The undergraduate program in engineering mechanics provides its graduates with a broad scientific background appropriate to exploring fundamental design and research questions in many fields of engineering. Graduates interact with chemists, mathematicians, physicists and other engineers on inter-disciplinary projects and programs in a variety of industrial and governmental organizations. Their tasks may include developing/modifying analytical or experimental models; or solving problems in the newly emerging areas of engineering for which standard methods, formulas or materials have not yet been developed.

Engineering mechanics often appeals to students who:

• Enjoy applied mathematics and applied physics
• Know they like applied science
• Want to learn basic analytical and experimental methods which are applicable over broad areas of engineering and science
• Hope to work in advanced technology departments in industry or government labs where problems are "unusual and nonroutine"
• Tend to be research-, development- and advanced design-oriented rather than inclined toward the nontechnical engineering areas
• Want to tailor-make a significant part of their undergraduate program to suit their particular interests and educational goals

The engineering mechanics program provides a great deal of flexibility. With help from an adviser, a student may choose to follow a general program of applied science and mechanics or may prefer to concentrate on elective courses in such areas as:

The Astronautics Option

Aerospace engineering is an extremely broad area encompassing the research and development frontiers of nearly all fields of engineering and science. Aerospace engineering is frequently discussed in terms of its two major components: aeronautics, which deals with aircraft design; and astronautics, which relates to rocket, satellite and spacecraft design. These two areas are not mutually exclusive and include many common fundamental disciplines, such as structures, modern materials, flight mechanics, vibrations, aerodynamics, applied mathematics, fatigue, fracture mechanics and computer methods. Our primary focus is on astronautics rather than aeronautics. The astronautics program provides students with opportunities for research, development and design careers in a wide variety of aerospace disciplines. Most courses for the Astronautics Option are taken in the junior and senior years.

The Curriculum

Requirements for the BS degree:

Because of the general types of courses required in the freshman and sophomore years, students may complete (or partially complete) their first two years of coursework at other UW System campuses.

Honors in Undergraduate Research

Qualified students can join the Undergraduate Honors in Research program and engage in a research project under the direction of a faculty member. The research is often done as part of a larger research team with graduate students and research staff. After completion of eight credits of research and the presentation of a senior thesis, the student receives Honors in Undergraduate Research designation on their transcript and diploma.

For more information, contact:

Engineering Mechanics Program
Dept. of Engineering Physics
147 Engineering Research Building
1500 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1687

Phone: 608/263-1646
Fax: 608/263-7451
E-mail: ema@engr.wisc.edu