Scope and Objectives

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers curricula in aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The scope of the departmental research and teaching program is broad, encompassing dynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, manufacturing and design, micro- and nano-engineering, structural and solid mechanics, and systems and control. The applications of mechanical and aerospace engineering are quite diverse, including aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, energy and propulsion systems, robotics, machinery, manufacturing and materials processing, microelectronics, biological systems, and more. At the undergraduate level, the department offers accredited programs leading to B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and in Mechanical Engineering. At the graduate level, the department offers programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and in Aerospace Engineering. An M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering is also offered.

Department Mission
The mission of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is to educate the nation’s future leaders in the science and art of mechanical and aerospace engineering. Further, the department seeks to expand the frontiers of engineering science and to encourage technological innovation while fostering academic excellence and scholarly learning in a collegial environment.

Accreditation Statements

The Mechanical Engineering degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

The Aerospace Engineering degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Aerospace and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Undergraduate Program Educational Objectives
In consultation with its constituents, the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department has set its educational objectives as follows: within a few years after graduation, the students will be successful in careers in aerospace or mechanical or other engineering fields, and/or in graduate studies in aerospace or mechanical or other engineering fields, and/or in further studies in other fields such as medicine, business, and law.

Undergraduate Student Outcomes
The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering majors at UCLA have several associated Student Outcomes, describing the knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire in our curricula by the time of graduation. Students are equipped with these knowledge and skills to support their successful pursuits in the first few years after their graduation, as described in the aforementioned Program Educational Objectives.

These Student Outcomes are as follows:

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 audience
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