Frequently Asked Questions

Courses and Prerequisites

What are common minors that Mechanical and Aerospace students pursue?
Here are some minors that can complement your Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering major:

The Technology Management minor, offered through the School of Management, is the most popular minor for engineering students. This minor will give you the opportunity to complement your studies with courses in business and management.

The Materials Science minor is offered by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. This minor complements our majors very well, providing further knowledge and experience in understanding the behavior of a vast array of materials from which products are made.

The Biomedical Engineering minor, offered by the Department of Biomedical Engineering provides additional training to help make students more attractive to employers in the medical device industry.

Other minors worth considering are the Energy Science and Technology minor, the Energy Policy minor (both offered by the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering) and the Sustainability in the Built Environment minor (offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering).
What happens if I can’t get into a class during Pass 1?
You can add yourself to the waiting list during Pass 2. However, being on the waiting list does not guarantee that you will get into the class. Make sure to register in an alternate open course as a backup. You can drop the alternate course if you are admitted to the course from the waiting list.
What are my chances of getting into a class if I’m on the waitlist?
You will be enrolled in order of the waitlist if seats open up as long as there are no other schedule conflicts with another course in your schedule. Reasons for seats opening up may depend on students dropping the course, students being dropped due to prerequisites or non-payment. Be sure to enroll in alternate open courses in case you cannot get into a class. You can drop these courses once you have been admitted to the course from the waiting list.
How can I drop a course after the drop deadline?
You may petition for a late drop if you can fully document that unforeseen circumstances beyond your control have affected your academic performance. Please visit the College of Engineering Undergraduate Advising Office in 1050 Kemper Hall. Late drops will not be approved for poor academic performance, academic difficulties, change of interest in a course or lack of midterm results.
Can I take a course even though I don’t meet the prerequisites?
No, Engineering is a discipline that requires mastery of prerequisite coursework to be successful in more advanced curriculum, so prerequisites are enforced in all College of Engineering courses. If you enroll in a course without having completed the prerequisites, the instructor is authorized to drop you. Any student who re-adds a course after being dropped by the instructor may be referred to Student Judicial Affairs.
I meet the pre-reqs, but I am getting an error on ScheduleBuilder, what do I do?
If you have completed the pre-reqs, but are receiving an error on ScheduleBuilder, you will need to submit a pre-req petition on ScheduleBuilder. Please check out our course prerequisite page for additional information.
Can I take a course as pass/no pass grading?
Students in the College of Engineering can opt for pass/no pass (P/NP) grading for General Education (GE) courses up to 16 units by the 40th day of instruction. For courses in your major or any course offered within the College of Engineering, (P/NP) grading is NOT allowed. Please see specific pass/no pass guidelines on the College of Engineering website. Students who wish to submit a P/NP petition may do so on OASIS using the “Optional P/NP Grading Mode Change” found under the Forms & Petitions tab.
Where can I find important dates to be aware about for each quarter? (registration, fees, deadlines)
All calendars can be viewed on the Office of the University Registrar's website: https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/calendar
I took a course another university and I want to use it towards my major requirements, how do I do that?
For a direct one to one equivalent course, you will need to submit a course equivalency request with the appropriate department. On our forms/petitions page, you will find links/instructions depending on the department that hosts the course you are submitting it for. For these requests, you will need the course syllabus.

For a course that may fit a requirement but is not a direct equivalent to a UCD course, you will need to submit a course substitution form. This is reviewed by our Undergraduate Curriculum and Study Committee once each quarter - ensure you plan accordingly. You will find the instructions and pdf on our forms/petitions page.

Change of Major

I am interested in changing into Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Science & Engineering. How do I start the change of major process?
All students interested in changing into one of our majors are required to attend a MAE Change of Major workshop first. You can find the dates/times along with the registration link on our change of major page.

You will want to start by reviewing our change of major page for our change of major criteria. Ensure you are reviewing the list that is appropriate to how you were admitted to UC Davis (first-year or transfer). We have degree worksheets saved on OASIS if you are interested in tracking your progress towards completing the change of major criteria. There are no exceptions to meeting the change of major criteria.

Once you have completed the required courses and meet the GPA requirements, you will need to create a 3-quarter plan for the desired major and submit it with your change of major form via OASIS.
Can I make an appointment to meet with a MAE advisor?
During our change of major workshops, you are welcome to ask your questions or email us for additional questions. No individual appointments are available for change of major students.
How long should I expect to hear back from the department?
Due to a large influx of change of major requests, the review process at the department level may be within 2-3 weeks after form submission.
What if I started in a different Math series than Mat21?
You will need to follow the math series flowchart to successfully transition into the Mat21 series. View here
Do community college courses get factored into my GPA?
It will not factor into your UC GPA. However, approved equivalent required courses taken at the community college will factor into your Mat/Che/Phy & Engineering GPA for change of major.
What can I do if my change of major form is denied?
You may consider joining student clubs/competitions as well as joining a research lab with our faculty. These resources can provide valuable practical experience and knowledge.
If I want to double major, can I file for both EASE and EMEC majors at the same time?
Yes, if you meet all the course requirements and GPA requirements for both the EMEC and EASE major then you can file both majors at the same time in the same form. You would need to select both majors in the Change of Major form you submit and your academic plan should be built with double major requirements in mind.

Please note: Both Aerospace and Mechanical major courses may have time conflicts and delay graduation requirements. No PTAs will be provided for course conflicts.
Can I still graduate on time/When can I expect to graduate?
Properly gauging time to degree depends on many factors like the number of classes you plan to take per quarter, course offerings, when you change your major, and what major/majors you plan on completing before graduation. Once you are accepted into our major, you will have access to create an appointment with the MAE advising team to create an accurate plan and learn your approximate expected graduation term.

Opportunities

As an engineering student, is it still possible to study abroad?
Yes, however you want to start this process early. The easiest way to fit studying abroad in your schedule is to go during the summer, but going during the school year is also an option! With careful planning, you can enjoy being abroad at the same time as fulfilling your major requirements. Your first step to studying abroad is to visit the Study Abroad Center.

The Study Abroad Center maintains pages of recommended programs for students in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, which you can find below:

Study Abroad in Aerospace Science Engineering.
Study Abroad in Mechanical Engineering.

Once you find your destination, review the course offerings and obtain syllabi for the interested courses that correspond to the major. You will need to submit a course equivalency request beforehand to know if the courses would be acceptable in meeting your major requirement.

If you are only interested in taking General Education courses with UCEAP, you may review their list of already approved GE options: https://globallearning.ucdavis.edu/pathways/academics/studyabroad/uceap/academic-credit
How can I find out about internship opportunities?
Finding an internship takes time: beginning in fall quarter, we recommend spending an hour EACH week to search and apply for internships. Use your resources on campus but also branch out to companies that don’t recruit directly from UC Davis. Networking is the key to finding an internship.

The Career Center, located in South Hall, has a great network of internship opportunities, including a job database (Handshake) and Listserv. They also offer workshops on resume building, interviewing skills, finding internships, and much more. Be sure to also participate in the quarterly Internship and Career Fairs where many employers are looking for interns. You will find that the optimum time to do an internship is the summer after your junior year, as most companies seek students that have completed core engineering coursework.
I’d like to do research in a professor’s lab. How do I start this process?
You can visit the Undergraduate Research Center for help with finding a research opportunity. We also recommend that you meet with a faculty member whose research interests you. Please see our website for a list of faculty and their research areas. Sometimes you need to be persistent to receive a position, so be prepared to email a few faculty members and follow up with them in person.

Miscellaneous (ABET, FE Exam)

What is ABET?
ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental accrediting agency for programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology and is recognized as an accreditor by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates.

Graduation from an ABET-accredited program is a prerequisite for many licensing and certifying bodies and agencies.

By receiving an accredited degree, you are eligible to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. You can find out more about accreditation by visiting the ABET website.
Is it important for me to take the FE Exam? If so, when should I take it?
The FE exam is a computer-based test designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree. Those who pass the FE may apply for Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification through the State of California. Certification as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) is the first step required under California law towards becoming a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). Professional licensure protects the public by enforcing the standards of engineers and can sometimes allow you to rise to management positions more quickly or earn a higher salary than your colleagues.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/eit_lsitapp.shtml and ncees.org/engineering/fe/.

Please review the College of Engineering FAQ page for topics such as:

-Academic difficulty
-Petition to Drop (PTDs)
-Repeats
-Minimum progress
-Enrolling concurrently at another institution