Selecting Your First Courses
The guidelines below provide important considerations for first year students when selecting courses, however each program has additional requirements for degree completion. For more details on requirements on each degree, check Degree Requirements, the Official Program Policy Statement, or the MEGA Graduate Student Handbook (see Documents & Forms).
Graduate students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA to stay in the program. Remember, you will potentially have to complete course work while teaching, conducting research, and adjusting to a new environment. Try to pick courses that will give you the best chance to balance all of your responsibilities.
Picking your first semester classes wisely is important to have a successful start to your graduate education. For any questions regarding selecting courses or how to register, your first contact should be the Graduate Academic Advisor. The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, your research advisor (for PhD students especially), and senior graduate students can also all provide excellent advice to guide your choice.
General Information
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- 600 Level Courses: Courses numbered 600-699 are graduate-level courses open to all graduate courses and qualified, advanced undergraduate students (sometimes requiring permission from the instructor).
- 800 Level Courses: Courses numbered 800-899 are graduate-level courses only open to master’s or doctoral students. The Ph.D. requires students to take at least 3 courses at the 800 level. There are no specific requirements for 800-level courses for the MSME or MSR programs.
Relevant Department Course Codes: Mechanical Engineering (MEEG), Biomedical Engineering (BMEG), Civil Engineering (CIEG), Electrical Engineering (ELEG), Computer Engineering (CPEG), Chemical Engineering (CHEG), Materials Science & Engineering (MSEG), Mathematics (MATH), Physics (PHYS), Biology (BISC), Computer Science (CISC), Statistics (STAT), Kinesiology & Applied Physiology (KAAP). See UD Graduate Course Catalog for other departments.
Important Notes:
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- Not all courses are offered every semester or every year. Not all courses listed in the Graduate Course Catalog are still being offered. Use the UD Course Search to find which courses are being taught in the upcoming semesters.
- Courses ending in 67 (667 or 867) are newly developed courses, and share the same course code. Make sure to register for the specific section you want (Ex: Mechatronics and Mechanobiology may share the same MEEG 667 course code, but section 010 is mechatronics and 011 is mechanobiology). Once courses have received final approval, they will receive their own course code. You can still find these courses by searching for their name.
Some courses fill up fast. Keep on top of registration dates to ensure you can enroll in the classes you want.
For PhD Students
Generally, Ph.D. students should take at least two courses for credit in their first semester. These courses are required to satisfy the coursework element of your qualifying exam. You should be registered for the following courses by the time your first semester starts:
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- Intermediate Engineering Mathematics (MEEG690)
- 1 Core Course: Intermediate Solid Mechanics (MEEG610), Intermediate Dynamics (MEEG620), Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (MEEG630), Intermediate Heat Transfer (MEEG640), Orthopedic Biomechanics (MEEG683), or Linear Systems (MEEG621). Not all of these courses may be offered in the Fall semester, depending on Faculty teaching assignments.
- MEEG600: A 0 credit department seminar course. This course consists of 3-4 seminars from visiting scholars throughout the semester. First year students may have additional seminar requirements, depending on the semester. Ph.D. students are required to register for MEEG600 and attend seminars for three semesters during the program.
Depending on your research and teaching assignments in the first semester, you can choose to take an additional course. MEGA strongly recommends not taking a third class during the first semester of your PhD, especially if you are teaching. Transitioning to graudate school and beginning a PhD is not always an easy process. You have to manage more demanding coursework, teaching responsibilities, and establishing yourself in a new research group. Most students can finish their coursework within 2 years without taking a 3rd class during their first semester.
If you are still determined to take three classes your first semester, or if your advisor/visa requires it, MEGA suggests selecting a course that does not have a heavy workload. If you have questions about what courses may be appropriate, reach out to MEGA or other senior graduate students for suggestions.
PhD students are required to take an additional math course. For previously approved courses not in the Math department, reach out to MEGA.
For MSME Students
Masters students have fewer requirements on when they take their courses than PhD students. It is still essential to plan your courses early, as not all courses are offered every semester or year, to ensure you can graduate in a timely manner.
MSME students should choose their classes from the following requirements:
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- Intermediate Engineering Mathematics (MEEG690): Recommended to take your first semester
- 3 Additional Core Courses: Intermediate Solid Mechanics (MEEG610), Intermediate Dynamics (MEEG620), Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (MEEG630), Intermediate Heat Transfer (MEEG640), Orthopedic Biomechanics (MEEG683), or Linear Systems (MEEG621).
- 1 Semester of a 0 credit seminar (MEEG600)
- Technical electives
Consider prioritzing core courses to ensure that requirement is satisfied in a timely manner.
For MSR Students
Masters students have fewer requirements on when they take their courses than PhD students. It is still essential to plan your courses early, as not all courses are offered every semester or year, to ensure you can graduate in a timely manner.
MSR students are required to take:
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- At least one course from at least 3 out of 4 thematic areas of the Foundational Courses
- Technical Electives: foundational courses (taken in addition to the three above) can count as technical electives are well
Consider prioritzing courses from the thematic areas to ensure that requirement is satisfied in a timely manner.