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Suggested Programs for Mechanical Engineering

Study abroad presents so much potential to mechanical engineers to work on core ME courses like fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, technical electives, or general education requirements, but only about 2% of mechanical engineers have chosen to study abroad historically. Imagine yourself taking engineering coursework in robotics, automotive or industrial engineering, entrepreneurship, or lab research.

Mechanical engineering, Germany

Mechanical engineering, Germany

Mechanical engineering, Germany

Study abroad presents so much potential to mechanical engineers to work on core ME courses like fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, technical electives, or general education requirements, but only about 2% of mechanical engineers have chosen to study abroad historically. Imagine yourself taking engineering coursework in robotics, automotive or industrial engineering, entrepreneurship, or lab research.

Engineering-Focused Programs

Engineering & Science, Japan

Conduct research at Tohoku University, known for developing innovations and hands-on learning. Guided by a faculty supervisor, work in a lab with international and Japanese students on the new Aobayama campus.

Research
This program has a required research component which makes up from one third to one half of your academic curriculum during each semester. You will be placed in a research group based on a study plan you submit as part of your predeparture checklist. See the courses and credits tab for more information on Tohoku University research.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Technion-Institute of Technology, Israel

Often compared to MIT, Technion is consistently ranked among the world's top science and technology research universities with several Nobel laureates among its faculty members. The port city of Haifa has been called Israel’s Silicon Valley. In this epicenter of innovation, boost your academic and professional career engaging in a 9-week, full-time internship followed by exciting course studies in a specialized topic.

Internships | Research
Engineering internships and research internships occur during the first 9 weeks on this program. See the internships tab for more information on the types of opportunities available.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

STEM Research Osaka, Japan

In this full-time lab program, conduct experiments and take part in team projects in a working science lab at Osaka University. Focus on fields like nanotechnology, molecular science, or robotics.

Research
This is a full-time lab research program; you will be placed in a lab based on a research proposal you submit as part of your predeparture checklist. See the courses and credits tab for more information on Osaka University researchers.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Technical Univ. Summer, Germany

Experience a high-velocity, English-taught program at one of Germany’s top technical universities. After a short course on innovation management or German language, focus on a single, month-long course in engineering, architecture, urban design, communication or other fields. Get both theoretical and practical, hands-on experience. Includes trips to companies and research facilities in Berlin, a city with a strong industrial-artsy feel.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Research in Taipei, Taiwan

Gain research skills over the summer at the prestigious National Taiwan University in Taipei. Working in ultramodern labs with local faculty, complete a research project and acquire experience that you can take anywhere after graduation.

Research
This is a full-time lab research program. See the courses and credits tab for more information on possible lab opportunities in the NTU summer research lab.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Immersion & Exchange Programs Suggested for Mechanical Engineering

National Univ. of Singapore

The National Univ. of Singapore consistently lands in the top 20 worldwide ranking in mechanical engineering. It also has coursework in a number of target areas for UC Merced students: thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials, numerical analysis, circuits, and more. Courses are available in English.

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Imperial College, United Kingdom

Consistently in the top 10 worldwide, Imperial College is an ideal match for many mechanical engineering students in thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, and more.

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Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology

HKUST is consistently ranked in the top 50 in the world for mechanical engineering and offers a robust array of courses in circuits, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials, and numerical analysis, among others. Courses are available in English.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Univ. of Hong Kong (HKU)

Across the water from HKUST is HKU, also consistently ranked in the top 50 in the world for mechanical engineering. Here students take courses in thermodynamics, circuits, numerical analysis, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and more. Courses are available in English.

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Univ. of Canterbury, New Zealand

Perhaps the best university for ME majors in New Zealand, Canterbury offers courses in areas like heat transfer, vibration and control, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, and more.

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Yonsei Univ., Korea

The alma mater of our previous chancellor, Yonsei offers key coursework for ME majors in circuits, engineering economic analysis, materials, and numerical analysis. Courses are available in English.

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Lund Univ., Sweden

In the heart of sustainability-oriented Scandinavia, Lund Univ. serves students with courses in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials, numerical analysis, and more. Courses are available in English.

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Univ. of Sydney, Australia

Consistently ranked in the top 50 worldwide in mechanical engineering, the University of Sydney is emerging as a strong choice for mechanical engineers.

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Univ. College Dublin, Ireland

Study in the Irish capital and take ME courses in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, and more.

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Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is a university town with strong offerings for UC mechanical engineering students with coursework targeting thermodynamics, heat transfer, computer-aided engineering, and more.

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Summer Physics Abroad

One potential route to study abroad for STEM students is to tackle a full year of introductory physics over the summer. Typically, this is the summer between students’ first and second year at UC Merced. Consider these options:

Ireland: Dublin Summer Physics

In just eight weeks at the University College Dublin, you can earn a full year of calculus-based physics credit, get a jump on math coursework, or prepare for a pre-med track. Lab experiments and group workshops expand your science knowledge with students from around the world.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

United Kingdom: Glasgow Science & Engineering

As the home to the James Watt School of Engineering and the School of Life Sciences, the University of Glasgow offers the perfect environment for this intensive physics summer program.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

United Kingdom: Summer in Sussex

Minutes from the sparkling seafront, Sussex is quintessentially English, with spectacular castles, greenery, and attractions fit for royals. Pre-med and life sciences majors can earn up to a year of physics credit in two months!

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Feature: 5 Reasons STEM Majors Should Study Abroad

Group study session

Want to stand out on your next job application or boost your chances into getting into grad school? Or are you looking to expand your worldview, perhaps explore a side interest? Whatever your goal is, there’s a good chance study abroad can help you achieve it.

Completing Other Engineering Degree Requirements Abroad

Engineering students have several general education requirements that they can easily tackle through study abroad:

  1. Approaches to Knowledge
    1. At least one course in natural sciences
    2. At least three courses in social sciences, arts, and humanities
  2. Intellectual Experiences
    1. Global Awareness, which is automatically fulfilled through study abroad with UCEAP
    2. Additional Intellectual Experiences, as appropriate, including, but not limited to:
      1. Societies and Cultures of the Past,
      2. Diversity and Identity, or
      3. Sustainability

These requirements represent the most flexible general education requirements for Engineering students planning to study abroad.

Technical Electives Abroad

Technical electives serve as the next most flexible degree requirement category. Study abroad advisors suggest that engineers who wish to pursue engineering coursework while abroad and take advantage of the specializations of uniquely-positioned world-class universities save as many technical electives as they can while enrolled at UC Merced and instead target core, prescribed engineering requirements. Technical electives should value at least 3.0 semester units or students should plan to combine more than one course to fulfill unit requirements in this area.

Enrollment Planning Strategies for Engineers

Whenever possible, study abroad advisors recommend that Engineering students aim for more of their major and School of Engineering degree requirements when selecting a program and using the general education requirements as fallback options in case the targeted engineering course requirements do not pan out. In this way students continue to make progress toward their degrees while maximizing their scholarship potential and the the opportunities to integrate an international experience with their academic interests.

For Engineering requirements, students will have courses reviewed through the   Engineering course approval form, assuming the courses have not already been previously approved to fulfill a degree requirement.

Previously Approved UCEAP Coursework

The School of Engineering has made some previously approved courses for Engineering substitutions and/or requirements available to the public. This is not a comprehensive list of courses available but it may be a starting point in your research.

Additionally, the School of Natural Sciences has some previously approved courses listed online. This is not a comprehensive list of courses available, either, but it may help with SNS coursework to fulfill Engineering requirements.

  Engineering Course Approvals for UCEAP

  Natural Sciences Course Approvals for UCEAP

Course Approval and Course Approval Forms

With a few exceptions of previously approved courses (ask your academic advisor), courses will need to be approved to meet individual degree requirements. In these cases, students will use the Course Approval Form for the school that would typically offer such a course at UC Merced:

 

The school will often require a syllabus or equivalent in order to do a review. Keep in mind that syllabi may be protected intellectual property of certain professors or universities and may not be publicly posted online. If it is a UC Center program, you may be able to acquire syllabi through your study abroad advisor. If the program is with a local host university and the course is not posted online, you may be able to inquire with the instructor or host university in some cases.

Academic Planning

No matter your academic intentions while studying abroad, you should consult your academic advisor and your MyDegreePath report to plan out your study abroad academic goals. Once you narrow your search to 1-3 study abroad programs consult your program page or ask your study abroad advisor about resources for researching courses in your program.

 

Start planning for study abroad with your academic advisor as soon as you can. One of the keys to maximizing academic success abroad is early planning and scheduling course loads before, during, and after study abroad. This includes strategies such as targeting a study abroad term to exploit areas of flexibility in your academic plan.

Be sure to make use of UCEAP course credit resources below, too.

 

UC Merced Campus Credit through UCEAP

How to Explore Database of Courses Previously Taken

 

Campus Credit Abroad

Planning the courses you’ll take on study abroad is as important as figuring out when and where to go. All courses taken on the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) are guaranteed UC credit, but understanding how each class may fit into your academic plan is a critical part of the planning process.

UCEAP Database of Courses Previously Taken

How to Find Courses for UCEAP

One of the challenges with academic planning and completing the Academic Planning Form is finding courses. While there is never any certainty with course offerings and study abroad always requires a little calculated academic risk, there are some techniques to minimize the risk and exploit unique educational opportunities through study abroad.

Courses & Credit Tab

For nearly every UCEAP program page, there will be a tab labeled “Courses & Credit.” Within this tab you will find information and links in the “Course Opportunities” area. The course resources are listed in order of relevance. Depending on the program, you might find any of the following resources:

  1. Course syllabi
  2. Links to academic majors or programs with courses
  3. A bulleted list of courses

MyEAP Course Catalog

All UCEAP coursework taken in the last five (5) years is listed in the UCEAP Course Catalog. There are a few things you should consider when using the MyEAP Course Catalog:

  1. The list of courses is not comprehensive.
  2. Course units are listed in quarter units (to convert to semester units, divide by 1.5).
  3. Syllabi are not included.
  4. You may need to search less intuitive subject areas to find coursework (e.g. health sciences for public health, "engineering" for bioengineering, business for management and business economics).

Check Previously Approved Courses

There are a few resources available showing coursework previously approved for study abroad online. The resources are limited but they do represent some of the more recent course approvals:

A Note on Course Syllabi

Your academic advisor or school may insist that you need syllabi in order to determine whether a course abroad will substitute a particular degree requirement. While this is generally true, this does not prevent you from planning out your academic schedule abroad and determining what type of degree requirements a course may fulfill.

Sometimes your study abroad advisor or UCEAP can acquire a syllabus on your behalf; however, this is not always the case. Please understand that syllabi are often considered intellectual property and may not be shared until the course begins. Previously approved courses (see above) are often your first go-to resource to select courses.