Mechanical Engineering

A student working a piece of metal in a lathe.

A student in Professor Martin Culpepper's Course 2.72 Elements of Mechanical Design races to work down a steel rod with the lathe his team made as part of a final challenge.


The Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT embodies the motto "mens et manus" — mind and hand.

One of the six founding courses of study at MIT, Mechanical Engineering embodies the motto “mens et manus” — mind and hand. Disciplinary depth and breadth, together with hands-on discovery and physical realization, characterize our nationally and internationally recognized leadership in research, education, and innovation. MIT mechanical engineers have always stood at the forefront in tackling the engineering challenges of the day: inventing new technologies, spawning new fields of study, and educating generations of leaders in industry, government, and academia.

Research and Innovation

Today, mechanical engineering is one of the broadest and most versatile of the engineering professions. This is reflected in the portfolio of current research and education activities in the department, one that has widened rapidly in the past decade. Our faculty and students are involved in projects that aim to bring engineering solutions to a spectrum of global challenges, including the development and design of:

  • Clean and renewable energy technologies, including research in photovoltaics, wind energy, fuel cells, thermoelectrics, and carbon capture
  • New thermal and membrane technologies required for water purification and desalination
  • Instrumentation, controls, and other technologies required for medical therapies and biomedical exploration
  • Vehicles, acoustics, and control systems for underwater exploration and environmental monitoring
  • Structured materials and advanced technologies for protection and security of our first responders and soldiers
  • Precision devices, machines, and robotics

To meet these challenges, research in the department is coordinated across seven collaborative disciplinary thrust areas:

Education

Undergraduate Programs

Our undergraduate programs combine a broad-based education in the engineering sciences with project-based laboratory and design subjects to give graduates a strong grounding in quantitative, problem-solving, design, and communications skills. MechE majors may choose from three SB degree programs, including the traditional mechanical engineering degree, the flexible Course 2-A engineering degree, or the joint mechanical engineering/ocean engineering degree. For more information about our undergraduate programs, please visit:

http://meche.mit.edu/academic/undergraduate

Graduate Programs

The Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering creates a community of top-notch scholars by bringing together faculty members and graduate students with a common interest in innovation, creativity, and advanced professional study. MechE offers the research-oriented Master of Science (SM) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, or the equivalent Doctor of Science (ScD) degree. Additionally, the Department offers a joint SM and PhD degree program in oceanographic engineering, and a Naval Construction and Engineering program that enrolls officers from the US Navy and navies from around the world. The Department also partners with the MIT Sloan School of Management for both the dual-degree Leaders for Global Operations program (LGO) and the Ocean Systems Management program.

We also offer professional degrees that emphasize comprehensive learning with broad applicability to industry. These degrees include the Master of Engineering in Manufacturing (MEng), Mechanical Engineer (ME), and Naval Engineer (NE).

For more information about our graduate programs, please visit:

http://meche.mit.edu/academic/graduate


Mechanical Engineering Courses

Course # Course Title Level
2.00AJ Exploring Sea, Space, & Earth: Fundamentals of Engineering Design Undergraduate
2.00B Toy Product Design Undergraduate
2.000 How and Why Machines Work Undergraduate
2.001 Mechanics & Materials I Undergraduate
2.002 Mechanics and Materials II Undergraduate
2.003SC Engineering Dynamics Undergraduate
2.003J Dynamics and Control I (Fall 2007) Undergraduate
2.003J Dynamics and Control I (Spring 2007) Undergraduate
2.003 Modeling Dynamics and Control I Undergraduate
2.003J Dynamics and Vibration (13.013J) Undergraduate
2.004 Dynamics and Control II Undergraduate
2.004 Systems, Modeling, and Control II Undergraduate
2.004 Modeling Dynamics and Control II Undergraduate
2.007 Design and Manufacturing I Undergraduate
2.008 Design and Manufacturing II (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
2.008 Design and Manufacturing II (Spring 2003) Undergraduate
2.011 Introduction to Ocean Science and Engineering Undergraduate
2.016 Hydrodynamics (13.012) Undergraduate
2.017J Design of Electromechanical Robotic Systems Undergraduate
2.019 Design of Ocean Systems Undergraduate
2.038J The Art of Approximation in Science and Engineering Undergraduate
2.04A Systems and Controls Undergraduate
2.050J Nonlinear Dynamics I: Chaos Undergraduate
2.051 Introduction to Heat Transfer Undergraduate
2.06 Fluid Dynamics Undergraduate
2.086 Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
2.086 Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers (Spring 2013) Undergraduate
2.086 Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers (Fall 2012) Undergraduate
2.087 Engineering Math: Differential Equations and Linear Algebra Undergraduate
2.092 Finite Element Analysis of Solids and Fluids I (Fall 2009) Undergraduate
2.110J Information and Entropy Undergraduate
2.12 Introduction to Robotics Undergraduate
2.14 Analysis and Design of Feedback Control Systems (Spring 2014) Undergraduate
2.18 Biomolecular Feedback Systems (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
2.45J Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings Undergraduate
2.51 Intermediate Heat and Mass Transfer Undergraduate
2.570 Nano-to-Macro Transport Processes (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
2.60 Fundamentals of Advanced Energy Conversion (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
2.612 Marine Power and Propulsion (Fall 2006) Undergraduate
2.626 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics (Fall 2013) Undergraduate
2.627 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics (Fall 2013) Undergraduate
2.650J Introduction to Sustainable Energy (Fall 2010) Undergraduate
2.670 Mechanical Engineering Tools Undergraduate
2.672 Project Laboratory Undergraduate
2.673J Biological Engineering II: Instrumentation and Measurement Undergraduate
2.700 Principles of Naval Architecture (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
2.71 Optics (Spring 2014) Undergraduate
2.71 Optics (Spring 2009) Undergraduate
2.72 Elements of Mechanical Design Undergraduate
2.722J D-Lab II: Design Undergraduate
2.772J Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems Undergraduate
2.772J Statistical Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems (BE.011J) Undergraduate
2.790J Introduction to Bioengineering (BE.010J) Undergraduate
2.791J Quantitative Physiology: Cells and Tissues (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
2.792J Quantitative Physiology: Organ Transport Systems Undergraduate
2.793J Fields, Forces and Flows in Biological Systems Undergraduate
2.794J Quantitative Physiology: Cells and Tissues (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
2.797J Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Biomechanics Undergraduate
2.853 Introduction to Manufacturing Systems (Fall 2010) Undergraduate
2.96 Management in Engineering (Fall 2012) Undergraduate
2.971 2nd Summer Introduction to Design Undergraduate
2.993 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering: The Art and Science of Boat Design Undergraduate
2.993J Introduction to Numerical Analysis for Engineering (13.002J) Undergraduate
2.993 Designing Paths to Peace (Fall 2002) Undergraduate
2.996 Designing Paths to Peace (Fall 2002) Undergraduate
2.A35 Biomimetic Principles and Design Undergraduate
2.THA Undergraduate Thesis for Course 2-A Undergraduate
2.032 Dynamics Graduate
2.034J Nonlinear Dynamics and Waves Graduate
2.035 Special Topics in Mathematics with Applications: Linear Algebra and the Calculus of Variations Graduate
2.036J Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (Fall 2014) Graduate
2.036J Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (Fall 2004) Graduate
2.062J Wave Propagation Graduate
2.067 Advanced Structural Dynamics and Acoustics (13.811) Graduate
2.068 Computational Ocean Acoustics (13.853) Graduate
2.080J Structural Mechanics Graduate
2.081J Plates and Shells Graduate
2.082 Ship Structural Analysis & Design (13.122) Graduate
2.084J Structural Mechanics in Nuclear Power Technology Graduate
2.093 Finite Element Analysis of Solids and Fluids I (Fall 2009) Graduate
2.094 Finite Element Analysis of Solids and Fluids II Graduate
2.096J Introduction to Numerical Simulation (SMA 5211) Graduate
2.097J Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations (SMA 5212) Graduate
2.111J Quantum Computation Graduate
2.140 Analysis and Design of Feedback Control Systems (Spring 2014) Graduate
2.141 Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Systems Graduate
2.154 Maneuvering and Control of Surface and Underwater Vehicles (13.49) Graduate
2.156J Dynamics of Nonlinear Systems Graduate
2.158J Computational Geometry Graduate
2.159J Foundations of Software Engineering Graduate
2.160 Identification, Estimation, and Learning Graduate
2.161 Signal Processing: Continuous and Discrete Graduate
2.171 Analysis and Design of Digital Control Systems Graduate
2.180 Biomolecular Feedback Systems (Spring 2015) Graduate
2.20 Marine Hydrodynamics (13.021) Graduate
2.22 Design Principles for Ocean Vehicles (13.42) Graduate
2.23 Hydrofoils and Propellers Graduate
2.24 Ocean Wave Interaction with Ships and Offshore Energy Systems (13.022) Graduate
2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics Graduate
2.26 Compressible Fluid Dynamics Graduate
2.27 Turbulent Flow and Transport Graduate
2.29 Numerical Fluid Mechanics Graduate
2.29 Numerical Marine Hydrodynamics (13.024) Graduate
2.372J Design and Fabrication of Microelectromechanical Devices Graduate
2.391J Submicrometer and Nanometer Technology Graduate
2.500 Desalination and Water Purification Graduate
2.57 Nano-to-Macro Transport Processes (Spring 2012) Graduate
2.58J Radiative Transfer Graduate
2.59J Thermal Hydraulics in Power Technology Graduate
2.61 Internal Combustion Engines Graduate
2.611 Marine Power and Propulsion (Fall 2006) Graduate
2.62J Fundamentals of Advanced Energy Conversion (Spring 2004) Graduate
2.64J Superconducting Magnets Graduate
2.65J Introduction to Sustainable Energy (Fall 2010) Graduate
2.682 Acoustical Oceanography Graduate
2.693 Principles of Oceanographic Instrument Systems -- Sensors and Measurements (13.998) Graduate
2.701 Principles of Naval Architecture (Fall 2014) Graduate
2.710 Optics (Spring 2014) Graduate
2.710 Optics (Spring 2009) Graduate
2.717J Optical Engineering Graduate
2.737 Mechatronics Graduate
2.739J Product Design and Development Graduate
2.75 Precision Machine Design Graduate
2.76 Multi-Scale System Design (Fall 2004) Graduate
2.760 Multi-Scale System Design (Fall 2004) Graduate
2.761J Noninvasive Imaging in Biology and Medicine Graduate
2.771J Biomedical Information Technology Graduate
2.782J Design of Medical Devices and Implants Graduate
2.785J Cell-Matrix Mechanics Graduate
2.79J Biomaterials-Tissue Interactions Graduate
2.795J Fields, Forces, and Flows in Biological Systems Graduate
2.798J Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics (BE.410J) Graduate
2.800 Tribology Graduate
2.830J Control of Manufacturing Processes (SMA 6303) Graduate
2.851J System Optimization and Analysis for Manufacturing Graduate
2.852 Manufacturing Systems Analysis Graduate
2.854 Introduction to Manufacturing Systems (Fall 2010) Graduate
2.875 Mechanical Assembly and Its Role in Product Development Graduate
2.882 System Design and Analysis based on AD and Complexity Theories Graduate
2.890J Proseminar in Manufacturing Graduate
2.961 Management in Engineering (Fall 2012) Graduate
2.963 Engineering Risk-Benefit Analysis Graduate
2.964 Economics of Marine Transportation Industries Graduate
2.978J Teaching College-Level Science and Engineering Graduate
2.994 MADM with Applications in Material Selection and Optimal Design Graduate
2.996 Biomedical Devices Design Laboratory Graduate
2.996 Sailing Yacht Design (13.734) Graduate
2.997 Direct Solar/Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion Technologies Graduate
2.997 Decision Making in Large Scale Systems Graduate
2.S998 Marine Autonomy, Sensing and Communications Graduate

Archived Mechanical Engineering Courses

Some prior versions of courses listed above have been archived in OCW's DSpace@MIT repository for long-term access and preservation. Links to archived prior versions of a course may be found on that course's "Other Versions" tab.

Additionally, the Archived Mechanical Engineering Courses page has links to every archived course from this department.