Major Description

Engineering Mechanics (EM) allows students to combine a love of engineering with a passion for mathematics, physics, computation, and other sciences. While the student experience also includes applied topics and lab classes, the EM program places strong emphasis on a scientific approach, with a foundation of math and physics classes, followed by courses in statics, dynamics, mechanics of solids, mechanics of fluids, continuum mechanics, mechanics of materials, computational mechanics, and engineering design.

Students can also focus their studies through a secondary field. Secondary fields are often built around a student’s long-term career interests, integrating their Engineering Mechanics curriculum with another area of specialization. Secondary fields come in two varieties, pre-approved or customized.

In all, there are seven pre-approved secondary field options:

• Biomechanics
• Computational Mechanics
• Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics
• Experimental Mechanics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Mechanics of Materials
• Solid Mechanics EM

Students with special interests can work with their faculty advisors to personalize their own secondary field.

Courses That Introduce the Major

• MATH 221—Calculus I
• MATH 231—Calculus II
• PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics
• PHYS 212—University Physics: Electricity & Magnetism
• CS 101— Introduction to Computing: Engineering & Science
• TAM 195—Mechanics in the Modern World
• TAM 211—Statics

Students should consult with an academic advisor regarding course selection prior to the advanced registration period.

Possible Career Opportunities

The versatile problem-solving abilities of EM graduates serve them well in all walks of life. About half of  EM graduates continue their education in graduate school, and about half take positions in industry. EM students who continue into graduate school find themselves well prepared for graduate work in a wide range of studies—from medicine to materials science. The Engineering Mechanics program produces science-based engineers prepared to solve challenging, technical problems in aerospace, biomedical, automotive, manufacturing, product development, petrochemical, energy, nanotechnology, heating and air condition, water treatment, software, robotics, consulting, and research applications.

Enhancing Your Academic Experience

• Participate in Mechse Research
• Participating in undergraduate research
• Applying for a study abroad experience
• Utilizing resources of The Career Center and Engineering Career Services
• Joining a Registered Student Organization (RSO) related to this major, such as:
  • Society for Experimental Mechanics: offers social and academic enrichment for students interested in theoretical and applied mechanics.
  • Other professional organizations that Engineering Mechanics students participate in can be found on mechse.illinois.edu/student-experience.

Further Information

There are several professional organizations dedicated to Engineering Mechanics. Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Engineering Mechanics.  These organizations include American Institute of Physics and ASME.

View the Engineering Mechanics Brochure or the MechSE Departmental Brochure for more Information.

MechSE Undergraduate Programs Office – temporary location 152 Computer Applications Building 605 East Springfield Ave. Champaign, IL 61820. Phone: (217) 333-0366 Email: mechse-undergrad@illinois.edu

Major Description

Electrical engineers design, construct, and maintain products, services, and systems and perform research to create new ideas in areas such as energy and power, circuits and electronics, optics, remote sensing, electromagnetics, communications, signal processing and control, and networking and computing systems. Electrical engineering is a rapidly evolving discipline based on the application of math, physics, and computation to address the needs of our networked information-age society.

Courses That Introduce the Major

• ECE 110—Introduction to Electronics
• MATH 221—Calculus I
• MATH 231—Calculus II
• PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics
• PHYS 212—University Physics: Electricity & Magnetism

Students should consult with an academic advisor regarding course selection prior to the advanced registration period.

Possible Career Opportunities

Because of the variety of possible applications, electrical engineers need a broad background in mathematics and physics, as well as strong hands-on experimental work or solid knowledge of theoretical, mathematical and computational approaches.

Enhancing Your Academic Experience

• Participating in undergraduate research
• Applying for a study abroad experience
• Utilizing resources of The Career Center and Engineering Career Services
• Joining a Registered Student Organization (RSO) related to this major, such as:
  • Illini Solar Car
  • Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering: Supports and encourages women in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
  • iRobotics:iRobotics is a community of students interested in competing in JSDC, VRCC, and other robotics competitions, as well as spreading the word of science and technology to the community.

Further Information

There are several professional organizations dedicated to Electrical Engineering.  Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Electrical Engineering.  These organizations include The Institution of Engineering and Technology and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Major Description

CS + Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field combining engineering, computer science and applied mathematics principles to solve complex engineering problems using computational methods. It uses computer simulations, numerical analysis, and advanced mathematical techniques to model, analyze, and optimize engineering systems and processes.

This is a joint offering through the departments of bioengineering and computer science.

In your first and second year, you’ll gain a thorough foundation in scientific computing practices and introductory bioengineering concepts. In your third and fourth year, you’ll study diverse modern applications of computing in medicine and the life sciences. You’ll graduate prepared to address emerging problems throughout your career!

Courses That Introduce the Major

• CS 124—Introduction to Computer Science I
• CS 128—Introduction to Computer Science II
• CS 173—Discrete Structures
• CHEM 102/103—General Chemistry I / General Chemistry Lab I
• MCB 150—Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life
• MATH 221—Calculus I
• MATH 231—Calculus II
• PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics
• PHYS 212—University Physics: Electricity & Magnetism

Students should consult with an academic advisor regarding course selection prior to the advanced registration period.

Possible Career Opportunities

Graduates may work in the following industries:

• Medical Imaging
• Genomics
• Medical Devices
• Healthcare informatics and software
• Drug discovery
• Clinical informatics
• Computational Biology

Enhancing Your Academic Experience

• Participating in undergraduate research
• Applying for a study abroad experience
• Utilizing resources of The Career Center and Engineering Career Services
• Joining a Registered Student Organization (RSO) related to this major, such as:
  • Biomedical Engineering Society, Illinois Chapter: Promotes the increase of biomedical engineering knowledge and its utilization.
  • National Society of Black Engineers: NSBE’s mission is to increase the number of Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.

Further Information

There are several professional organizations dedicated to majors within the Department of Bioengineering.  Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Computer Science + Bioengineering. These organizations include Biomedical Engineering Society and Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Major Description

Computer engineering is a multifaceted discipline that constitutes the backbone of the booming field of cyber-physical systems. It applies principles of physics and mathematics to the design, implementation, and analysis of computer, communication, and cyber-physical systems. This discipline spans topics as diverse as radio communications, coding and encryption, computer architecture, testing and analysis of computer and communication systems, robotics, and computer vision and more broadly computer sensing. 

Computer engineering concerns itself (a) with developing devices that exploit physical phenomena to retrieve, store, process, and share information; (b) with designing hardware that incorporates such devices; and (c) with creating software that takes advantage of the hardware’s characteristics. It addresses problems in design, testing, and evaluation of system properties, such as reliability and security.

Courses That Introduce the Major

• ECE 120—Introduction to Computing
• MATH 221—Calculus I
• MATH 231—Calculus II
• PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics
• PHYS 212—University Physics: Electricity & Magnetism

Students should consult with an academic advisor regarding course selection prior to the advanced registration period.

Possible Career Opportunities

Computer engineers are employed in every industry. Whether it is for programming, installation of a new system, or highly specialized software – computer engineers are utilized in healthcare, transportation, academics, financial institutions, and service-oriented businesses. Examples of companies that have computer engineers on staff include: Verizon Wireless, Citicorp, and Southwest airlines.

Enhancing Your Academic Experience

• Participating in undergraduate research
• Applying for a study abroad experience
• Utilizing resources of The Career Center and Engineering Career Services
• Joining a Registered Student Organization (RSO) related to this major, such as:
  • Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering: Supports and encourages women in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
  • Illinois Robotics in Space (IRIS):Encourages and facilitates education and hands on experience in engineering and robotics, especially in the arena of space applications, for students of all ages.
  • Illini Solar Car

Further Information

There are several professional organizations dedicated to Computer Engineering.  Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Computer Engineering.  These organizations include Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, Association for Computing Machinery, Association for Women in Computing, and IEEE Computer Society.

Major Description

The Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) major integrates life and engineering for the enhancement of systems involving agriculture, food, energy, water, and the environment. The program that combines fundamental engineering skills with understanding and the ability to design complex systems in some of the world’s areas of greatest need. We prepare you to create abundant and safe supplies of food, feed, water, and energy; to design healthier, more sustainable indoor and outdoor environments; and to develop new technology at both micro and macro levels. Our graduates are equipped to analyze data and manage information for complex systems. In a world with finite resources and nearly 7.5 billion people, these are skills that are valued on both local and global scales.

Concentrations

Students will choose a concentration during their sophomore or junior year.

Courses That Introduce the Major

• CHEM 102/103—General Chemistry I / General Chemistry Lab I
• MATH 221—Calculus I
• MATH 231—Calculus II
• PHYS 211—University Physics: Mechanics
• PHYS 212—University Physics: Electricity & Magnetism

Students should consult with an academic advisor regarding course selection prior to the advanced registration period.

Possible Career Opportunities

An ABE degree will open doors around the world in large corporations and small businesses, including careers in water quality, food processing, environmental systems, structural design, erosion control, materials handling, agricultural power, equipment design and more.

Enhancing Your Academic Experience

• Participating in undergraduate research
• Applying for a study abroad experience
• Utilizing resources of The Career Center
• Joining a Registered Student Organization (RSO) related to this major, such as:
  • Alpha Epsilon Honor Society: Honor society for agricultural and biological engineering students
  • American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: Supports the pre-professional development of students in agricultural and biological engineering

Further Information

There are several professional organizations dedicated to Agricultural Engineering.  Their websites might be able to provide a glimpse in the world of Agricultural Engineering. One such organization includes American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.