Academics
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Undergraduate Study
BS Curriculum

The mechanical engineering degree provides tremendous flexibility to customize the curriculum to the student's interests and professional goals.  This flexibility also reflects the expertise of the faculty and rapidly emerging areas of mechanical engineering.

Degree Requirements

An overview of the curriculum for new students starting in the 2026-27 academic year is displayed below. The new engineering core requirement, Engineering Foundations will replace the Engineering Analysis sequence for all McCormick undergraduate degrees. The full curriculum will be published to the Northwestern University Academic Catalog in September 2026.

Engineering Core Requirements (26 units)

  • Mathematics (4 units)
  • Basic sciences (4 units)
  • Engineering Foundations (3 units)
  • Design, Communication, and Innovation (3 units)
  • Social Sciences/Humanities Theme (7 units)
  • Unrestricted electives (5 units)

Major Program Requirements (22 units)

  • Mechanical engineering foundations (3 units)
  • Required courses (11 units)
  • Capstone courses (2 units)
  • Mechanical Engineering concentration courses (6 units)

2025-2026 Degree Requirements

View the 2025-26 Academic Catalog

Curriculum Planning Resources

Seven concentrations and the program are included in the undergraduate curriculum document. Also, for planning out your exciting journey follow the flowchart and view the courses tab for a detailed listing of all mechanical engineering courses. View additional resources below.