Pre-Engineering Courses

Recommended Courses for Pre-Engineering Students

While attending UM, pre-engineering students will take courses from several different departments, including physics, math, and chemistry, among others.  The courses selected can vary, depending on each student's transfer goals and targeted area of engineering.  For a list of recommended pre-engineering courses students can take while at UM, please refer to the following:

If planning to transfer to Montana Tech, see Pre-Engineering Courses: Transfer to MT Tech.

If planning to transfer to Montana State, see Pre-Engineering Courses: Transfer to MSU.

NOTE:  If you are having trouble viewing the course lists, please clear your browser cache/history, and then try again.  The page should load correctly.  If you are having trouble viewing these, or would like a printable copy, please contact Mark Reiser.

Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the core requirements of their targeted transfer program and institution.  Based on each student's individual plans and goals, students will be advised on the appropriateness of the classes on these lists.  While many of the courses students take are outside of the physics department, there are a few that are offered specifically for our engineering students.  These include the following:

(Offered Fall Semesters)

Prerequisites: College level algebra

Objectives: The objectives of this course are to provide the student with a “toolbox” of skills that will help the student as they pursue an engineering career:

Topics:

  • Statics of particles
  • Rigid bodies: equivalent system of forces
  • Rigid bodies: equilibrium (2D and 3D)
  • Centroids and center of gravity
  • Analysis of structures (Trusses, Frames and Machines)
  • Forces in beams
  • Friction
  • Moment of inertia

Required Texts:

  • Introduction to Engineering (2005), Pearson Custom Publishing. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 473 pages. ISBN #0536993025.
  • AutoCad 2008: A Problem Solving Approach (2008), Sham Tickoo, Thomson/Delmar Learning.  Clifton Park, NY. ISBN 1-4283-1158-0

(Offered Spring Semesters)

Prerequisites:

  • PHSX 215/216
  • M 171

Co-requisite:

M 172

Objective: This class covers the laws governing mechanical equilibrium.  Mechanics is the science that describes and predicts what happens to bodies that are either at rest or in motion under the action of forces.  It includes rigid bodies (statics), deformable bodies (dynamics), and fluids.  Equilibrium equations are used to compute the reactions and internal forces on structures resulting from applied loads.  The class is focused on solving problems and building a foundation for future engineering courses.

Topics:

  • Learn basic skills for solving engineering problems
  • Learn the process of making engineering designs
  • Learn how to make and interpret engineering drawings
  • Solve engineering problems with the computer
  • Improve verbal and written communication skills
  • Engineering disciplines
  • Engineering Analysis
  • Dimensions and Units
  • Engineering Design
  • Producing Engineering Documents
  • Engineering Ethics
  • Risk, Safety, & Accidents
  • Rights and responsibilities of Engineers
  • Excel
  • AutoCAD

Required Texts:

Beer, Johnston, Eisenberg, “Vector Mechanics for Engineers &#

(offered either fall or spring term)

(offered fall semesters)

(offered spring semesters)