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Mechanical Engineering, BS

As a mechanical engineering major, you’ll learn about manufacturing processes, energy generation and use, and how to design mechanical equipment and systems. But you’ll also have the opportunity to specialize in areas as wide-ranging as robotics, biomedical engineering, product design, computational mechanics, and many other areas. And the great thing about your education is that you’ll be able to apply it in virtually any field.

Design your academic journey

The major

Your primary field of study, which defines your core technical curriculum and the degree you earn.
All program details

Sample Degree/Major Plan

Fall semester (15 credits)
  • MATH 221 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 1 5
  • CHEM 103 OR 104 OR 109 4
  • M E 201 – Introduction To Mechanical Engineering 3
  • or Communications A 0
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Spring semester (16 credits)
  • MATH 222 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 2 4
  • E M A 201 – Statics 3
  • M E 231 – Geometric Modeling For Design And Manufacturing 3
  • M E 201 OR Communications A 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Fall semester (15 credits)
  • E M A 303 – Mechanics Of Materials 3
  • MATH 234 – Calculus–functions Of Several Variables 4
  • M E/​E M A 307 – Mechanics Of Materials Lab 1
  • COMP SCI 220 – Data Science Programming I 4
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Spring semester (17 credits)
  • E M A 202 – Dynamics 3
  • MATH 320 – Linear Algebra And Differential Equations 3
  • PHYSICS 202 – General Physics 5
  • M S & E 350 – Introduction To Materials Science 3
  • STAT 324 OR I SY E 210 3
Fall semester (18 credits)
  • M E 331 – Computer-aided Engineering 3
  • M E 361 – Thermodynamics 3
  • M E 340 – Dynamic Systems 3
  • Math/Science Elective 3
  • M E 310 – Manufacturing: Polymer Processing And Engineering 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Spring semester (16 credits)
  • M E 342 – Design Of Machine Elements 3
  • M E 363 – Fluid Dynamics 3
  • INTEREGR 397 – Engineering Communication 3
  • M E 376 – Introduction To Mechatronics 4
  • M E 311 – Manufacturing: Metals And Automation 3
Fall semester (16 credits)
  • M E 351 – Interdisciplinary Experiential Design Projects I 3
  • M E 364 – Elementary Heat Transfer 3
  • M E 368 – Engineering Measurements And Instrumentation 4
  • Technical Elective 3
  • Technical Elective 3
Spring semester (15 credits)
  • M E 352 – Interdisciplinary Experiential Design Projects II 3
  • M E 370 – Energy Systems Laboratory 3
  • Technical Elective 3
  • Technical Elective 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3

Specializations

A flexible way to build your technical mastery and customize your education without adding a formal credential to your transcript.

Sustainable energy

The Sustainable Energy specialization focuses your program in this area. You will choose technical electives that prepare you for a career focused on the design, manufacture, deployment and control of energy systems of all types. These classes include fundamental courses in thermodynamics and heat transfer as well as application specific classes in areas like solar energy, power plants, HVAC, thermal system modeling, and turbomachinery.

BioMEchanics

In the BioMEchanics specialization, you will learn to solve problems in biology and medicine. This specialization will give you the knowledge and skills to develop new tools and techniques to progress the science and industry forward. You will choose technical electives that prepare you for a career in mechanical behavior, human movement, various aspects of living systems, and design processes. You will take classes to gain an understanding of how the body works, while thinking critically about the mechanics behind the application.

Human centered design

In the Human Centered Design specialization, you will learn to approach and solve problems using design thinking techniques with a human centered focus. This specialization will give you the knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to interdisciplinary design teams in a wide range of application areas, all with the common thread of improving quality of life through design. You will choose technical electives that prepare you for a career as a design engineer, with a focus on making rigorous, research-based design decisions that center the end user. You will take classes to gain an understanding of design thinking, human factors, product design, statistics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, marketing, communication, computer science, and consumer science.

Robotics

In the Robotics specialization, you will learn to solve problems in robotics and related fields. This specialization will give you the knowledge and skills required to meaningfully contribute to interdisciplinary robotics design and development efforts in a wide range of application areas. You will choose technical electives that will prepare you for a career in robotics and mechatronics. You will take classes to gain an understanding of robotic systems, which requires an interdisciplinary skill set and holistic design methods. You can take classes in robotic system fundamentals including mechatronics, kinematics, dynamics, and feedback controls while also exploring specific application areas such as marine robotics, micro robotics, legged robotics, autonomous systems, and automation.

An accelerated engineering master’s program is a great choice if you’d like to earn your master’s degree by adding as little as a single year of study at UW-Madison.
View all accelerated programs

Investing in your future

Value and costs

Based on an average of 12-18 credits per semester for the 2025-26 academic year from bursars office tuition rates workbook.
Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance at UW-Madison.  For more information on the cost of attendance, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.
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Wisconsin resident

$7,683

Minnesota icon

Minnesota reciprocity

$10,346

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Non-resident

$23,695

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Non-resident international

$24,195

Scholarships

Our scholarships aren’t just about financial support; they’re about investing in your potential and helping you focus on what matters most: your education and your future as a leader in engineering.
Engineering scholarships
4.4M
scholarships awarded
1,200
undergrad recipients
1,550
scholarships awarded, made possible by the generous support of donors

Outcomes

Here’s what life after graduation could look like for you.
$79,000
FIRST-YEAR MEDIAN SALARY

Key employers

  • Doosan Bobcat
  • Mercury Marine
  • Milwaukee Tool
  • SpaceX
  • Tesla

Common job titles

  • Design Engineer
  • Field Engineer
  • Manufacturing Engineer
  • Mechanical Design Engineer
  • Project Engineer

Your path to admission

Freshman

Starting college for the first time?

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Transfer student

Coming from another college or university?

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Cross-campus student

Already at UW–Madison?

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Reentry student

Took time off?

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Your built-in network

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As an undergrad, you can help pioneer new knowledge or technologies on your own or as a researcher in a professor’s lab. It’s a great opportunity to apply what you’re learning in class, explore a field or topic that interests you, and gain insight into what it’s like to be a graduate student.

Undergraduate research
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.

Explore, get involved, try new things and soak up everything our campus and the surrounding environs have to offer.

Student life

The College of Engineering offers services specifically for engineering students, in addition to the services offered campus-wide.

Student services
Four students pose and smile with Dr. Ebony McGee in the IEDE Student Center
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.
Our eight renowned academic departments form the heart and personality of our college.
Mechanical engineering department

Life as a Badger engineer

See what it’s actually like to live, learn and grow here through the stories of the people who know us best.
“I am the engineer I am today thanks to my involvement in the UW Society of Women Engineers’ Boeing Tech Team. Working alongside other minorities in engineering has been one of the most encouraging and rewarding experiences I have had at UW-Madison. By joining an engineering org, I have gained leadership skills, applied engineering knowledge, and most importantly met my closest friends. The women in the UW Mechanical Engineering Department have created a supportive culture that has greatly contributed to my engineering success, and for that, I am truly grateful.”
Kate Nelson BSME’25, Faustin-Prinz Undergraduate Research Fellow, Women+ in Mechanical Engineering Mentor
Kate Nelson

Why should you choose UW-Madison for engineering? Find out what it’s like to major in mechanical engineering.

Celebrating Spring 2026 Senior Design Showcase

On Thursday, April 30th, the Mechanical Engineering Building buzzed with energy and excitement as the Spring 2026 Senior Design Showcase…

Read the Full Story
13
undergraduate ranking among public universities in mechanical engineering
Chase Edwardson

Student Spotlight: Graduating Senior Chase Edwardson

UW Crest with engineering background

2025-2026 Professor & TA of the Year Awards

UW Crest with engineering background

Spring 2026 Faustin-Prinz Research Fellowship Awardees

ABET accreditation

The B.S. in Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives for the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

We recognize that our graduates will choose to use the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their undergraduate years to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals, and we encourage this diversity of paths. Whatever path our graduates may choose, we expect them to be meeting the following objectives at least three to five years after graduation: 

  1. They will exhibit a fundamental understanding of broader engineering disciplines with strong skills in mechanical engineering, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication. 
  2. They will use these skills to contribute to their organizations and communities. 
  3. They will make thoughtful, well-informed decisions in their career and life. 
  4. They will demonstrate a continuing commitment to and interest in their own and other’s education. 

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Program website. (In this Guide, the program's Student Outcomes are available through the "Learning Outcomes" tab.) 

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.

Degrees:

  • Conferred, 2024-2025
    Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering: 247
  • Enrolled, Fall 2025
    Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering: 1463

Still exploring?

We have 13 engineering undergrad majors—so you can find the field that’s the best fit for you (even if you decide to switch later).

Compare majors

Select up to three majors to compare.

Questions?

Email questions to our College of Engineering team at FutureEngineers@engr.wisc.edu and someone will get back to you soon.