Automotive Engineering Curriculum
Automotive Engineering Curriculum Information
30 total credit hours, at least 18 credits at the 500 level, and at least 24 graded. Minimum GPA 3.0/4.0 required for graduation. Complete all of the courses on the approved Plan of Study within five years from the date of first enrollment in the program. No more than 6 credit hours can be transferred from another institution.
The Master of Engineering (MEng) in Automotive Engineering can be completed in 1-2 years on a full-time basis. Part-time students on average complete the degree in 2.5 years but are allowed up to 5 years.
Integrative Science (6-9 Credits)
Required Course (3 Credits)
Course Offerings (3-6 Credits)
- Global Engineering Leadership
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Integrative Thinking
- Model-Based Systems & Design
- Socio-Technology
Career Pathways (9 Credits)
Course Offerings
- Automotive Powertrain and Electrification Systems Design
- Autonomous & Connected Vehicle Design
- Vehicle Dynamics & NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) Design
- Vehicle Body, Interior & Safety Design
- Vehicle Human-Centered Design & Architecture
- Vehicle Mobility Systems
- Motorsports Engineering
Program Core (9 Credits)
Course Offerings
- Powertrain
- Vehicle Structure & Materials
- Vehicle Dynamics & Controls
- Vehicle Electrical & Software
Immersive Practice (3-6 Credits)
Course Offerings
* Please Note: ISD cannot guarantee these courses are available every academic year or every term; these lists are updated on an on-going basis.
Integrative Science
(6-9 Credits)
Required Course
- AUTO 501 Integrated Vehicle Systems Design
Global Engineering Leadership
Engineering leaders are needed to strategically think and act globally based on an integration of academic excellence in engineering and business, experience in a variety of settings and environments, and the ability to lead across cultures and within organizations of varied sizes. In this field, you will strengthen your ability to develop engineering and business practices, develop cross-cultural leadership competencies, learn how to work within a global community, and lead with purpose, strategy, and vision in the development of sustainable global products, services, and processes for the common good.
Key Competencies:
- Ability to scope and identify unique challenges of global engineering projects:
- Global regulatory issues
- Internationally-recognized engineering and manufacturing quality norms
- Managing technology and legal contracts
- Global Supply Chain Issues/Outsourcing/ Offshoring/
- Re-positioning of Corporations and Subcontractors
- Risk Management
- Cross-cultural decision making
- Understanding consequences/impact of decisions
- Provide tools for taking corrective actions (within context of “real-world” global problems)
- International Cultural Competency
- Multicultural team management and global team leadership
ISD Courses
Additional Course Options
- BIOMEDE 588 (CHE 588) Global Quality Systems and Regulatory Innovation
- EAS 513 (STRATEGY 565) Strategies for Sustainable Development II: Market Transformation
- EAS 550 (STRATEGY 566) Systems Thinking for Sustainable Development and Enterprise
- ECON 435 Financial Economics
- FIN 480 Options & Futures in Corporate Decision Making
- FIN 551 Financial Management Policy
- FIN 615 Valuation
- FIN 647 Corporate Financial Strategy
- IOE 430 Global Cultural Systems Engineering
- MECHENG 589 (ISD 599) Sustainable Design of Technology Systems
- MFG 440 (IOE 440) Operations Analysis and Management
- MFG 455 (IOE 452) Corporate Finance
- MFG 501 (TO 701) Topics in Global Operations
- MFG 605 (TO 605) Manufacturing and Supply Operations
- MO 600 The Science of Success: Who Succeeds, Who Doesn’t, and Why
- MO 617 Developing and Managing High Performance Teams
- NERS 531 (ENSCEN 531, EARTH 529) Nuclear Waste Management
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and entrepreneurship drive today’s engineering world. Fueling this growth from global corporations to small businesses and national governments to local governments is a need to build sustainable products, services, and technologies. In this field, you will integrate concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship with engineering, science, and design in pursuit of opportunities to innovate solutions to highly complex problems. Here, you will learn how to be the next industry “true innovators” in strengthening market uptake of raw materials solutions and building a bigger platform for a greener future
Key Competencies:
- Knowledge of market forces
- Financial insight (understanding numbers)
- Strategic thinking
- Negotiation
- Persuasion
- Ability to influence
- Creativity
- Business planning and integration
Courses
- ARTDES 651 Design Studio 1B Integration
- ARTSADMN 510 Arts Entrepreneurship Forum
- ARTSADMN 550 Arts Entrepreneurship Essentials
- BIOMEDE 588 (CHE 588) Global Quality Systems and Regulatory Innovation
- EAS 565 Principles for Transition
- EAS 576 (CEE 588, CHE 590) Sustainability Finance: Investment Model for Green Growth
- ENGR 520 Entrepreneurial Business Fundamentals for Scientists and Engineers
- ENTR 500 An Introduction to Innovation: Tools for Career Success
- ENTR 530 Innovation and Intellectual Property Strategy
- ENTR 599 Innovation for Impact: Defense and Security
- ENTR 599 Reimagining Companies through Innovation
- ES 414 Professional Capstone: Entrepreneurship Practicum
- ES 515 Introduction to Entrepreneurship
- ES 516 Entrepreneurship via Acquisitions
- ES 715 Driving Innovation Processes/Innovative New Business Design
- FIN 629 (ES 629) Financing Technology Commercialization – A Venture Capital Hands-on Challenge
- IOE 506 (MATH 506) Stochastic Analysis of Finance
- MKT 625 New Product and Innovation Management
- PIBS 550 Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- SI 663 Innovation Leadership Information
- SW 799 Social Entrepreneurship
- TO 638 (FIN 638) FinTech: Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, and Other Technology Innovations
Integrative Thinking
Integrative thinking requires seeing problems from multiple viewpoints, taking them all into consideration, and searching for creative solutions through a transformative approach. It requires shifting the focus to the vulnerabilities and capacities of single systems or sectors to interconnected systems and how these will shift over time, taking into account multidirectional interactions of projected changes, responses, and effects. This leads to understanding how to compose a holistic view of a problem, co-construct new knowledge, explore alternative views and methods of problem analysis, and synthesize them into a coherent solution. In this field, you will discover how to integrate across multiple boundaries for the greater good.
Key Competencies:
- Broad technical, business, management, and education experience
- Ability to construct and correlate models that are abstractions of interactions and to evaluate data against the model
- “Big picture” thinking
- Understanding, at least at the top level, what knowledge domains are relevant and prioritizing their importance
ISD Courses
- DESCI 501 (MECHENG 455) Analytical Product Design
- *DESCI 502 Design Process Models
- ISD 520 Introduction to Systems Engineering
- ISD 521 Development and Verification of System Design Requirements
- ISD 522 Systems Engineering Architecture and Design
- ISD 527 (MFG 527) Designing in Quality: A Design for Six Sigma
Additional Course Options
Model Based Systems and Design
Solving complex problems requires deeper levels of systems understanding. Modeling helps designers/engineers work at greater levels of complexity to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases. In this field, you will strengthen your ability to create and implement models to support every stage of the engineering and design process as well as drive learning for modeling, analyzing, and solving complex problems.
Key Competencies:
- Modeling complex systems
- Optimization
- Data analytics
- Behavioral models
- Business/Dynamic modeling
- Qualitative models
- Digital twins development
- Evaluate data quality
ISD Courses
- AUTO 566 (MECHENG 566) Modeling Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- ISD 522 Systems Engineering Architecture and Design
- ISD 532 (ESENG 532, EAS 574, PUBPOL 519) Sustainable Energy Systems
- ISD 555 (MFG 555, MECHENG 555) Design Optimization
- ISD 565 (MECHENG 565) Battery Systems and Control
- ISD 599 (NAVARCH 515, MECHENG 599) Residual Stress and Distortion in Modern Manufacturing
- MFG 588 (MECHENG 588, IOE 588) Assembly Modeling for Design and Manufacturing
Additional Course Options
- ACC 601 Accounting Information System Design
- ARCH 708 Systems Engagement
- EAS 550 (STRATEGY 566) Systems Thinking for Sustainable Development and Enterprise
- IOE 434 Human Error and Complex System Failures
- IOE 541 Optimization Methods in Supply Chain
- IOE 574 Simulation Design and Analysis
- MECHENG 589 (ISD 599) Sustainable Design of Technology Systems
- MFG 535 (IOE 533) Human Motor Behavior and Engineering Systems
- MFG 539 (IOE 539) Safety Engineering Methods
- SI 631 Agile Software Development
- SI 648 (LHS 660, HMP 648) Evaluation and Research Methods for Health Informatics and Learning Systems
- SI 652 (EECS 547) Incentives and Strategic Behavior in Computational Systems
Socio-Technology
Engineers are needed to design within social, political, economic, and cultural contexts. In this field, you will design things that participate in complex systems that have both social and technical aspects, study the intersection of society and technology as a grouping of social engineering and management science and learn how to develop new technologies to meet challenges in energy, environment, food, housing, water, transportation, safety, and health. You will also learn the societal impact of engineering and design decisions at the intersection of science and technology.
Key Competencies:
- Socially engaged decision making
- Operational understanding of the impact of technology on society, world, environment (vice versa)
- Global awareness
ISD Courses
Additional Course Options
- BE 527 (EAS 527, NRE527) Energy Markets and Energy Politics
- CEE 586 (EAS 557) Industrial Ecology
- EAS 513 (STRATEGY 565) Strategies for Sustainable Development II: Market Transformation
- EAS 550 (STRATEGY 566) Systems Thinking for Sustainable Development and Enterprise
- EAS 575 Climate Economics and Policy
- EAS 605 (BA 605) Green Development
- EHS 588 Environmental Law
- PUBPOL 563 (EAS 686, HMP 686) Politics of Environmental Regulation
Program Core
(9 Credits)
Powertrain
Today’s vehicles need innovative propulsion solutions that are efficient, reliable, powerful and sustainable. In this aspect of the core, you will study cutting-edge electrification and battery storage systems, including hybrid, fuel cell and internal combustion power plants, as well as automatic transmission technology that are at the heart of every modern vehicle.
Key Competencies:
- Performance, efficiency and sustainability
- Electrification, Internal Combustion, Hybrid, Fuel Cell, Alternative Fuel and Transmission technologies
- Control systems
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 533 (MECHENG 433) Advanced Energy Solutions
- AUTO 563 Dynamics and Control of Automatic Transmissions
- AUTO 566 (MECHENG 566) Modeling Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- ESENG 505 (MECHENG 571, CHE 696) Energy Generation and Storage Using Modern Materials
- ISD 565 (MECHENG 565) Battery Systems and Control
- ISD 599 (CHE 696) Fuel Cells and Fuel Processors
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 438) Internal Combustion Engines
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 569) Control of Advanced Powertrain Systems
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 599) Lithium Battery Engineering and Life Management
Additional Course Options
Vehicle Dynamics and Controls
The automotive industry is changing at a faster rate than ever. Many of the most exciting changes are associated with optimizing vehicle dynamics and occupant safety through adoption of control systems, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and fully Autonomous Driving Systems. In this field, you will develop an understanding of how to design for good fundamental vehicle physics and gain experience with these critical technologies. You will also learn the importance of vehicle dynamics to personal-use automobiles and trucks, commercial vehicles, as well as adjacent products such as recreational and remote control vehicles.
Key Competencies:
- Advanced driver assistance and autonomous operation technologies
- Optimize vehicle dynamics performance
- Suspension and Steering systems
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 513 (MFG 513, MECHENG 513) Automotive Body Structures
- AUTO 542 (MECHENG 542) Vehicle Dynamics and Automation
- AUTO 563 Dynamics and Control of Automatic Transmissions
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 546 (MECHENG 545, CEE 577) Dynamics and Control of Connected Vehicles
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 569) Control of Advanced Powertrain Systems
Additional Course Options
- EECS 460 Control Systems Analysis and Design
- EECS 560 (AEROSP 550, CEE 571, MECHENG 564) Linear Systems Theory
- EECS 565 Linear Feedback Control System
- EECS 568 (NAVARCH 568, ROB 530) Mobile Robotics: Methods and Algorithms
- MECHENG 440 Intermediate Dynamics and Vibrations
- MECHENG 461 Automatic Control
- MECHENG 540 (AEROSP 540) Intermediate Dynamics
- MECHENG 541 Mechanical Vibrations
- MECHENG 561 (EECS 561) Design of Digital Control Systems
- MFG 562 (MECHENG 560) Modeling Dynamic Systems
- NAVARCH 565 (ROB 535) Self Driving Cars: Perception and Control
Vehicle Electrical and Software
The number of electronically controlled features and embedded control systems has dramatically increased in the automotive industry to the point the number of lines of computer code in a modern vehicle is more than the most advanced jet fighter plane. In this aspect of the program core, you will learn how to optimize vehicle control systems for user appeal and methods to verify and validate system-level software functionality.
Key Competencies:
- Developing and integrating control systems
- HMI and mechatronics
- Architectural design, verification and validation
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
Additional Course Options
Vehicle Structure and Materials
Vehicle structures are critical to occupant safety and vehicle performance. This aspect of the program core includes important courses for engineering lightweight structures which balance occupant safety, comfort, noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance and space efficiency from flexible (sheet metal) and composite materials using the latest manufacturing methods. Efficient and effective structures will always be central to designing and developing a human-centered vehicle.
Key Competencies:
- Structural design
- Flexible materials (sheet metal) and engineered composite materials
- Occupant comfort, safety, and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH)
ISD Courses
- AUTO 513 (MFG 513, MECHENG 513) Automotive Body Structures
- ISD 514 (AUTO 514) Vehicle Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (MFG 599, MECHENG 599) Foundations in Smart Additive Manufacturing
- ISD 599 (NAVARCH 515, MECHENG 599) Residual Stress and Distortion in Modern Manufacturing
- MFG 514 (MATSCIE 514) Composite Materials
Additional Course Options
Career Pathways
(9 Credits)
Automotive Powertrain & Electrification Systems Design
Automobiles are poised to continue to advance at a rapid pace with greater emphasis on high efficiency powertrains that are environmentally sustainable. Automotive Engineers from this pathway drive the future of vehicle powertrain technology design, development, and launch. You will learn about the advancements in engines, transmissions, electric and hybrid vehicles, enabling you to become one of the innovators at the leading edge of addressing important society energy and environment issues.
Key Competencies:
- Performance, efficiency and sustainability
- Electrification, Internal Combustion, Hybrid, Fuel Cell, Alternative Fuel and Transmission technologies
- Control systems
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 533 (MECHENG 433) Advanced Energy Solutions
- AUTO 563 Dynamics and Control of Automatic Transmissions
- AUTO 566 (MECHENG 566) Modeling Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- DESCI 501 (MECHENG 455) Analytical Product Design
- ESENG 505 (MECHENG 571, CHE 696) Energy Generation and Storage Using Modern Materials
- ISD 528 (MECHENG 452) Advanced Design for Manufacturability
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 565 (MECHENG 565) Battery Systems and Control
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (CHE 696) Fuel Cells and Fuel Processors
- ISD 599 (EECS 419) Electric Machinery and Drives
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 438) Internal Combustion Engines
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 569) Control of Advanced Powertrain Systems
Additional Course Options
Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Design
The drive toward self-driving cars continues to accelerate at an unprecedented pace and the promise of more accessible, lower-cost, and safer mobility options has electrified a broad discussion about the future of mobility and transportation around the world. Self-driving cars, also known as Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), will increase access, improve our safety and help protect the environment, reducing congestion, and emissions. In this field, you will drive the future of autonomous and connected vehicle technology design, development, and launch and will be at the leading edge of addressing important societal active safety and mobility issues.
Key Competencies:
- Automated driving system design
- Data analysis and machine learning
- Connected vehicle communication technologies
- Advanced driver assistance systems
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 542 (MECHENG 542) Vehicle Dynamics and Automation
- DESCI 501 (MECHENG 455) Analytical Product Design
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 546 (MECHENG 545, CEE 577) Dynamics and Control of Connected Vehicles
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (EECS 419) Electric Machinery and Drives
Additional Course Options
- EECS 418 Power Electronics
- EECS 460 Control Systems Analysis and Design
- EECS 461 Embedded Control Systems
- EECS 504 Foundations of Computer Vision
- EECS 505 Computational Data Science and Machine Learning
- EECS 560 (AEROSP 550, CEE 571, MECHENG 564) Linear Systems Theory
- EECS 565 Linear Feedback Control System
- EECS 568 (NAVARCH 568, ROB 530) Mobile Robotics: Methods and Algorithms
- MECHENG 461 Automatic Control
- MECHENG 561 (EECS 561) Design of Digital Control Systems
- MFG 562 (MECHENG 560) Modeling Dynamic Systems
- NAVARCH 565 (ROB 535) Self Driving Cars: Perception and Control
Motorsports Engineering
Engineers will learn about cutting edge technologies relevant to motorsports using methods to optimize vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, powertrains, suspension, steering and composite structures through modeling, data analytics and benchmarking. Winning, however, requires a holistic perspective on how to balance weight, aerodynamics, mechanical traction and powertrain in a robust driver-friendly vehicle in a fast-turnaround environment. Involvement in topline competitive M-Racing and Solar Car teams and Capstone projects provide opportunities to integrate and apply vehicle competitiveness optimization methods.
Key Competencies:
- Vehicle dynamics
- Aerodynamics
- Control systems
- Composite structures
- Human Factors
- Modeling, benchmarking and robustness
ISD Courses
- AUTO 542 (MECHENG 542) Vehicle Dynamics and Automation
- AUTO 566 (MECHENG 566) Modeling Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- ESENG 505 (MECHENG 571, CHE 696) Energy Generation and Storage Using Modern Materials
- ISD 514 (AUTO 514) Vehicle Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection
- ISD 555 (MFG 555, MECHENG 555) Design Optimization
- ISD 565 (MECHENG 565) Battery Systems and Control
- ISD 599 (MECHENG 569) Control of Advanced Powertrain Systems
- ISD 599 (MFG 599, MECHENG 599) Smart Manufacturing Systems
- ISD 599 (NAVARCH 515, MECHENG 599) Residual Stress and Distortion in Modern Manufacturing
- MFG 514 (MATSCIE 514) Composite Materials
Additional Course Options
- AEROSP 423 Computational Methods for Aerospace Engineering
- AEROSP 516 Mechanics of Composites
- AEROSP 544 Introduction to Aeroelasticity
- MATSCIE 420 Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- MATSCIE 515 (MACROMOL 515) Mechanical Behavior of Solid Polymeric Materials
- MECHENG 517 Mechanics of Polymers I
- MECHENG 538 Advanced Internal Combustion Engines
- MECHENG 540 (AEROSP 540) Intermediate Dynamics
- MECHENG 541 Mechanical Vibrations
- MFG 535 (IOE 533) Human Motor Behavior and Engineering Systems
- MFG 552 (MECHENG 552) Mechatronic Systems Design
- MFG 562 (MECHENG 560) Modeling Dynamic Systems
Vehicle Body, Interior & Safety Design
Today’s automotive engineers are expected to make connections among different areas of knowledge and integrate them in ways that benefit the automotive industry, society, and the environment. Automotive engineers today must be well grounded in structural design, human factors and safety and be skilled in synthesis, analysis and design. Additionally, they must be able to work effectively in a team environment centered on an integrative systems product/process design approach. In this pathway, you will learn to drive the designing, developing, and launching of technologies that are at the leading edge of optimizing weight, human factors and the active and passive safety function of market leading vehicles.
Key Competencies:
- Product design, modelling and materials
- User empathy
- Concurrent product/process design and supply base
- Minimum weight and cost
- Societal, technological, and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 513 (MFG 513, MECHENG 513) Automotive Body Structures
- ISD 521 Development and Verification of System Design Requirements
- ISD 522 Systems Engineering Architecture and Design
- ISD 523 (IOE 561) Risk Analysis 1
- ISD 527 (MFG 527) Designing in Quality: A Design for Six Sigma
- ISD 528 (MECHENG 452) Advanced Design for Manufacturability
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 555 (MFG 555, MECHENG 555) Design Optimization
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (MFG 599, MECHENG 599) Foundations in Smart Additive Manufacturing
- ISD 599 (NAVARCH 515, MECHENG 599) Residual Stress and Distortion in Modern Manufacturing
- MFG 461 (IOE 461) Quality Engineering Principles and Analysis
- MFG 514 (MATSCIE 514) Composite Materials
- MFG 588 (MECHENG 588, IOE 588) Assembly Modeling for Design and Manufacturing
Additional Course Options
- MATSCIE 420 Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- MECHENG 440 Intermediate Dynamics and Vibrations
- MECHENG 517 Mechanics of Polymers I
- MECHENG 541 Mechanical Vibrations
- MFG 535 (IOE 533) Human Motor Behavior and Engineering Systems
- MFG 547 (IOE 547) Supply Chain Facilities
- MFG 552 (MECHENG 552) Mechatronic Systems Design
- MFG 562 (MECHENG 560) Modeling Dynamic Systems
- MFG 591 (MECHENG 586) Laser Materials Processing
Vehicle Dynamics & NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) Design
Vehicle Dynamics and NVH pathway focuses on developing specific skills required to drive the future of designing, developing, and launching market leading vehicles that are more dynamically capable, quieter and safer. You will learn lean product development, vehicle chassis design concepts and vehicle dynamics as well as NVH tool and method disciplines needed for global marketplace. As a result, you will be able to optimize the needs of the vehicle dynamics & NVH subsystem within a larger vehicle systems including modeling, performance prediction, engineering metrics, product/process design requirements and verification.
Key Competencies:
- Vehicle dynamics, functional safety, or Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH)
- Modeling, robustness, control systems and requirements
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- DESCI 501 (MECHENG 455) Analytical Product Design
- DESCI 502 Design Process Models
- ISD 522 Systems Engineering Architecture and Design
- ISD 523 (IOE 561) Risk Analysis 1
- ISD 527 (MFG 527) Designing in Quality: A Design for Six Sigma
- ISD 528 (MECHENG 452) Advanced Design for Manufacturability
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 546 (MECHENG 545, CEE 577) Dynamics and Control of Connected Vehicles
- ISD 555 (MFG 555, MECHENG 555) Design Optimization
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- MFG 461 (IOE 461) Quality Engineering Principles and Analysis
- MFG 514 (MATSCIE 514) Composite Materials
Additional Course Options
- MATSCIE 420 Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- MECHENG 440 Intermediate Dynamics and Vibrations
- MECHENG 517 Mechanics of Polymers I
- MECHENG 541 Mechanical Vibrations
- MFG 535 (IOE 533) Human Motor Behavior and Engineering Systems
- MFG 552 (MECHENG 552) Mechatronic Systems Design
- MFG 562 (MECHENG 560) Modeling Dynamic Systems
Vehicle Human-Centered Design and Architecture
Human-centered design related jobs are on the rise and appear under various titles, such as user experience designer, user interface designer, interaction designer, usability analyst, and product designer. In this field, you will drive the future of human-centered high value vehicle design, development, and launch to achieve market leadership. You will research, explore, extend, and integrate theoretical and practical issues in design using human-centered approaches and be at the leading edge of addressing important automotive industry issues associated with optimizing user experience and appeal with development and investment efficiency.
Key Competencies:
- Vehicle architectural configurations
- Extracting, analyzing and addressing unmet user needs
- Human Factors
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
- AUTO 513 (MFG 513, MECHENG 513) Automotive Body Structures
- AUTO 566 (MECHENG 566) Modeling Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- DESCI 501 (MECHENG 455) Analytical Product Design
- DESCI 502 Design Process Models
- ISD 514 (AUTO 514) Vehicle Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection
- ISD 522 Systems Engineering Architecture and Design
- ISD 523 (IOE 561) Risk Analysis 1
- ISD 527 (MFG 527) Designing in Quality: A Design for Six Sigma
- ISD 528 (MECHENG 452) Advanced Design for Manufacturability
- ISD 541 (AUTO 541) Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- ISD 555 (MFG 555, MECHENG 555) Design Optimization
- ISD 599 (AUTO 562) Modeling Analysis of Vehicle Systems
- ISD 599 (EECS 419) Electric Machinery and Drives
- MFG 461 (IOE 461) Quality Engineering Principles and Analysis
Additional Course Options
Vehicle Mobility Systems
Engineers will drive the future of designing, developing, and launching vehicles used in mobility solutions. Career paths include mobility solution technical planning, technical project leadership and engineering vehicles, and related infrastructure and data subsystems for mobility solutions by Automotive suppliers, OEMs, start-ups and present or prospective fleet operators. In this field, you will learn about societal, technological, competitive considerations in human-centered mobility solutions, methods to optimize the performance and functional safety of vehicles used in mobility system solutions, cutting-edge technologies needed for the effective mobility solutions needed today, and modeling, robustness and benchmarking vehicle mobility solutions.
Key Competencies:
- Mobility solutions
- Functional safety of vehicles
- Data Analytics, Human-centered Design, Electrification and Autonomy
- Human Factors
- Societal, technological and competitive considerations
ISD Courses
Additional Course Options
Immersive Practice
(3-6 Credits)
Practicum
Work for leading industry partners to apply what you learn during your ISD coursework in a semester- or year-long project to contribute new ideas and knowledge to high priority engineering and technical issues. Learn more about this component of the ISD Curriculum on the ISD Practicum page.
ISD Courses
Take 3 academic credits per semester for up to two semesters. One capstone project enrollment, or approved alternative, is required for graduation. A second capstone project enrollment in another semester is allowed pending Program Director approval.