The BSE Mechanical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Criteria.

Learning Outcomes 

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Academic Standards

Program GPA

Program GPA requirement policies are described in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing section of this bulletin. For the purpose of these policies, the following courses are used to determine the Program GPA for the Mechanical Engineering B.S.E. program: All Lower Division Engineering courses, all Mechanical Engineering Major courses, and all courses used to satisfy a Mechanical Engineering Elective.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

Admission requirements and processes for freshman, transfer students, and former students seeking readmission are managed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. Current University of South Carolina students, and former students seeking readmission, must have an institutional GPA of 2.50 or better on at least 15 hours earned at USC.

Degree Requirements (125 - 134 hours)

See College of Engineering and Computing for progression requirements and special academic opportunities.

Program of Study

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

Requirements (125-134 hours)

¹

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

²

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Mechanical Engineering, B.S.E.

¹

Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA. 

²

Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses.  Courses indicated in this column are included in the Mechanical Engineering program GPA of 2.00. 

³

Students who place into MATH 115 will be required to successfully complete it before taking MATH 141. 

⁴

The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students. Students are encouraged to complete PHIL 325 Engineering Ethics as an overlay course for VSR and CMS.  

⁵

Math/Science Electives (9 hours): BIOL 110 or 301 and above, CHEM 112 or higher, MATH 300 or higher, PHYS 212 or higher, STAT 506 or higher. 

⁶

EMCH Electives (6 hours): EMCH 308, 330, 332, 441, 460, 497, or any EMCH course numbered 500 or higher. 

⁷

Elective (6 hours): Any course taken at the University or transferred in as a University course that does not essentially duplicate a course otherwise applied to the degree.  A list of such courses that cannot be used as a free elective is maintained in the department office.  This list includes: ENCP 101, 102, 200, 201, 210, 260, 290, 330, 360, 491, 492; ECHE 101, 310, 320, 321; ECIV 101, 111, 200, 201, 210, 220, 360; BMEN 101, 211, 260; ELCT 101. 

⁸

Students in the College of Engineering and Computing are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 121 course by 1) a score of two or better on the foreign language placement test; or 2) completion of the 109 and 110 courses in FREN, GERM, LATN, or SPAN or completion of the 121 course in another foreign language.  Students who do not place out of the GFL requirement may need to take additional hours to meet this requirement. 

Program Notes:

• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
• A student cannot repeat courses from the College of Engineering and Computing in which they earned a grade of C or better.  In addition, a student cannot repeat any course from the College a second time.  No more than four courses from the College of Engineering and Computing may be repeated in order to satisfy the requirements for any degree from the College, regardless of satisfactory work.  For this purpose, withdrawal from a course with a grade of W is not regarded as enrollment in that course.  A student that does not satisfactorily complete a degree-required College course within two attempts must change major or transfer out of the College of Engineering and Computing.
• The last 25% of a student’s degree must be completed in residence at the University, and at least half of the hours in the student’s major courses and in the student’s minor courses (if applicable) must be taken at the University.
• Disclaimer: Prerequisites on courses are subject to change.  Please refer to the Bulletin.