Univ of Southern California
University of Southern California
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Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Degrees

The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, petroleum engineering exists as an emphasis within the mechanical engineering program. An area of emphasis appears in parenthesis after the primary major name on the transcript.

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The requirement for the degree is 128 units. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is required for all upper division course work in engineering, science and mathematics. See the common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

Composition/writing requirementUnits
WRIT 130Analytical Writing4
WRIT 340Advanced Writing3

General education (see here)units
General education+20

pre-major requirementsunits
Math Requirement
MATH 125Calculus I4
MATH 126Calculus II4
MATH 226Calculus III4
MATH 245Mathematics of Physics and Engineering I4

Physics Requirement
PHYS 151L*Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics4
PHYS 152LFundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism4
PHYS 153LFundamentals of Physics III: Optics and Modern Physics4
Chemistry Elective
CHEM 105aL*General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aLAdvanced General Chemistry, or
MASC 110LMaterials Science4

Major requirementsunits
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
AME 101LIntroduction to Mechanical Engineering and Graphics3
AME 150LIntroduction to Computational Methods4
AME 201Statics3
AME 204Strength of Materials3
AME 301Dynamics3
AME 302Dynamic Systems3
AME 308Computer-Aided Analysis for Aero-Mechanical Design3
AME 309Dynamics of Fluids4
AME 310Engineering Thermodynamics I3
AME 331Heat Transfer3
AME 341aLbLMechoptronics Laboratory I and II3-3
AME 404Computational Solutions to Engineering Problems3
AME 409Senior Design Project4
AME 441aLSenior Projects Laboratory3
AME 443LControl Systems Laboratory3
AME 451Linear Control Systems Analysis, or
AME 420Engineering Vibrations3

Materials Science
MASC 310Materials Behavior and Processing3

Major Electivesunits
AME core electives**3
AME design elective***3
Technical electives6
Total units:128

*Satisfies GE Category III requirement.

**Any upper division course in AME.

***An approved AME design course (select from AME 408, AME 430, or any special topic design course).

+The university allows engineering majors to replace the GE Category IV with a second course in Categories I, II or VI.

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Emphasis in Petroleum Engineering
The requirement for the degree with an emphasis in petroleum engineering is 128 units. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is required for all upper division course work in engineering, science and mathematics. See the common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

composition/writing requirementUnits
WRIT 130Analytical Writing4
WRIT 340Advanced Writing3

General education (see here)units
General education+20

pre-major requirementsunits
Math Requirement
MATH 125Calculus I4
MATH 126Calculus II4
MATH 226Calculus III4
MATH 245Mathematics of Physics and Engineering I4

Physics Requirement
PHYS 151L*Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics, Waves and Sounds4
PHYS 152LFundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism4
PHYS 153LFundamentals of Physics III: Optics and Modern Physics4

Chemistry Elective
CHEM 105aL*General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aLAdvanced General Chemistry, or
MASC 110LMaterials Science4

major requirementsunits
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
AME 101LIntroduction to Mechanical Engineering and Graphics3
AME 150LIntroduction to Computational Methods in Mechanical Engineering4
AME 201Statics3
AME 204Strength of Materials3
AME 301Dynamics3
AME 302Dynamic Systems3
AME 308Computer-Aided Analysis for Aero-Mechanical Design3
AME 309Dynamics of Fluids4
AME 310Engineering Thermodynamics I3
AME 331Heat Transfer3
AME 341aLbLMechoptronics Laboratory I and II3-3
AME 404Computational Solutions to Engineering Problems3
AME 408Computer-Aided Design of Mechanical Systems3
AME 409Senior Design Project4
AME 441aLSenior Projects Laboratory3
AME 443LControl Systems Laboratory3
AME 451Linear Control Systems I3

Petroleum Engineering
PTE 461Formation Evaluation3
PTE 463LIntroduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media3
PTE 464LPetroleum Reservoir Engineering3
PTE 465LDrilling Technology and Subsurface Methods3
Total units:128

*Satisfies GE Category III requirement.

**Any upper division course in AME.

+The university allows engineering majors to replace the GE Category IV with a second course in Categories I, II or VI.

Minor in Music Recording

A minor in music recording is offered through the Thornton School of Music to provide undergraduate students with the background necessary to enter the field of recording engineering and to familiarize them with the design needs of modern recording equipment. The minor is recommended to mechanical engineering majors with extensive musical training who would like to combine their technical and musical abilities while learning the engineering applications of physical and mathematical principles to the art of music recording. See the listing under the USC Thornton School of Music.

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Requirements for the Master of Science in mechanical engineering are the same as set forth in the general requirements. Six of the required units must be in AME 525 and AME 526 or courses in engineering analysis approved in advance in writing by the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The specific sequence of courses that constitutes an acceptable program must be approved in advance.

Requirements for Graduation Without Thesis, 27 units total with 3.0 GPA: AME 525 and AME 526 or approved mathematics (6); 500 level courses in major department (12); approved 400 or 500 level courses (9).

With Thesis, 27 units total with 3.0 GPA: AME 525 and AME 526 or approved mathematics (6); 500 or 600 level courses in major department (12) not including thesis; maximum AME 594ab — thesis (4); approved 400 or 500 level units (5) (a maximum total of 8 units combining AME 590 and AME 594ab).

Recommended Programs of Study
The program of study depends upon the student’s interest and background. During the first semester at USC, students must consult with a departmental faculty advisor in the area of concentration and draw up a plan of study, which must be approved by the advisor. Besides the common requirements, listed below are several areas in mechanical engineering with specific courses identified as core and core electives. Groups of courses in other combinations and from other departments within the university may be approved if a particular coordinated interest can be demonstrated. In some instances students whose background is not in mechanical engineering may be required to take additional course work.

Common Requirements
Engineering Analysis (6 units): AME 525, AME 526

Engineering electives (3-6 units): Approved 400-, 500- or 600-level courses

Engineering Design
Core courses (9 units): AME 503, AME 505, AME 509

Core electives (6 units): Two courses from AME 404, AME 527, AME 541, ASTE 520, ASTE 523, CE 529, SAE 549

Thermal and Fluid Sciences
Core courses (12 units): Four courses from one of the selected areas:

Combustion: AME 436, AME 513, AME 514, AME 530a

Fluid Dynamics: AME 457, AME 511, AME 530a, AME 535a

Heat Transfer: AME 457, AME 515, AME 516, AME 517

Core electives (6 units): Take two courses from the following list, not duplicating the above selection: AME 436, AME 457, AME 511, AME 513, AME 514, AME 515, AME 516, AME 517, AME 530a, AME 533, AME 535a, AME 535b, AME 537

Mechanics and Materials
Core courses (12 units): AME 509, AME 559, AME 560, AME 584

Core elective (3 units): One of AME 542, AME 588, CE 529a

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)
Core courses (12 units): AME 455, AME 537, BME 551, EE 607

Core elective (3 units): One of AME 535a, ASTE 501a, ASTE 545

Dynamics and Control
Students interested in this area may follow the M.S., Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Dynamics and Control) described below.

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Energy Conversion)

See Sustainable Infrastructure Systems.

Master of Science in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Dynamics and Control)

The Master of Science with emphasis in dynamics and control educates and trains multidisciplinary professionals in the modeling, analysis, simulation and control of complex time-evolutionary systems. It is a program of study that encompasses advanced analytical dynamics, nonlinear dynamical systems, linear and nonlinear dynamics and vibrations, and linear and nonlinear control. The program equips students to apply their knowledge to a variety of complex systems encountered in nature and society, especially those in civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering and applied mechanics.

Students will be given advisement in the first semester of their study. In addition to AME 525 and AME 526, students are required to take the following core courses: AME 521, AME 522, AME 524, AME 541, AME 552. Elective courses can be chosen in areas of specific interest to the student such as orbital dynamics, spacecraft control, aircraft dynamics and control, chaos and chaotic dynamics, random vibrations, computer control of mechanical systems and robotics. The program provides the graduate student with a broad, well-rounded, advanced education that can be applied to many specific, technologically advanced fields in which dynamics and control play a pivotal role.

Master of Science in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics)

See listing under Aerospace Engineering Degrees.

Engineer in Mechanical Engineering

Requirements for the Engineer in Mechanical Engineering degree are the same as set forth in the general requirements. Six of the units required for the degree must be AME 690. Prior approval must be obtained from the committee before registration in AME 690.

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy in mechanical engineering is also offered. See general requirements for graduate degrees.