Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering 

MAE FAQs and Curriculum Updates 

THE NEW AEROSPACE CURRICULUM – EFFECTIVE 2018-2019

ELECTIVES – Where can I find a listing of courses that satisfy an AE or ME elective?

Students should refer to the Samueli catalog announcement for the year they were admitted to the major to review the AE or ME elective list. Additionally, students may log into DARS, run an audit and see a list of AE or ME electives. The MAE Term Offerings page has more information on what MAE course will be offered this academic year.

FULL/CLOSED MECH& AE COURSES- I'm trying to enroll in a MECH&AE course and it's full. What do I do?

If a MECH&AE course is full, you should submit the Enrollment Consideration Request (ECR) form. To take full advantage of the ECR, you should be submitting this as soon as you are unable to enroll because a class is full or the wait list is full. Do not submit if there are still wait list spots. Submitting a request via the ECR helps OASA measure demand and allows our office to work directly with the MAE dept. to see how many more people can possibly be accommodated. It also puts you on a list so that if there are any course updates, everyone on the survey will be notified and have insider information as to when new sections are opening, etc. Please note that filling this out is not a guarantee of enrollment, or that the department will be able to accommodate your request, but it gives you your best chance. Be sure you enroll and plan alternate course options available to you in case you do not get in.

IMPACTED MAE LABS

Effective Winter 2017 the following labs are now deemed impacted: MECH&AE 157 MECH&AE 162D MECH&AE 162E MECH&AE M183B This means students who are admitted to the course have a 2nd week drop deadline enforced, which is the deadline for impacted courses. Please review Samueli enrollment policies and deadlines. Please also review the wait list policy for MAE LAB Courses.

MATH 33B vs MAE 82 (formerly 182A)

Effective Fall 2016-2017 catalog and current – Aerospace and Mechanical majors are no longer required to take Math 33B (Differential Equations). Students should take MAE 82 after completing Math 33A. MECH&AE 82 (“Mathematics of Engineering” covers differential equations). Students following the 2016-2017 catalog and onward should take MECH&AE 82 and not Math 33B. Effective Fall 2017 MECH&AE 82 and MATH 33B are restricted; therefore you can not apply both toward degree requirements. Students in catalog 2015-2016 and prior please read below to see how this may affect you: If you did not take MATH 33B, you can switch to the latest catalog and take MECH&AE 82 (formerly 182A) instead. Submit catalog request here. IF you completed Math 33B prior to Fall 2017 and have not taken MECH&AE 82 (formerly 182A) you can switch to the new catalog and we will substitute Math 33B for MECH&AE 82. Submit catalog request here. If you completed Math 33B prior to Fall 2017 AND you completed MECH&AE 182A or 82 (formerly 182A) you may be able to switch to the new catalog and apply Math 33B to the TBR if the course is a requisite for an UD course already in your TBR area (e.g. ENGR SCI or ENGR MATH) area. A petition for this may be necessary. We recommend you speak to a OASA MAE counselor first to discuss the pros and cons of switching at this point. Submit catalog request here.

PROGRAMMING OPTION (effective Fall 2014) - MAE M20 or Com Sci 31

Effective Fall 2014-2015 Mechanical and Aerospace majors have the option of taking either Com Sci 31 (C++ programming) or MECH&AE M20 (MATLAB programming; same as CEE M20) to fulfill their programming requirement. All Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering will eventually using Matlab in several upper division courses, therefore we recommend that you choose MECH&AE M20 for your programming requirement. If you are additionally interested in C++ programming you can take COM SCI 31 and try to apply it as a Technical Breadth Requirement in the Engineering Science area OR the CS Tech Breadth area. We advise you check-in with your OASA counselor to discuss if you have questions. Students in catalog years 2013-2014 and prior do have the option to take MECH&AE M20 in place of CS 31. For students who already completed CS 31, you may move CS 31 to be a Technical Breadth Requirement in the Engineering Science area OR the CS Tech Breadth area. A petition may be necessary. Please consult with a MAE counselor if you have questions about this.

REQUISITE ISSUE - The enrollment system states I do not meet the requisite, What do I do?

The MECH&AE Department enforces all requisites for their undergraduate courses. Please follow enrollment instructions outlined at the main OASA FAQ page for assistance.

WAITLIST - The course I want is wait listed, what does this mean?

  If a MECH&AE course is on the schedule as wait listed then YES, it is being offered. Several MAE labs (e.g. MAE 157, MAE 162D/E, MAE 183A) are wait list only for one or more of the following reasons (see the schedule of classes notes for details):
  • the wait list allows the department to give priority to graduating seniors if demand exceeds availability and if the demand does not exceed available space then everyone on the wait list will most likely be enrolled into the course.
  • limited physical lab space
  • first day of attendance is required to form groups and/or submit the first homework assignment
Students who are interested in courses with a wait list should secure a spot on the wait list for best chance of enrollment. If the course is full and then the wait list spots become full then your next course of action is to utilize the Enrollment Consideration Request Form (ECR). Please also be aware of MAE LABS that are now impacted.

WHAT IS THE POLICY ON COURSE CREDIT FOR MECH&AE 194/199?

All engineering 194s and 199s are initially approved for excess units. To review course credit policy for AE and ME majors please visit the 194/199 policy page. Consult with your OASA Academic Counselor if you have any questions regarding 194/199 credit.

I AM AN AEROSPACE MAJOR IN AN OLDER CATALOG (2005 and prior). HOW DO I INTERPRET MY CREDIT?

If you are a student who for some reason is following a Samueli catalog prior to 2006 you are advised to meet with an Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering counselor in 6426 BH to review your credit.

 

THE TECHNICAL BREADTH REQUIREMENT (TBR) AND HOW IT APPLIES TO AEROSPACE AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MAJORS

Students in catalog 2006 and thereafter are required to satisfy the Technical Breadth Requirement (12 units).  Choose one area from an approved list and select three courses from that selected area. Click on the following link and select “Summary of Areas” for approved area list: Technical Breadth List.

Engineering Science Area flexibility with EC ENGR 100 and MAT SCI 104:
Aerospace majors and Mechanical Engineering majors may apply EC ENGR 100 and MAT SCI 104 towards the Engineering Science Area.  Please note you are not double counting EC ENGR 100 and MAT SCI 104.  Instead you are moving EC ENGR 100 and MAT SCI 104 from required department courses to the technical breadth requirement in Engineering Science.  This means you would select one more course from the Engineering Science Area list to complete the three courses required.  You can then replace EC ENGR 100 and MAT SCI 104 with additional major electives from the available list of electives.  Or via petition at 6426 BH you may substitute any technical elective from Samueli course offerings (petition BEFORE you take the course).

Which one should you follow?
The department does not endorse the Engineering Science TBA over other TBA’s, but does want to point out the flexibility of the Engineering Science TBA. in regards to your major elective courses.  In particular, this option enables you to gain more depth within your AE/or ME major should you wish to do so.

Technical Breadth Requirement (standard) vs. Engineering Science flexibility:

Required Department Courses
Technical Breadth Requirement
 Major Electives Required
(major field electives are listed in the Samueli catalog for your major).
Standard(total 7) ECE 100,
MSE 104(2 courses)		 3 courses from an
approved TBR list(3 courses)		 2 major electives required from list for
your AE or ME major(2 courses)
Engineering Science TBA
flexibility(total 7)		 ECE 100,
MSE 104(2 courses)		 EE 100 and MSE 104
(already satisfied)
plus 1 more from
Engineering Science TBA(1 course)		 2 major field electives from the
list of electives for your major (ME or AE)-plus-
2 additional major field electives from the list for your major (ME or AE) or via petition at 6426 BH another technical course from Samueli course offerings. (4 courses)

 

SENIOR CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSE INFORMATION FOR ME MAJORS – MECH&AE 162D & MECH&AE 162E

The senior capstone design courses for Mechanical Engineers are MECH&AE 162D  and MECH&AE 162E.  The two courses should be taken in the last two quarters of a student’s program and students must take them in sequence back-to-back.  The requisites are enforced, which means students must complete them prior to enrollment in the senior design courses.

MECH&AE 162D and MECH&AE 162E MUST BE TAKEN IN SEQUENCE, BACK-TO-BACK, AND STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY WITH THE SAME TEAM IN THE SAME SECTION FOR BOTH QUARTERS.  This means, whichever lab section you have in Winter, you MUST stick with it in Spring (NO EXCEPTIONS)

MECH&AE 162D “Mechanical Engineering Design I” requisites are:
MECH&AE 94
and MECH&AE 156A (or MECH&AE 183A or M183B)
and MECH&AE 162A (or MECH&AE 171A).

MECH&AE 162E “Mechanical Engineering Design II” requisite is:
MECH&AE 162D

Students are strongly encouraged to complete MAE 157 and MAE 183A (or M183B) well before taking MAE 162D/E in order to avoid potential conflicts and to lessen their workload. Spring 2021, Summer 2021, Fall 2021, and Winter 2022 degree candidates should plan to enroll in MAE 162D for Winter 2021 and MAE 162E for Spring 2021 as follows:

There will be TWO Lectures of MAE 162D/E as follows, please secure ONE lecture and ONE lab.

MECH&AE Class Offerings: Whichever lab section you enroll in Winter quarter, you MUST stay in the same section for Spring quarter NO EXCEPTIONS.

Winter 2021 Spring 2021
Lecture 1 MAE 162D Lec 1 Monday 2:00PM-3:50PM MAE 162E Monday 2:00PM-3:50PM
Labs Lab 1A (Wed 2:00PM-5:50PM) Lab 1A (Wed 2:00PM-5:50PM)
Lecture 2 MAE 162D Monday 12:00PM-1:50PM MAE 162E Monday 12:00PM-1:50PM
 Lab Lab 2A (Wed & Thurs 10:00AM-11:50AM) Lab 2A (Wed & Thurs 10:00AM-11:50AM)
Lecture 3 MAE 162D Monday 12:00PM-1:50PM MAE 162D Monday 12:00PM-1:50PM
Lab Lab 3A (Wed & Thurs 12:00PM-1:50PM) Lab 3A (Wed & Thurs 12:00PM-1:50PM)

Since you will be in the same lab at the same times for both quarters you must pay attention to conflicts. Students who have not completed labs (ex: MAE 157 or MAE 183A or MAE M183B) and key required courses please be aware of conflicts with the 162D and 162E lab times for W21 and Sp21.

Possible Conflicts Winter 2021 Spring 2021 *tentative schedule
MAE 105D TR 2:00PM-3:50PM
(no conflict)		 MW 4:00PM-5:50PM                                                        (no conflicts)
MAE 133A TR 8:00AM-9:50AM (No conflict) MW 8:00AM-9:50AM (no conflicts)
MAE 156A MW 2:00PM-3:50PM
(conflicts with MAE 162D, Lec 1 and Lab 1A)		 TBD
MAE 157.1 MW 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162D: Lecture 1, Lab 1A)		 MW 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162D: Lecture 1, Lab 1A)
MAE 157.2 TR 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)		 TR 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)
MAE 162A Not offered TR 8:00AM-10:50AM
(conflict with 162E: Lab 2A)
MAE 171A TR 10:00AM-11:50AM
(conflict with 162D: Lab 2A,)		 MW 12:00PM-1:50PM
(conflict with 162E: Lec 2 and Lec 3)
MAE 183A Lec MW 10:15AM-11:30AM
(conflicts with 162D: Lab 2A)		 MW 10:00AM-11:50AM
(conflicts with 162E: Lab 2A)
MAE 183A Lab Lab 1A M 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162D: Lec 1)		 Lab 1A M 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162E: Lec 1)
MAE 183A Lab LAB 1B T 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)		 Lab 1B T 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)
MAE 183A Lab Lab 1C F 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)		 Lab 1C F 2:00PM-5:50PM
(no conflicts)
MAE M183B Lec MW 12:30PM-1:45PM
(conflicts with 162E: Lec 2,  Lec 3, Lab 3A)		 May not be offered
MAE M183B Lab Lab 1A M 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162E: Lec 1)		 May not be offered
MAE M183B Lab Lab 1B T  8:00AM-11:50AM (no conflict) May not be offered
MAE M183B Lab Lab 1C W 2:00PM-5:50PM
(conflicts with 162E: Lab 1A)		 May not be offered

With careful planning students should be able to avoid a conflict. If you have scheduling issues, please contact the MAE counselors IMMEDIATELY and please include your UCLA UID.