MIT

MechE Undergrad

Course 2-A Degree

Introduction

The Course 2-A program offers a flexible, customizable curriculum comprised of (i) a rigorous core involving a foundational set of classes aligned with our mechanical engineering program and (ii) a concentration focused on an enginering field chosen by the student based on their own interests. For the full list of 2-A Degree Requirements, please consult the MIT Catalog.

In all cases, the student is responsible for choosing the set of classes in the concentration that follow the guidelines listed below. There is not a set of pre-exisitng concentrations to choose from. Instead there are example concentrations provided to help students get started and every individual conentration is reviewed by a 2-A Faculty Coordinator after being submitted via the 2-A Concentration Proposal Form. Therefore many different concentrations are possible, and each student will design their own program based on that students’ particular interests. 

There are three main components in each 2-A program (subject to the guidelines):

  •  I. A set of required core subjects (beyond the GIRs)
  • II. A concentration that includes 72 units or more of subjects related to a single cohesive topic with engineering content. You must be able to clearly and concisely describe your focus area in one or two sentences. 
  • III. Each 2-A program must include 72 units of engineering beyond those in the core. Engineering units in your concentration can be counted towards both the cocentration and the engineering unit requirements. However, if your concentration includes subjects that have no (or only partial) engineering units, you must take additional engineering subjects. 

Core Requirements

Intro Design

  • 2.00: Introduction to Design (6 units, full semester, Fall)
    • 2.00A/B/C or 2.007 are also options to substitute, offered Spring
  • Choose one:
    • 2.678: Electronics for Mechanical Systems (6 units, full semester)
    • 2.674: Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory (6 units, full semester)

Engineering Mathematics

  • 2.086: Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers (12 units), REST
  • 18.03: Differential Equations (12 units), REST

Engineering Science

  • 2.001: Mechanics and Materials I (12 units)
  • 2.003: Dynamics & Control I (12 units)
  • 2.005: Thermal-fluids Engineering I (12 units)

Measurement

  • 2.671: Measurement and Instrumentation (12 units), LAB, CI-M

Advanced Design

  • 2.009: The Product Engineering Process (12 units), LAB, CI-M
    • or a substitute option

Guidelines for your Concentration

Your concentration, and the subjects in your cencentration, must be in line with the following guidelines:

  1. The concentration must be focused on a single cohesive topic, not a group of several topics.
  2. The concentration must have engineering content. 
  3. Your concentration must include 72 units or more of classes beyond those requireed in the 2-A core. They can be from any department at MIT.
  4. The connetion between your chosen topic and each subject in your concentration should be clear and make logical sense. 
  5. The subjects in your concentration are expected to be upper-level (defined as subjects that have non-GIR class(es) as pre-requisites). If the class is a pre-requisite for another class that is in your concentration, e.g. 6.100A can be included in your concentration if 6.1010 is also in your concentration; 6.100A cannot be a standalone subject in your concentration. A 2-A Coordinator will approve classes at their discretion.
  6. While your concentration is expected to involve engineering content, every subject in it need not. If you do not have 72 units of engineering in your concentration, you must supplement it with additional subjects (not included in your core) that have engineering content. 
  7. Subjects taken on flexible P/NR can be included in your concentration. A class taken on P/NR in the first semester of the first year can only be included if it was an upper-level class (i.e. if it had a non-GIR class as a prerequisite). 
  8. UROPs, both graded and/or for pay, cannot be included in your concentration. However, up to 12 units of thesis, 2.ThU, may be included. 
  9. If you are double majoring, no more than 24 units of the 2-A concentration may be required subjects or restricted electives in the other major.
  10. Your 2-A program must be approved by a 2-A Coordinator and the Undergrad Officer. You are encouraged to submit your proposed curriculum for review (via the 2-A Concentration Proposal Form) in your junior year (or earlier), and certainly no later than the end of your junior year.
  11. Sometimes you may want to make changes to your already-approved 2-A program, e.g. when a class you were planning on taking is no longer offered. You can always revise your 2-A program, even after submission and approval, by contacting the MechE Undergraduate Office or a 2-A Coordinator. 
  12. You may include any of the MechE second-level subjects 2.002, 2.004, 2.006, and 2.008 as part of your concentration (or for extra engineering units) no matter what your concentration topic is. 
  13. You can review some additional allowed substitutions here. 
  14. No subjects can be counted both as a GIR and as a concentration subject. As such, any HASS subject in your concentration cannot be one of the 8 HASS subjects used to fulfill your Institute’s HASS GIR requirement. 

Guidelines for Engineering Units

When the concentration does not have enough engineering units to satify the degree requirements, additional classes must be taken as extra engineering units. Most classes listed with a Course 2 number will count as engineering units. While many classes within the School of Engineering will count for engineering units, not all classes do. Math and science classes typically will not be designated as counting for engineering units. The designation of engineering units is ultimately up to a 2-A Faculty Coordinator. Typically, these are classes in which the coursework and assignments contain the following activities:

  • designing artifacts
  • creating engineering drawings
  • building hardware
  • applying mathematical exercises in real systems
  • modeling
  • programming
  • conducting experiments and analysis
  • data processing
  • simulation

If you have any questions, you can contact the 2-A Faculty Coordinator: Prof. Ming Guo at guom@mit.edu. You are also welcome to talk to the 2-A Faculty Co-coordinator: Dr. Josh Ramos at ramos01@mit.edu or the MechE Assistant Director of UG Programs: Emma Dunn Santana in 1-110, emmadunn@mit.edu. 

Typically we advise students to fill out the 2-A Concentration Proposal Form even if they only have a rough idea of which classes they are interested in taking. Then, we can discuss the form together and make any changes as needed.