The Department offers several optional concentration that can be used for specializations. For each concentration, at least three courses indicated in the list below must be taken.
Students should make sure they have the necessary prerequisites that may not be part of the concentration. In the last semester before graduation, students should complete a change of major form. If a concentration is properly completed, the concentration will be included on the student’s final transcript.
The following are the courses included in each concentration. AEs cannot opt for the Aerospace concentration. Courses that are required in a program (marked below with* for AE and ** for ME) cannot be used as part of a concentration for that program.
Aerospace
- AME 30332: Compressible Aerodynamics
- AME 30333: Theoretical and Experimental Aerodynamics
- AME 30341: Aerospace Structures
- AME 30381: Orbital and Space Dynamics
- AME 40431: Gas Turbines and Propulsion
- AME 40451: Aerospace Dynamics
- AME 40461: Flight Mechanics and Introduction to Design
- AME 50581: Space Systems and Analysis
- AME 60630: Microparticle Dynamics
- AME 60631: Experimental Methods in Fluids
- AME 60632: Physical Gas Dynamics
- AME 60638: Turbine Engine Components
- AME 60639: Advanced Aerodynamics
Bioengineering
- AME 50548: Biofabrication
- AME 50571: Structural Aspects of Biomaterials
- AME 50572: Introduction to Biomechanics
- AME 60676: Biofluid and Bioheat Transfer
- AME 60671: Orthopaedic Biomechanics
- AME 60672: Cell Mechanics
- AME 60673: Kinematics of Human Motion
- AME 60677: Biomimetic Tissue Engineering: Challenges & Applications for Microfabricated Cell Biomaterial Constructs
- AME 60679: Nanoparticles in Biomedicine
- BIOS 30341: Cellular Biology
- BIOS 31341: Cell Biology Laboratory
- BIOS 34333: Vertebrate Physiology
- BIOS 40411: Biostatistics
- BIOS 40417: Human Musculoskeletal Anatomy
- CBE 30386: Introduction to Bioengineering
- CBE 40481: Biomedical Engineering Transport Phenomena
- CBE 40483: Topics in Biomolecular Engineering
- CBE 41910: Biomolecular Engineering Lab
- EE 40331: Biomedical Device Engineering
- EE 40432: Introduction to Systems Biology
- PHYS 40371: Medical Physics
Design and Manufacturing
- AME 30362: Design Methodology**
- AME 30363: Design of Machine Elements**
- AME 47431: Special Studies: Designing Energy-Efficient Buildings
- AME 50542: Engineering Analysis of Manufacturing Processes
- AME 50548: Biofabrication
- AME 50551: Introduction to Robotics
- AME 50561: Reliability Engineering
- AME 60642: Manufacturing Systems
- AME 60654: Advanced Kinematics
- AME 60661: Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements
- AME 60662: Topology Optimization
- AME 60742: Metal Forming
- CE 35620: Community-Based Engineering Design Projects
- DESN 40201 or 41201: Collaborative Product Development
Solid Mechanics
- AME 30341: Aerospace Structures*
- AME 50541: Finite Element Methods for Structural Analysis
- AME 50572: Introduction to Biomechanics
- AME 60624: Continuum Mechanics
- AME 60625: Advanced Structural Dynamics
- AME 60641: Advanced Mechanics of Solids
- AME 60645: Advanced Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- AME 60646: Failure of Materials
- AME 60741: Computational Nonlinear Solid Mechanics
- AME 60742: Metal Forming
Thermal and Fluid Sciences
- AME 30332: Compressible Aerodynamics*
- AME 30333: Theoretical and Experimental Aerodynamics*
- AME 40431: Gas Turbines and Propulsion*
- AME 50531: Intermediate Thermodynamics
- AME 50532: Computational Fluid Dynamics
- AME 60624: Continuum Mechanics
- AME 60631: Experimental Methods in Fluids
- AME 60632: Physical Gas Dynamics
- AME 60633: Introduction to Acoustics and Noise
- AME 60634: Intermediate Heat Transfer
- AME 60635: Intermediate Fluid Mechanic
- AME 60636: Fundamentals of Combustion
- AME 60637: Ionization and Ion Transport
- AME 60638: Turbine Engine Components
- AME 60639: Advanced Aerodynamics
- AME 60676: Biofluid and Bioheat Transfer
- AME 60675: Cardiovascular Fluid Mechanics
- CE 60130: Finite Elements in Engineering
Materials
- AME 50542: Engineering Analysis of Manufacturing ProcessesAME 50571 – Structural Aspects of Biomaterials
- AME 60645: Advanced Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- AME 60646: Failure of Materials
- CBE 30361: Science of Engineering Materials**
- CBE 30362: Laboratory Techniques in Materials Science
- CBE 40461: Structure of Solids
- CBE 60556: Polymer Engineering
- CHEM 30324: Physical Chemistry for Engineers
Control and Mechanical Systems
- AME 30381: Orbital and Space Dynamics*
- AME 40423: Mechanisms and Machines**
- AME 40451: Aerospace Dynamics*
- AME 50521: Intermediate Dynamics
- AME 50551: Introduction to Robotics
- AME 50650: Applied Nonlinear Analysis and Control
- AME 50652: Intermediate Controls
- AME 60623: Analytical Dynamics
- AME 60651: Advanced Vehicle Dynamics
- AME 60654: Advanced Kinematics
- AME 60673: Kinematics of Human Motion
- EE 40455: Control Systems
Computational Engineering
- AME 50532: Computational Fluid Dynamics
- AME 50541: Finite Element Methods for Structural Analysis
- AME 50559: Statistical Computing Methods for Scientists and Engineers
- AME 40510: Introduction to Numerical Methods
- AME 60614: Numerical Methods
- AME 60620: Multiscale Modeling
- CE 30125 or CSE 30125: Computational Methods*
- ACMS 40390 or MATH 40390: Numerical Analysis
- only one of these will count
- CE 60130 or CSE 60130 or ACMS 60590: Finite Elements in Engineering
- CSE 20232: C/C++ Programming [EG 10111 or EG 10112, AND MATH 10550]
- CSE 40755: Parallel Computing
- MATH 20210: Computer Programming and Problem Solving
- MATH 30720: Discrete Fourier and Wavelet Transforms
Energy
- AME 40401: Energy, Technology and Policy
- AME 40431: Gas Turbines and Propulsion (ME only)
- AME 40472: Electrical and Hybrid Vehicles
- AME 40530: Wind Turbine Performance, Control and Design
- AME 47431: Special Studies: Designing Energy-Efficient Buildings
- AME 50531: Intermediate Thermodynamics
- AME 50532: Computational Fluid Dynamics
- AME 50535: Energy Systems
- AME 53631: Molecular Thermodynamics
- AME 60634: Intermediate Heat Transfer
- AME 60636: Fundamentals of Combustion
- AME 60638: Turbine Engine Components
- AME 60733: Solar Energy: Photovoltaic Systems
- CBE 40425: Energy, Economics, and Environment
- CBE 40435: Electrochemical Energy and Storage
- CBE 40498: Energy and Climate
- CBE 40911: Fuel Cells Science and Technology
- EE 30372: Electric Machinery and Power Systems
- EE 40472: Electrical and Hybrid Vehicles
- EE 47010: Alternative Energy Devices and Materials
- EE 47015: Electric Vehicles and the Power Grid
- EG 53413: Energy Performance of Buildings
- PHYS 30461: Thermal Physics
Da Vinci Concentration
AME offers the “da Vinci Concentration (dVC)” as a means for Mechanical Engineering students to obtain additional flexibility in their program, but it is not a formal concentration and does not appear on a student’s transcript.
The concentration is inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, an exemplar of a Renaissance scholar, whose skill set included engineering. This concentration may appeal to those who seek distinction in their engineering education by allowing additional focus on the liberal arts. This can also be considered a means by which a student can be intentional, with foresight and planning, in structuring a sequence of three free electives in lieu of some technical electives.
Requirements
The concentration is available only to Mechanical Engineering students. Students must apply for the concentration during their sophomore year (or third year in the case of five-year students).
Students admitted into the dVC will be allowed to count as technical electives three courses (at three credits/course) from Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters. Two of those courses will qualify as a General Technical Elective, and one as an AME Technical Elective. Courses counted towards a dVC cannot be used to fulfill any other program options within the College of Engineering or University.
It is essential that the three liberal arts courses have a coherent intellectual theme as well as depth. The intention of the program is to allow students to pursue topics that are likely not obviously related to their professional degree, but allow them to take advantage of the “universal” nature of knowledge nurtured at a University. As such, themes that have no direct resonance with engineering — for example, history, theology, literature, language, etc. — are especially encouraged.
Completion of the dVC also requires students in their final term at Notre Dame to register in a zero credit course in AME. Students are required to give a 30-minute oral presentation to a committee composed of two AME faculty members organized by the student. The committee assigns an S/U grade.
The application for the dVC requires a short (one page) description of the theme of the concentration as well as identifying six courses, any three of which may be used to satisfy the concentration coursework requirements. It is important to have some upper level courses identified in the proposal.
Before the proposal is accepted, the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts & Letters reviews the proposed coursework to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed plan of study. Approval will depend on course availability and consistency of the proposed program with the goals of the dVC. If a student drops out of the program at any time, you will then be required to complete all of the ordinary technical elective requirements of the BSME. Final decisions for admission will be made within AME.