Admission Requirements

First-Year Students

First-year admission is competitive, based upon an overall evaluation of the high school record, with particular emphasis on advanced courses in math and science. See University Admission Requirements  ​for a detailed description of the criteria.

First-Year students may either select a major at the time of their application or may choose to be Engineering-undeclared. All First-Year College of Engineering students will take a common set of courses called the Common First Year. Towards the end of their first year, having completed all progression requirements, students will declare or confirm their Engineering Major for the second through fourth years.  This selection may be the major they initially indicated or any other engineering major for which they meet the progression requirements.

Transfers

All transfer students will be evaluated for placement into a departmental Program or the Common First Year program based on the evaluation of their transfer credits (consistent with the North Carolina articulation agreements).  

• See University Admission Requirements ​  
• Minimum GPA:  2.50 (2.80 for Mechanical Engineering)
• Pre-Major/Prerequisite Courses:  
  • Engineering Programs: Calculus I course (equivalent to MATH 1241 ), with a grade of C or above
  • Engineering Technology Programs: Pre-calculus course (equivalent to MATH 1103 ) or higher, with a grade of C or above
• Transferable Credit Hours: Minimum of 24

Transfers from an ABET-accredited engineering program who do not meet the GPA requirement may be admitted upon the recommendation of the chair of the major department.

Additional Admission Requirements for Concentration

• Minimum GPA:  3.0
• Prerequisite Courses (with grades of C or above):
  • PHYS 2101  
  • PHYS 2101L  
  • MATH 1242  
  • ENGR 1202  
  • WRDS 1103  or WRDS 1104  
  • MEGR 2141  
• Declaration of Concentration:  Students must apply for admission to and may enter the concentration during their Sophomore or Junior year only.
• In order to remain in the concentration, a minimum overall GPA of 3.000 must be maintained.

Currently Enrolled Students

Changes of Major Into a Program in the College of Engineering

First-time college students who seek eligibility for a change of major from a non-engineering major into an engineering program are required to:

• Complete the First-Year curriculum of the program of interest.
• Have no more than two attempts per course, including withdrawing from a course with a grade of W.
• Achieve an overall GPA of 2.50 (2.80 for Mechanical Engineering).

Students Seeking Eligibility for a Change of Major

• Should continue to be advised by their current advisor.
• Should focus on successfully completing courses that count towards the program of interest and not rely on grades in unrelated courses to elevate the GPA.
• Are not permitted to enroll in Sophomore engineering courses.
• May request authorization to enroll in ENGR 1201 , ETGR 1201  or ETGR 1101  via a UCOL advisor or via a request to the College of Engineering Advising department, if not in UCOL.
• May request authorization to enroll in ENGR 1202  via a UCOL advisor or via a request to an advisor in the program of interest, if not in UCOL.

Transfers Seeking Eligibility for a Change of Major

Students who transfer to Charlotte into a non-engineering major and have not met the Transfer Requirements for a given engineering program are not guaranteed to be considered for a change of major. Representatives of the program of interest make decisions on a student’s eligibility to pursue a change of major based on a holistic review of a student’s entire academic record, including grades earned at other institutions. A record of unsuccessful attempts in courses will weigh negatively on such decisions. If transfer students are allowed to pursue eligibility for a change of major to a given program, they will be required to:

• Complete the First-Year curriculum of the program of interest.
• Have no more than two attempts per course including withdrawing from a course with a grade of W.
• Achieve an overall GPA of 2.50 (2.80 for Mechanical Engineering).
• Complete at least 12 credits of courses at Charlotte, including at least four courses in math, science and/or engineering.

Current UNC Charlotte Students Seeking Eligibility for a Change of Major

Current UNC Charlotte students who are interested in changing majors to Engineering Technology or Construction Management (ETCM) must meet major-specific requirements in order to declare a major. Please visit the ETCM department webpage for more information on the change of major process. Upon satisfying all of the major-specific requirements, students may request admission to an ETCM program by scheduling an appointment with a departmental advisor of the given program.

Degree Requirements

A Major in Mechanical Engineering with a Concentration in Energy Engineering consists of a total of 121 credit hours.  

Degree Total = 121 credit hours

Progression Requirements

First-Year Requirements

All new First-Year students, early college students, and transfer students with only one semester at another institution are initially advised by a central office within the College of Engineering. Students must satisfy the following requirements in order to progress in the curriculum and matriculate to their major department.

• Follow the advice and recommendations of their faculty advisors.
• Follow all prerequisite, corequisite, and progression requirements of their program.
• Earn at least a 2.00 GPA in the first semester.
• Complete all core courses in the First-Year curriculum with grades of C or above. Core courses include MATH 1241  and MATH 1242 , PHYS 2101 ; CHEM 1251  or MEGR 1100  (MEGR majors); MATH 2164  and ECGR 2103  (CPGR/EEGR Majors); MATH 2164  (SEGR Majors).
• Pass all courses within two attempts, including withdrawing from a course with a grade of W.
• Complete the First-Year curriculum within four regular semesters.
• Earn a 2.50 cumulative GPA upon completion of the First-Year curriculum.

Sophomore Through Senior Year Requirements

• Maintain an overall GPA of 2.00 in the University.
• Maintain a major cumulative GPA of 2.00 for all courses in the departmental curriculum.  Failure to meet this requirement for two consecutive semesters will result in not being permitted to enroll in College of Engineering courses.
• Pass all courses in the curriculum within two attempts, including withdrawing from a course with a grade of W.

An undergraduate student who fails to satisfy one or more of the progression requirements stated above, but who nonetheless meets the conditions for continued enrollment in the University, will be ineligible to re-enroll in the College of Engineering unless an appeal is accepted by the College of Engineering.  If an appeal is accepted, requirements for continued enrollment appropriate to the individual situation are specified in a “Continuation Agreement” that is mutually agreed upon and signed by the student and their appropriate advisor.

A student who has been suspended by the University must follow University guidelines for appeal. Re-admission to the College of Engineering after a University suspension is not automatic.  An application for re-admission must be made by the student and approved by the College/department.  Students who are re-admitted by the College of Engineering after suspension by the University must meet requirements for continued enrollment appropriate to their individual situation. These requirements are specified in a “Continuation Agreement” that is mutually agreed upon and signed by the student and their appropriate advisor.  The consequences of failure to meet the requirements of the agreement may be articulated in the agreement itself.  However, if these consequences are not included in the agreement, failure to meet the requirements will automatically result in the student not being permitted to continue to enroll in College of Engineering courses.