Plan ahead for courses where students have earned lower grades.
Lowest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.
29 courses
Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.
Design of Machine Elements covers analysis and design of machine components, focusing on loads, stresses, fatigue, material selection, and power transmission systems like gearing and bearings.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Heidi Ploeg
One student found the course covered a wide range of difficult material that was hard to synthesize, noting there was always a significant amount of work due.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to fluid mechanics covering velocity fields, forces, stresses, conservation laws, Bernoulli equation, boundary layers, hydrostatics, and internal/external flow solutions.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Mario Trujillo
The material was challenging, but the instructor did not grade harshly.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Dynamic Systems covers mathematical modeling and analysis of dynamic systems with mechanical, thermal, and fluid elements, including time/frequency domain solutions and linearization.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Arganthael Berson
One student rated the course difficulty as low, noting that Prof. Berson was very helpful and made significant efforts to assist students during office hours.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Elementary Heat Transfer covers fundamental concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation, along with heat-exchanger principles.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Dakotah Thompson
Exams were reported as difficult to finish in time, and the instructor did not curve grades. One student noted that homework formatting took more time than the actual heat transfer problems.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Energy Systems Laboratory covers experimental evaluation and analysis of performance for energy conversion systems including turbines, compressors, refrigerators, and fans.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Tom Krupenkin, Arganthael Berson
Students reported a large amount of work, including a 15-page report and 45-minute presentation with minimal lecture support. Labs required substantial effort, but one student noted it was hard to get a bad grade on them.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026This Thermodynamics course covers the first and second laws, properties of gases and vapors, energy-systems analysis including power and refrigeration cycles, and reacting mixtures.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Gregory Nellis
Students reported a significant workload with three homework assignments per week. These assignments were described as manageable but essential, as exams mirrored the homework problems.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks covering theory and applications including MLPs, CNNs, RNNs, SVMs, and genetic algorithms for control, pattern recognition, and object detection.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Pedro Morgado
The course had a huge workload with many homeworks, exercises, and a group project. The first half was very difficult without a strong background in Linear Algebra or Calc 3.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introductory course covering polymer processing, materials, manufacturing, recycling, ethics, and modeling techniques such as dimensional analysis and simulation.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Tim Osswald
Exams were described as difficult and distinct from lecture material, with one student finding studying extremely hard due to the disconnect between labs and classes.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Matrix Methods in Machine Learning covers linear algebraic foundations including SVD, regression, and regularization applied to classification, clustering, and neural networks.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Robert Nowak, Eduardo Arvelo
Homework assignments were challenging but graded on completion, while summer terms were described as crammed and intense.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering covering CAD/CAE fundamentals, modeling, manufacturing (NC/3D printing), and structural/thermal analysis.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Jason Oakley
Homework assignments took a long time to complete and were sometimes changed halfway through the deadline window, requiring students to start early.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Hands-on Introduction to Robotics covering concepts and tools for robotic systems, including actuators, sensors, manipulators, and control systems.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Peter Adamczyk
The course demanded substantial effort outside of class time, as classwork alone did not provide a deep feel for the code or mechanics. One student suggested that mastering Linux and ROS before enrolling would have made the material easier to manage.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2025Introduction to mechatronics covering DC/AC circuit analysis, active/passive linear circuit design, digital logic, and programming for embedded microcontrollers with lab exercises.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Wei Wang
The course involved 3–5 reading assignments per week, and students reported spending significantly more time outside class preparing for exams than the required credit hours.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2026Engineering Measurements and Instrumentation covers modern instrumentation theory, experiment design and execution, and data analysis. Labs focus on hypothesis testing, product evaluation, and control system design.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Scott Sanders
Students expected to spend a lot of time on homework and labs, with the course involving vague troubleshooting tasks.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Undergraduate course teaching simulation of 1D-3D structural and thermal systems using commercial FE software (ANSYS) via GUI and APDL, focusing on model verification and thermal stress effects.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Andrew Mikkelson
Homework rubrics were unclear, and one student felt graders deducted small amounts of points. Exams required significant time, and practice questions did not match the midterm difficulty.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Applications of conduction, convection, and thermal-radiation principles to combined-mode problems; analytical and numerical techniques; heat-exchanger design; thermal stresses.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Gregory Nellis
The course covered material beyond typical heat transfer limits, requiring students to apply crucial engineering concepts confidently.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Covers inspection data, sampling plans, process control charts, and reliability models for quality control.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Hantang Qin
One student reported the class was extremely difficult, citing poor instruction.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Systems covers techniques for designing, analyzing, operating, and controlling modern manufacturing systems through case studies using industry data.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Covers engineering design principles for heavy-duty off-road vehicles, including engines, transmissions, traction, dynamics, suspension, and braking.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Introduction to mechanical engineering covering modeling, experimentation, analysis, design, ethics, communication, and shop safety.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Gregory Nellis
The group project took lots of time outside of class to complete, and it was important to work ahead on it.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Special advanced topics in mechanical engineering covering design, manufacturing, and energy.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Allison Mahvi
The course featured two exams and a final project with presentations, while homework was described as challenging but not relentless.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Engineering Design with Polymers covers implications for plastics part design of polymer classification, structure, melt rheology, mixing, blends, anisotropy, solidification, mechanical behavior, and failure.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Tim Osswald
Homeworks and tests were described as not very hard and straightforward. Students noted that lectures could be watched at 2x speed due to the pacing, and class notes were useful because they could be used on exams.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduces metal manufacturing processes, design for manufacturability, automation, control, metrology, and engineering economics for cost determination.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026A laboratory course covering data processing, tension/compression tests, creep, fatigue, fracture, composites, combined stress, beam flexure, dynamic loads, and buckling.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Andrew Mikkelson
The course was rated as low difficulty, with lectures that explained concepts clearly and utilized many examples to aid comprehension.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to geometric description and modeling of mechanical form, components, and assemblies using CAD systems, covering descriptive geometry, engineering drawing, and GDT.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Kate Fu
Students reported that the CAD modeling aspect was easy, though the final project was decently time-intensive. The specific workload for the project varied depending on the dynamics of the student's group.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Overview of experimental and modeling techniques for human movement, covering motion capture, force plates, musculoskeletal modeling, inverse dynamics, and forward dynamic simulation.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Interdisciplinary experiential design projects focusing on detailed design, fabrication, testing, and modification of systems and devices.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Advanced topics of special interest in Mechanical Engineering, including vibrations, balancing, lubrication, wear, manufacturing, automation, and energy systems.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Xiaobin Xiong
The course was described as challenging due to a dense syllabus packed with complex mathematics. While some students found the midterm impossibly hard, others noted that the math was manageable with extra effort outside of class.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026A semester-long project course where students redesign and fabricate a Stirling Engine, applying design, manufacturing, and prototype evaluation principles.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Projects involves individual lab projects under staff supervision.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026