APSC 100 FAQs - MECH
Below are frequently asked questions and answers relating to the MECH program.
General
What is Mechanical Engineering?
Mechanical Engineering is the design and development of mechanical systems—basically, anything that moves. As such, mechanical engineers are involved in almost every industry, from the familiar/traditional sectors like cars, planes, and boats, to robotics, biomedical sector, or aerodynamics of a FIFA soccer ball. You can even find the fingerprint of a mechanical engineer just looking around the room: the stapler on your desk, the drawer of your dresser, the heating or cooling of the building you are in—these have all involved the work of mechanical engineers.
What are examples of the typical types of work or tasks that someone in Mechanical Engineering does?
Mechanical Engineers work in a wide range of industries, such as product design, energy, aerospace, robotics, biomedical, mining, automotive, forestry, manufacturing, automation, building systems, and more. To do this, mechanical engineers rely on many skills over a wide range of areas, including design, research, CAD, computer coding and simulation, prototype development and testing, fault detection and failure analysis, and many others. In addition, mechanical engineers work on specialized and multidisciplinary teams, and must be able to communicate designs and ideas to clients, and other technical and non-technical audiences through a variety of formats.
Program
What distinguishes Mechanical Engineering from other engineering programs at UBC?
Holistic education: We try to equip our students with the tools they need to be competitive in the workplace by providing a wide range of experiences. We have one of the strongest design components of any UBC engineering department, with industrially-relevant team design projects built into every year level; one of the highest participation rates in co-op; and strong departmental support for student teams.
Award-winning curriculum: The most distinguishing thing about UBC Mech is our revolutionary and award-winning second-year curriculum, Mech 2. Instead of studying each academic subject in isolation, as you would in other programs, all of the courses/content are integrated together into modules. Students don’t just learn dynamics, math, solid mechanics, etc. as stand-alone topics, but rather how each topic relates to each other and how to utilize all of them to solve practical engineering problems.
Community: Mech 2 fosters a strong sense of community within the department. Due to the unique structure of the curriculum, students work with the same peers and professors every day. This creates a tight-knit community and a culture of peer support not found in other programs where students attend several disconnected classes with different classmates and professors in each.
Highly customizable degree: In upper years, the program is distinguished by variety allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests. We offer Options in aerospace, biomechanics and medical devices, energy and environment, mechatronics, and naval architecture and marine engineering, or students have the option of taking the general Flex Option and customizing their technical electives with a mix. There’s something to fit every passion and to prepare students for any of the many jobs that mechanical engineers can do.
What are the typical courses that someone in Mechanical Engineering takes?
Generally, all students take courses in math, dynamics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, design process, solid mechanics, statistics, and technical communication. In upper years, the courses you take will depend on your specialization. A full list of Mechanical Engineering courses with descriptions can be found here: https://courses.students.ubc.ca/browse-courses/subject/MECH_V
What is a typical course load in Mechanical Engineering?
Students typically take 6 courses per term, although this can vary depending on specialization and co-op. Refer to our website for sample curriculum lists for each of the specializations: http://mech.ubc.ca/undergraduate/prospective/curriculum/
What kind of technical facilities can Mechanical Engineering students use?
We have a range of technical facilities that support our students’ hands-on learning, that are available throughout their degree.
Machine Shop, Electronics Lab, MakerSpace: At the beginning of second year, Mech 2 students learn how to use our student machine shop, where our technical staff support them in using a range of fabrication equipment, and they receive instrumentation training in our electronics lab. As well as giving them an understanding of how designs go from paper to reality and the fundamental prototyping skills they’ll need in later design courses, they can then use both these facilities and access our technical staff experts for their coursework or personal projects throughout their degrees. Additionally, our MakerSpace offers 24-hour access to a range of equipment, including a 3D Print Shop, hand tools, and a waterjet cutter for students to use whenever they like for course or personal projects.
Technical Learning Facilities: Students will access a number of technical learning spaces throughout their degrees:
- Our Undergraduate Lab is a large reconfigurable teaching and technical work space that can transform into a competition arena for our second-year design projects, or hold specialized equipment like tow-tanks for hands-on lab sessions.
- An undergraduate computing lab in ICICS allows students to access high-powered design software, and upper year students can take specialized technical electives in our Controls Lab and Mechatronics Lab spaces.
- In CEME Labs, the Parkinson wind tunnel is used for teaching, research, and aerodynamics testing for capstone projects or student team designs. Our Capstone room gives students a dedicated space to build their final year projects.
Options
What options or streams are there in Mechanical Engineering?
UBC Vancouver Mechanical Engineering students tailor their third- and fourth-year studies by selecting one of our six Options. They can keep their elective topics broad with our Flex Option, or pursue more focused studies in Aerospace, Biomechanics and Medical Devices, Energy and Environment, Mechatronics, or Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. While all upper year students will take core courses that will allow them to succeed as a mechanical engineer in any industry, Options allow students to pursue their interests in the broader context of Mechanical Engineering. Students in an Option will have reserved seats in their required Option courses, and have their Option acknowledged on their transcripts.
Flex gives students a taste of everything, with the freedom to follow their interests and take courses from other Options and explore special topics. It has the largest amount of open technical electives, giving students the ability to build their own path for third- and fourth-year studies. You might like Flex if you don’t have a specific interest you want to focus on, you want to try out different topics, or combine multiple areas of interest.
Aerospace is designed to prepare students for mechanical engineering within the high-tech world of aircraft and spaceflight. Tailor your degree to the aerospace industry with technical electives in topics like aerodynamics, aircraft design and structures, aerospace materials, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. You might like this Aerospace if you want to hone already applicable mechanical engineering skills to work with rockets, airplanes, satellites, helicopters, or drones and uncrewed aircraft systems.
Biomechanics & Medical Devices applies principals of motion to the human body, preparing students for mechanical engineering in the biomedical industry. Courses focus on areas such as biomechanics, injury mechanics, biofluids, anatomy, biomedical equipment and industrial and clinical medical engineering. You might like Biomechanics & Medical Devices if you want to do things like design medical devices, surgical tools or protective equipment (helmets, airbags, etc.), work with prosthetics, analyze human motion, learn about medical imaging systems like ultrasound, or create products for sports.
Energy & Environment gives students skills to address the challenges of today’s energy-hungry world, like renewable energy, transportation systems, and building design. Apply fluid dynamics and thermodynamics concepts to topics in sustainability and energy, and take specialized courses exploring air pollution, technology and society; and experimental fluid mechanics. You might like Energy & Environment if you want to design transportation systems and vehicles for the future, advance clean energy and new energy infrastructures, design heating and cooling systems for buildings, create new technologies like carbon capture that address sustainability and pollution issues.
Mechatronics integrates the principles of mechanical, computer, electrical, and controls engineering into a unified discipline. Mechatronics-specific courses focus on digital and analog electronics, electromechanics, real time software engineering, mechatronics systems modeling, sensors and actuators, instrumentation and mechatronics systems control. You might like Mechatronics if you want to work in robotics, automated machining or manufacturing, design moving systems that use on sensors or computation, or integrate intelligent monitoring technologies into mechanical devices like cars, airplanes, manufacturing robots, etc.
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering gives students technical skills for shipbuilding and marine applications, exploring topics like hydrodynamics, fluid mechanics, structural analysis and ship design. Drawing on our well-established graduate program, instructors in naval architecture and marine engineering have a depth of knowledge and close ties to industry. You might like Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering if you want to hone already applicable mechanical engineering skills to design and build ships and submarines, or develop related marine technologies like off-shore wind turbines.
Find out more about all our Options: http://mech.ubc.ca/undergraduate/current/program-options/
Learn about the kinds of courses you could take in each Option and see past Capstone projects by Mechanical Engineering students at UBC Vancouver: https://mech.ubc.ca/undergraduate/curriculum.
What are the differences between UBCV Mechanical Engineering Options and similar topics in other programs?
Fields like the biomedical industry, robotics, and manufacturing are inherently interdisciplinary, and engineers with different areas of expertise often work together. UBC offers multiple programs for students interested in these interdisciplinary areas, but each will approach the field by applying the core skills of their discipline.
- For example: a company developing pacemakers could employ mechanical, electrical, and biomedical engineers who each work on a different aspect of the device – sensors that monitor the movement of the patient’s heart, electrical components that deliver a shock when the sensors identify something wrong, all developed with understanding of how heart tissues will react. These engineers will bring their discipline’s perspective and expertise working together as a team.
Learn more about how the mechanical engineering program approaches some of these interdisciplinary areas:
The UBCV Mechanical Engineering Biomechanics and Mechanical Devices Option explores how the principles of solid mechanics, fluid dynamics, dynamics and kinematics and mechanical design are applied in the design of medical devices and study of the human body. Students learn how devices that help the body move like joint replacements or prosthetics are designed; explore the flow of fluids such as the circulatory system or in joint lubrication; gain insight into how impact forces affect the body and how this applies to designing safety systems like seatbelts or helmets; or how mechanical design concepts can be used to create surgical tools. Our research professors who teach in this Option have interdisciplinary expertise, applying knowledge in areas like mechatronics and sensors to biomedical topics.
How is the Mechatronics Option in Mechanical Engineering different from studying automation or robotics through another discipline?
The Mechatronics Option provides strong mechanical engineering skills complemented by practical knowledge of electronics and computer engineering. Mechatronics students gain an understanding of how moving systems can be integrated with electrical systems, software, controls and sensors. Students will take courses in data structures and algorithms, systems software, digital systems and microcomputers, and electromechanics that build upon their mechanical engineering expertise in areas like manufacturing processes, machine design, and sensors and actuators, giving them the skills to design and build moving devices controlled by computer systems.
How is Mechanical Engineering different from Manufacturing Engineering?
At UBC Vancouver, the Manufacturing Engineering undergraduate program is offered in partnership between UBC Mechanical Engineering and UBC Materials Engineering. Manufacturing Engineering lies at the intersection of these two fields, bringing together important expertise from both disciplines, and MANU students will be taught by instructors and access resources from both departments, such as our Student Machine Shop and MakerSpace. This may be ideal for students who want to focus specifically on a career in manufacturing; however, for students who want to explore a broader scope of applications the Mechanical Engineering program includes a wide range of additional topics.
Career
What types of industries and jobs does someone in Mechanical Engineering work in?
Mechanical Engineering is very versatile. Almost every industry will have a mechanical engineering component or position. For example, graduates from our program work in the following industries:
- Product design and development
- Energy (oil, gas and renewable energy)
- Pulp and paper
- Naval Architecture
- Engines and automotives
- Building mechanical systems including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
- Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
- Manufacturing
- Mechatronics
- Robotics
- Aerospace
- Biomedical
- Maintenance and reliability
- Forest products
- Mining and minerals
- Machinery design
- Consulting and management
- Generation/extraction, distribution, and utilization of energy
- Transportation (ground, air, naval, etc.) and the design, development and operation of the associated devices/systems
Graduates who do not wish to go directly into industry may also go on to take graduate engineering research degrees and work in academia, or continue their studies in medical, business, or law school (to name only a few).
“I know that with a mechanical engineering degree I can take my future career down any path I want; the versatility and opportunity to work in nearly any industry was a major deciding factor in picking mechanical engineering over other departments.” - Robert Lion
“I chose Mechanical Engineering because there are so many different jobs I can do after university with a Mech degree. There are no boundaries with Mech.” - Cameron Harris
What is the job market like for Mechanical Engineering?
Mechanical Engineering is a stable, high-earning job with a low unemployment rate. According to the 2023 labour data released by the Canadian Occupational Projection System, the Canadian economy alone is expected to produce 12,000 job openings for mechanical engineers from 2024-2033. The median annual wage for a mechanical engineering in British Columbia is currently $90,244 (WorkBC, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data). With mechanical engineering being central to so many diverse industries, the odds of finding employment will always be good for mechanical engineers.
What are typical student experiences in Co-op like for Mechanical Engineering?
“In Co-op, a student can apply for a variety of jobs. Some of these are desk/office jobs and some involve being out in the field doing technical work. It is important for you to experience both sides so that you find their calling, and co-op provides this opportunity. It allows you to move between different fields or industries to see what you would like to do in the future. For example, you might work in Research and Development for one term and spend the next term on the industrial and corporate side of things. Co-op gives you the opportunity to experiment with new fields before you start your career.
A student in co-op also has the benefit of seeing the material they are being taught in school actually applied in the field. Putting these engineering fundamentals to use in the real world deepens your understanding of the academic material and makes you a better engineer.
Finally, co-op gives you valuable connections and introduces you to the corporate side of the profession. There’s more to engineering than just technical information and co-op gives you the opportunity to see the many sides of engineering that academics alone cannot show you.” - Siddhant Malik
Student Experience
What is it like to be a student in Mechanical Engineering?
A typical day for a MECH 2 student (2nd year) could include anything from doing machining work in the machine shop, to going on a kayaking field trip, to pulling an all-nighter with their design group to get their project ready for the competition the next day, to sweating it out in the weekly 2 hour “quiz”. Their day will always include learning something new, doing something challenging, and spending time with the MECH 2 community.
For a senior level student (3rd or 4th year), a typical day could include spending time in one of our teaching labs, working with their design group on their 3rd year or capstone project, hanging out in Club Mech between classes, working with other engineering students on a student team project, or finding a familiar place to study with some friends.
What are the unique student experiences in Mechanical Engineering?
UBC Mechanical Engineering has a tightknit community of students, faculty, and staff. This is manifested both inside and outside the classroom. In Mech 2, students develop close relationships with their peers—not only through the intensive shared work environment and team projects, but also through fun activities like rock climbing and other field trips. Outside the classroom, we have vibrant student communities through Club Mech (our student government) and student teams. The department is committed to supporting these groups and strives to reward and recognize those who take an active role in our MECH community and the engineering community. Our dedicated team of staff and instructors are dedicated to ensuring our students get the support they need at all points in their degree.
“I love UBC Mech because the projects are fun and the professors are awesome! In Mech 2 we learned by going kayaking and rock climbing, and we got to race a cardboard boat at the UBC pool! I have so much fun doing design projects and I am still close friends with all of my team-mates. I even got to go on exchange and study in another country for one semester!” - Andrea Slade
“I strongly believe there is no other engineering department here at UBC that supports student leadership so well.” - Amanda Li
How difficult / challenging is MECH 2?
Second year in Mechanical Engineering at UBCV is designed to provide a firm and cohesive foundation for upper year studies. MECH 2 is an intense program that challenges students to think outside the box and really learn how to apply the things they are learning to real engineering problems. Overall, the experience better prepares students for rest of their degree and their future. The pace of the program is fast, but its team-oriented nature means that students work together to help each other, forming bonds that last throughout the program and beyond. The integrated nature of second year also allows for assessments to be spread more evenly over the term, meaning students aren't preparing for competing exams and have more opportunities to contribute to their overall grade. This structure also gives students regular feedback about their learning.
“After completing my second year in Mechanical Engineering I can definitely say that the program is challenging but rewarding. Mech 2 definitely builds a strong sense of community. I felt like I knew everyone in my classes and was able to talk to my professors whenever I needed. Now that Mech 2 is over I feel like I have the determination and study skills that will help me succeed over the next few years.” - Renee Bernard