Future First-Year Students

Welcome prospective freshmen! With 53 full-time faculty and 4 professional academic advisors, the Department of Mechanical Engineering is committed to educating tomorrow’s engineering leaders and producing leading edge research. We encourage you to visit the campus, take a tour and meet with an advisor to help you decide if the University of Utah is right for you.  Please feel free to contact us regarding questions you may have related to our degree programs, curriculum, or research.  Please explore the tabs below for more information:

Full Major Status

Any U of U student can take our two introductory courses, ME EN 1000 and ME EN 1010, as long as they meet the math and physics prerequisites. Students must have Full Major Status in order to take most other ME EN courses.

Students admitted to the University of Utah with no college credits completed after high school are granted Full Major Status in one of the following ways:

  • During the first or second semester at the University of Utah:
    • Enrolling in ME EN 1000 or ME EN 1010 and an appropriate math class. (major status will be changed prior to the census date–about the fourth week of the semester–of the ME EN 1000 or ME EN 1010 enrollment semester).
  • After completing two or more semesters at the University of Utah:
    • Enrolling in an appropriate math class and ME EN 1000 or ME EN 1010 AND having a cumulative U of U GPA of 3.0 or higher (major status will be changed prior to the census date of the ME EN 1000 or ME EN 1010 enrollment semester). (Failing a required major course two or more times or taking classes at another institution after matriculating at the U of U may disqualify you from this option.)
    • Being admitted to the major based on information provided via an online application (required with a cumulative U of U GPA below a 3.0). Contact an academic advisor to verify that you need to apply and to obtain the link to the admission application.

See an academic advisor for more information.

Pre-Engineering or Pre-Mechanical Engineering Status

All incoming first-year first-time students are admitted to the University of Utah with a pre-major status, regardless of major. Students will indicate on their University of Utah application if they are interested in general Engineering or Mechanical Engineering and receive the related pre-major status.

Most students will be eligible for full major status in Mechanical Engineering in the first few weeks of their first semester. Declaring full major status in mechanical engineering is separate from the Price College of Engineering Direct Admit.

College of Engineering Admission and Scholarships

Please visit the Price College of Engineering website for information on Admission and scholarships for incoming students.

Minimum Course Recommendations for Incoming Freshman

The Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program is rigorous and challenging, preparing graduates for a variety of rewarding and meaningful careers. To be adequately prepared for the program, the following high school coursework should be completed:

  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Trigonometry
  • Calculus (strongly recommended)*Campus-Fall-Panorama
  • Physics (one year, including laboratory work)
  • Chemistry (one year, including laboratory work)

Beyond these core requirements, high school students are encouraged to take:

  • Biology (one year, including laboratory work)
  • Mechanical drawing/drafting
  • Computer courses
  • Foreign language courses

*ME EN 1000, taken in the first semester of the first year of the ME program, requires MATH 1210/1310 Calculus I as a co-requisite. Therefore, students wishing to complete the ME program in four years must be eligible to take Calculus I during their first semester at the U. To figure out how to be eligible for Calculus I as an incoming student, click here.

College Credit can be awarded for Advanced Placement Exams based on which exam, when it was taken, and the score earned. Scores must be sent from the CollegeBoard to the University of Utah Admissions Office in order to receive the credit.

You may view credit equivalencies, based on when the exam was taken, here.

Students who take AP Chemistry and have their lab notebook can earn credit for CHEM 1215 by submitting their lab notebook to the Chemistry department for review.

See our degree plan flowchart page or the current catalog to see our degree requirements.