Sample Course Lists

Course Lists

Our undergraduate program combines hands-on activities with traditional academic teaching to give students the balance of practical and analytical skills needed to become successful engineers. We emphasize mastery of fundamental engineering concepts and application of practical design skills.

Explore our undergraduate curriculum with the sample lists below. Please note that the Department evaluates its programs and courses on an ongoing basis, so the curriculum is subject to change. In the case of changes, the official curriculum for a student is determined from the year they start the program, taking the appropriate UBC Calendar curriculum listing for four sequential years.

Our curriculum is fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.

Current students with questions about their curriculum should review our Course Planning and Registration Guides on the Curriculum Page or consult an advisor. Browse all our Undergraduate and Graduate courses and find syllabi here.

Second Year

All second year UBC Mechanical Engineering students take the courses below as part of our award-winning Mech 2 program. These give you a solid grounding in core mechanical engineering skills, before you to dive more deeply into your interests in third and fourth year.

Code Title Credits
MATH 254 Multivariable Calculus (taught as part of MECH 222) 3
MATH 258 Differential Equations (taught as part of MECH 221) 3
MECH 220* Technical Skills Practicum 4
MECH 221 Engineering Science I 12
MECH 222 Engineering Science II 6
MECH 223 Mechanical Design 7
MECH 224 Integration of Engineering Topics I 1
MECH 225 Integration of Engineering Topics II 1
MECH 226 or 227** Technical Communication for Mechanical Engineers 3 or 5
Total: 40 or 42

*Taken prior to Term 1 of second year
** MECH 227 is taken in the summer after Second Year. Student with prior credit for APSC 201 will be granted equivalency.

For more information on our second-year curriculum, see MECH 2.

Third and Fourth Year

In third and forth year, UBC Mechanical Engineering students pursue one of our six Options, allowing them to tailor their degree to their interests.

Students can be admitted to an Option at the end of either first-year (early admission) or second-year (standard admission) by permission of the Option’s coordinator, based on academic achievement and a demonstrated interest in the area. Find out more about Option admissions and other details on our Program Options page.

Course Lists by Option

Explore the sample lists below to learn what kinds of courses you could take in each Option.

Note: Some students will not take courses in the order below, depending on their Co-op schedule. Please speak to an advisor for recommended course sequences.

Flex Option

The Flex Option is our broadest pathway, combining a core set of courses with up to 22 credits in technical electives. This allows you to try out different areas of interest without committing to the more focused curriculums of our other Options.

Third Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 305 Data Analysis and Mechanical Engineering Laboratories 6
MECH 325 Machine Design 4
MECH 328 Mechanical Engineering Design Project (3rd Year) 3
MECH 360 Mechanics of Materials 3
MECH 368 Engineering Measurement and Instrumentation 3
MECH 375 Heat Transfer I 3
Technical Electives1 6
Complementary Studies Electives2 6
Total: 34

Fourth Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 400 Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering 3
MECH 431 Engineering Economics 3
MECH 4573    Mechanical Engineering Design Project (Capstone Design Program) 6
MECH 463 Mechanical Vibrations 4
MECH 466 Automatic Control 4
Technical Electives1 16
Total: 36

1 To be chosen from a course list available on the Department website.
2 See Complementary Studies Course
3 MECH 457 may be replaced by APSC 486 and APSC 496A with permission from Department.

Aerospace

The Aerospace Option in Mechanical Engineering allows students interested in aircraft, spacecraft, and related systems to have a course and project concentration in these areas.

Third Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 305 Data Analysis and Mechanical Engineering Laboratories 6
MECH 327 Thermodynamics II 3
MECH 328 Mechanical Engineering Design Project (3rd Year) 3
MECH 359 Computational Methods for Mechanical E 3
MECH 360 Mechanics of Materials 3
MECH 368 Engineering Measurement and Instrumentation 3
MECH 375 Heat Transfer 3
MECH 380 Fluid Dynamics 3
MECH 426 Mechanical Design 3
MECH 463 Mechanical Vibrations 4
MECH 481 Aerodynamics of Aircraft I 3
Complementary Studies electives2 3
Total Credits: 40

Fourth Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 400 Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering 3
MECH 431 Engineering Economics 3
MECH 4533 Aerospace Design Project (Capstone Design Program) 6
MECH 462 Finite Element Analysis 3
MECH 466 Automatic Control 4
MECH 477 Aerospace Propulsion 3
MECH 479 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics 3
MECH 484 Aircraft Design: Aerodynamics 3
MECH 485 Aircraft Design: Structures 3
MECH 489 Experimental Thermofluids 4
MTRL 494 Composite Materials 3
Complementary Studies electives2 3
Total Credits:  41

2 See Complementary Studies
3 MECH 453 may be replaced by APSC 486 and APSC 496A with permission from Department.

Biomechanics & Medical Devices

The Biomechanics & Medical Devices Option in Mechanical Engineering allows students interested in biomedical engineering, biomechanics and related topics to have a course and project concentration in these areas.

Third Year

Code Title Credits
BMEG 410 Biomedical Equipment, Physiology, and Anatomy 3
MECH 305 Data Analysis and Mechanical Engineering Laboratories 6
MECH 325 Machine Design 4
MECH 328 Mechanical Engineering Design Project (3rd Year) 3
MECH 360 Mechanics of Materials 3
MECH 368 Engineering Measurement and Instrumentation 3
MECH 375 Heat Transfer I 3
MECH 463 Mechanical Vibrations 4
Complementary Studies electives2 6
Total: 35

Fourth Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 400 Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering 3
BMEG 456 Clinical and Industrial Biomedical Engineering 3
MECH 431 Engineering Economics 3
MECH 439 Biomechanics Research 1
MECH 4593   Biomedical Design Project 6
MECH 466 Automatic Control 4
MTRL 495 Biomaterials 3
Technical Electives1 12
Total: 35

1 To be chosen from a course list available on the Department website.
2 See Complementary Studies
3 MECH 459 may be replaced by APSC 486 and APSC 496A with permission from Department.

Energy and Environment

The Energy and Environment Option in Mechanical Engineering allows students interested in thermodynamics, experimental, thermofluids, instrumentation, air pollution, controls and related topics to have a course and project concentration in these areas.

Third Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 305 Data Analysis and Mechanical Engineering Laboratories 6
MECH 325 Machine Design 4
MECH 327 Thermodynamics II 3
MECH 328 Mechanical Engineering Design Project (3rd Year) 3
MECH 360 Mechanics of Materials 3
MECH 368 Engineering Measurement and Instrumentation 3
MECH 375 Heat Transfer I 3
MECH 380 Fluid Dynamics 3
MECH 411 Air Pollution, Technology, and Society 3
Complementary Studies electives2 6
Total: 37

Fourth Year

Code Title Credits
MECH 400 Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering 3
MECH 431 Engineering Economics 3
MECH 4543   Energy and Environment Capstone Design Project 6
MECH 463 Mechanical Vibrations 4
MECH 466 Automatic Control 4
MECH 489 Experimental Thermofluids 4
Technical Electives1 12
Total: 36

1 To be chosen from a course list available on the Department website.
2 See Complementary Studies
3 MECH 456 may be replaced by APSC 486 and APSC 496A with permission from Department.

Mechatronics

The Mechatronics Option in Mechanical Engineering allows students interested in mechanical systems integrated with embedded electronics, sensors, actuators, and related systems to have a course and project concentration in these areas.

Enrolment in this option is limited.

Third Year

Code Title Credits
CPSC 259 Data Structures and Algorithms for Electrical Engineers 4
CPEN 312 Digital Systems and Microcomputers 3
ELEC 302 Electronic Circuits for Electromechanical Design 3
ELEC 343 Electromechanics 3
MECH 306 Data Analysis and Mechatronics Laboratories 4
MECH 325 Machine Design 4
MECH 328 Mechanical Engineering Design Project (3rd Year) 3
MECH 360 Mechanics of Materials 3
MECH 366 Modelling of Mechatronic Systems 3
MECH 375 Heat Transfer I 3
MECH 392 Manufacturing Processes 2
MECH 463 Mechanical Vibrations 4
Total: 39

Fourth Year

Code Title Credits
CPEN 333 System Software Engineering 3
MECH 400 Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering 3
MECH 420 Sensors and Actuators 3
MECH 421 Mechatronic System Instrumentation 4
MECH 423 Mechatronics Product Design 4
MECH 431 Engineering Economics 3
MECH 4583   Mechatronics Design Project 6
MECH 467 Computer Control of Mechatronics Systems 4
Technical Electives1 3
Complementary Studies Electives2 6
Total: 38

1 To be chosen from a course list available on the Department website.
2 See Complementary Studies
3 MECH 458 may be replaced by APSC 486 and APSC 496A with permission from Department.