BSE Degree Planning

Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree with the mechnical engineering major requires the completion of 34 course requirements:

• 19 general requirements, and
• 15 departmental requirements

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.

ME Undergraduate Handbook

The ME Undergraduate Handbook contains much of the information on these webpages, and additional information specific to the ME major not found on these pages.

Download Handbook

Check Sheet and Flow charT

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.

Degree Enhancements

We strongly encourage students to take advantage of the degree enhancement opportunities we offer:

• ME/BME Dual Degree
• Certificates
• Study abroad
• Research & Independent Study
• Graduation with Distinction

Typical Course Sequence

This plan outlines a typical path to graduation by semester. Courses in the list are required, unless noted otherwise. This list also identifies pre-requisites and co-requisites. Use caution and preplan while working closely with your advisor when shifting courses to different semesters.

Freshman (1st) Year Courses

Sophomore (2nd) Year Courses

Junior (3rd) Year Courses

Senior (4th) Year Courses

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 are in the ME Undergraduate Handbook [PDF].

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.

Sophomore (2nd) Year Courses

Junior (3rd) Year Courses

Senior (4th) Year Courses

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.