or 500-level AE or ME engineering courses. These electives together with the required senior year courses listed above, constitute the student’s Mechanical Engineering senior year.

Suggested Senior Electives by Area of Emphasis (PDF)

TOTAL UNITS IN THE MAJOR: 99

GENERAL EDUCATION (27 UNITS):

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.

21 units are satisfied by coursework in the major. Completion of the Mechanical Engineering major satisfies A3 Critical Thinking. 6 units of Physical Science may be used to satisfy sections B1-3. MATH 150A satisfies Basic Skills B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning; ME 370 satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; MSE 304 satisfies 3 units of upper division D1 Social Sciences; and ME 101/L and ME 209 satisfy E Lifelong Learning.

TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE: 126

Tentative Long Range Schedule Fall 23 - Spring 27 (PDF)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM PLAN 

View the CSUN Catalog for the Four-Year Plan.

Senior Design Projects 

Each design project has its own application process.  If you are interested in registering or volunteering for one of these projects, you should contact the appropriate faculty advisor for information.

• Enrollment for Senior Design projects in the Mechanical Engineering department is approved and issued by the respective faculty advisor. 

Important Enrollment Information:
Please note that ME 486A and ME 486B enrollment is unlike lecture courses and requires a permission number. To learn more about available projects and the enrollment process, please watch our informational video below.

 Senior Design Projects: Fall 2024

Senior Design Projects: Spring 2025

Senior Design Projects: 2024-2025 AY