BSE Degree Planning

COURSE Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree with a mechanical engineering major requires the completion of 34 courses:

The freshman year course sequence represents the Pratt Common First Year—enabling all students to fully explore their options before choosing a major. These courses lay the foundation for advanced engineering courses by establishing and reinforcing the principles of mathematics, physics, chemistry, writing and computation.

Core courses for the ME major start in the second year.

Below you can download the ME Undergraduate Handbook and ME Degree Check Sheet, as well as a flowchart of a typical course sequence outlining degree requirements by semester.

Undergraduate Handbook

The Duke ME Undergraduate Handbook contains additional information specific to the ME major at Duke that is not found on mems.duke.edu.

Download Handbook

Check Sheet and FlowcharT

Use the downloadable ME check sheet [PDF] and ME curriculum flow chart [PDF] to help with course planning and to chart your progress toward your degree.

Please Note

  • One regular course has 2.5 lecture hours per week (3 x 50 min. or 2 x 75 min.)
  • One laboratory course has one two-hour laboratory or recitation time per week
  • Each semester has 13 weeks of classes, a half-week of reading period, and one week of final exams.

Duke Degree Enhancements

We strongly encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities:

Course Sequences

  • These plans outline paths to graduation by semester
  • Courses in the lists are required unless otherwise noted
  • These lists also identify prerequisites and corequisites
  • Exercise caution—Pre-plan while working closely with your advisor when shifting courses to different semesters
Typical Course Sequence

First Year

Fall Semester
  • Calculus I MATH 111L
  • Chemistry CHEM 101DL
  • Writing 101 or HSS elective 1
  • EGR 101L Engineering Design
Spring Semester
  • Calculus II MATH 112L
  • Physics PHYS 151L
  • Engineering 103L Computational Methods
  • EGR 121L Engineering Innovation

Second Year

Fall Semester
  • EGR 201L(75L)
  • PHYS 152L(62L)
  • MATH 218D-2
  • Elective 1
Spring Semester
  • EGR 244L(123L)
  • EGR 224L(119L)
  • MATH 219
  • ME 221L(83L) Structure and Properties of Solids or Elective 1

Third Year

Fall Semester
  • ME 344L(125L) Control of Dynamic Systems
  • ME 331L(101L) Thermodynamics
  • MATH 353(108)
  • ME 221L(83L) Structure and Properties of Solids or Elective 1
  • Elective 1
Spring Semester
  • ME 336L(126L) Fluid Mechanics
  • Elective 1
  • Natural Science elective 3
  • ME 321L(131L) Structure and Properties of Solids
  • Elective 1

Fourth Year

Fall Semester
  • ME 421L(141L) Mechanical Design
  • ME 431L(150L) Heat and Mass Transfer
  • Mechanical Engineering Elective 2
  • Elective 1
Spring Semester
  • ME 424L(160L) Mechanical Systems Design
  • Mechanical Engineering Elective 2
  • Elective 1
  • Elective 1

Typical Sequence Notes

1 Part of a program of approved electives planned with the student's faculty advisor to suit individual interests and abilities. Five of these nine electives must meet the humanities and social sciences requirements of the Pratt School of Engineering. Also, three of the nine electives must be 100 level or higher, with the exception that engineering courses below the 100 level taken during the freshman or sophomore years may substitute for two of these 100-level electives. ROTC courses cannot count toward the 100-level requirement.

2 Restricted to 100 level or higher.

3 A list of approved natural science courses can be found in the Duke ME Undergraduate Handbook.

Study Abroad Course Sequence

We strongly encourage students to take advantage of study abroad programs, whether during the academic year, as shown in the list below, or through summer immersion programs. Review programs at the Duke Global Education for Undergraduates website. There are several programs available where students can take engineering courses in a foreign language as well as general education courses.

Second Year

Fall Semester
  • EGR 201L(75L)
  • PHYS 151L(62L)
  • MATH 218D-2
  • Elective
Spring Semester
  • EGR 244L(123L)
  • EGR 331L(101L)
  • MATH 219
  • ME 221L (83L)

Third Year

Fall Semester
  • Abroad
  • Abroad
  • Abroad
  • Abroad
Spring Semester
  • EGR 224L (119L)
  • ME 336L(126L) Fluid Mechanics
  • ME 321L(131L) Analysis for Design
  • MATH 353(108)

Fourth Year

Fall Semester
  • ME 421L(141L) Mechanical Design
  • ME 431L(150L) Heat and Mass Transfer
  • ME 344L(125L) Control of Dynamic Systems
  • Mechanical Engineering Elective 2
  • Elective 1
Spring Semester
  • ME 424(160L) Mechanical Systems Design
  • Mechanical Engineering Elective 2
  • Elective 1
  • Elective 1
  • Natural Science Elective

Study Abroad Sequence Notes

1 Part of a program of approved electives planned with the student's faculty advisor to suit individual interests and abilities. Five of these nine electives must meet the humanities and social sciences requirements of the Pratt School of Engineering. Also, three of the nine electives must be 100 level or higher, with the exception that engineering courses below the 100 level taken during the freshman or sophomore years may substitute for two of these 100-level electives. ROTC courses cannot count toward the 100-level requirement.

2 Restricted to 100 level or higher.