Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley
Degree Program
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Earn your Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in two and a half years through the College of Engineering at CSULB in partnership with College of Professional and Continuing Education. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program is designed for students who are interested in completing their BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. Classes are held at the Lancaster University Center in the Antelope Valley area, providing unprecedented access to the aerospace industry, including internships with local companies and organizations. Participants must have completed their first two years of coursework at a community college or other university.
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program is offered as an undergraduate extension program in the College of Engineering. For details about the program, including faculty selected from industry positions and our own College of Engineering, go to the College of Engineering's Antelope Valley Engineering Program site.
Students are admitted and matriculated through CSULB. The program is cohort-based, allowing students to proceed as a group through the program in a prescribed lock-step sequence. The cohort model emphasizes teamwork and collaboration among students and offers a strong support system as you progress through the program. Students complete 68 units of junior and senior level engineering, capstone general education, and math coursework. The program takes approximately two and a half years to complete, including a Summer term.
Admissions are processed on a rolling basis, beginning shortly after the priority transcript deadline. We strongly encourage you to submit your transcripts to the Office of Enrollment Services at CSULB immediately upon submission of your application in order to expedite your admission decision.
This degree program is designed to provide a strong foundation in mechanical engineering fundamentals in order to gain competence in any specialized field. The mechanical engineering curriculum includes foundation courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and design graphics obtained at a community college or at another university. These are followed, in this degree completion program, by courses in energy conversion, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanics of deformable bodies, kinetics, Matlab analysis, finite element analysis, and systems engineering. Capstone design classes are required. Labs for these classes are furnished with state-of-the-art equipment.
Community college transfer students who are looking for a highly valued degree in engineering
Working professionals who wish to complete their degree in engineering
Sophomore-level students in engineering programs who want to transfer into a unique upper-division experience
Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Students are admitted and matriculated through CSULB
Cohort model emphasizes teamwork and collaboration among students and offers a strong support system
Degree earned in two and a half years
Program structure guarantees class availability
Class size limited to 25
How to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
How to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
How to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
How to function on multi-disciplinary teams
How to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems
The fundamentals of professional and ethical responsibilities
How to communicate effectively
The impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
The importance of life-long learning
Contemporary issues and how to use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for mechanical engineering practice
Below is a partial list of companies or organizations where students in the BS in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program have found paid internships:
Northrop Grumman
BAE Systems
Pacific Seismic Products
Air Force Research Laboratory (Edwards AFB)
Air Force Test Center (Edwards AFB)
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards AFB)
Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (China Lake)
TYBRIN (Jacobs) Corporation
The Spaceship Company
Crissair
INQU, LLC (Edwards, AFB)
Tesla Motors
AVID Tutors - Palmdale Aerospace Academy
Students who are admitted into CSULB and are full-time students participating in this program are qualified to apply for financial aid through main campus.
CPaCE undergraduate programs are eligible for:
Pell Grant
Cal Grant A or B
Direct Subsidized Loan
Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Note: Students are NOT eligible for the State University Grant, but ARE eligible for the Cal Grant A or B.
For course descriptions, go to the CSULB 2022-2023 Catalog and search for the course number or name in the search box or use the drop-down menu to find the department (for example, MAE for Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or PHIL for Philosophy) and then scroll down for the course number. For upper-division courses, look under "Courses" on the right-hand side once you're in the correct department.
Fall Semester 1 (13 Units)
MAE 172 Engineering Design Graphics (3)
MAE 205 Computer Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2)
MAE 300 Engineering Instrumentation and Measurement (2)
MAE 330 Engineering Thermodynamics I (3)
MATH 370A Applied Mathematics I (3)
Spring Semester 2 (16 Units)
MAE 322 Engineering Materials & Processes (3)
MAE 373 Mechanics of Deformable Bodies (3)
MAE 371 Analytical Mechanics II (Dynamics) (3)
CE 335 Fluid Mechanics (3)
CE 336 Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (1)
MAE 305 Numerical Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (3)
Summer Semester 3 (3 Units)
ENGL 301a English Proficiency (3)**
ENGL 301b English Proficiency (3)**
Fall Semester 4 (12 Units)
MAE 272 Introduction to Manufacturing Processes (2)
MAE 361 Materials and Properties Laboratory (1)
MAE 336 Power Plant Design (3)
MAE 375 Kinematics and Dynamics of Mechanisms (3)
MAE 376 Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems (3)
Spring Semester 5 (12 Units)
MAE 459 Professional Practice Seminar (1)
CE 406 Cost Engineering and Analysis (3)
MAE 337 Thermal Engineering Laboratory (2)
MAE 471 Analysis and Design of Machine Components (3)
MAE 476 Mechanical Control Systems I (3)
Summer Semester 6
Opportunity for Internship - Practical Industry Experience
ENGL 301b English Proficiency (3)**
Fall Semester 7 (15 Units)
MAE 408 Systems Engineering and Integration (3)
MAE 431 Heat Transfer Systems Design (3)
MAE 472 Design of Mechanical Engineering Systems (3)
MAE 409 Modern Computational Aspects in Mechanical Engineering (3)
** Students who pass the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) in Fall do not need to take the course.
Information Sessions
Potential students interested in learning more about the Antelope Valley Engineering Program are encouraged to attend a free information session. The information sessions include short presentations by a program representative, designed to provide you with an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the program's benefits.
Click here to register for a Zoom meeting on any of the dates listed below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. All meetings will be on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific).
May 25, 2022
June 8, 2022
June 22, 2022
July 6, 2022
July 20, 2022
August 3, 2022
August 17, 2022
August 31, 2022
September 14, 2022
September 28, 2022
October 12, 2022
October 26, 2022
November 9, 2022
November 23, 2022
December 7, 2022
December 21, 2022
Admission Requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program, offered through the Antelope Valley Engineering Program (AVEP), only accepts upper-division transfers with a minimum of 60 units. The program admits once a year in the Fall semester. There is no Spring semester admission.
CSU Transfer Eligibility
To be considered for transfer admission to CSULB, applicants must be eligible for transfer to a California State University (CSU) campus. CSU application requirements can be found at www.csulb.edu/admissions/transfer-admission-eligibility.
Major-Specific Transfer Requirements
To be considered for admission to the BS in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley major, applicants must demonstrate the following:
Minimum Cumulative GPA: 2.5
Minimum lower division preparation (grade of C or better required):
8 semester units of mathematics (MATH 122, 123)
4 semester units of calculus-based physics (PHYS 151)
4 semester units of Calculus III (MATH 224)
4 semester units of Physics Electricity and Magnetism (PHYS 152)
5 semester units of general chemistry (CHEM 111A)
Any applicant who meets both the CSU Transfer Eligibility requirements and the Major-Specific Transfer Requirements will be entered into a competitive admission pool for the BS in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley major.
Preferred Requirements
Applicants in the competitive admission pool are evaluated for cohort readiness by checking for completion of Preferred Requirements. Preferred Requirements are considered satisfied if the course will be complete prior to the start of the AVEP cohort, or can be reasonably completed during the first semester of the program.
Preferred Requirements must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Major Courses
3 semester units of computer methods (MAE 205 or equivalent)
3 semester units of engineering design graphics (MAE 172)
3 semester units of calculus-based statics (CE 205)
General Education
9 semester units of category C (3 units of Art, 3 units of Humanities, and an additional 3 units of arts or Humanities)*
9 semester units of category D (3 units of US History, 3 units of Constitution & American Ideals)*
3 semester units of category E (self-integration)
* Choose 3 to 6 units in category C and/or D in Global Issues (3 units) and U.S. Human Diversity (3 units). See ASSIST.org, "For GE/Breadth Agreement" menu item.
Offers of Admission
The rank of an applicant in the competitive pool is dependent on the overall GPA as well as the number of Preferred Requirements that have been satisfied. The candidates deemed by the Application Review Committee to be the best prepared to succeed in a cohort will be offered admission, subject to availability of space in the cohort.
Applications
To apply, go to Cal State Apply and be sure to select “Mechanical Engineering - Extension” with Program Code 09101. The link will direct students to the BS in Mechanical Engineering – Antelope Valley application (not the CSU Long Beach main campus application).
How to Apply
To apply, go to Cal State Apply, and be sure to select "Mechanical Engineering - Extension" with Program Code 09101. The link will direct students to the BS in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley application (not the CSU Long Beach main campus application).
CSULB Enrollment Services has developed an online system to provide applicants with timely information. You may check your admission status at any time on the web at www.csulb.edu/applicationstatus.
Admissions will be performed on a rolling basis, beginning shortly after the priority transcript deadline. We strongly encourage you to submit your transcripts to the Office of Enrollment Services at CSULB immediately upon submission of your application, in order to expedite your admission decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a degree completion program that you will complete without interruption. The program has been set up in an alternative format based on the cohort model, with convenient scheduling, and is offered in the Antelope Valley.
Visit the following websites for scholarship opportunities:
Students who are admitted into CSULB and are full-time students participating in this program are qualified to apply for financial aid through the main campus.
CPIE Undergraduate Programs are eligible for:
Pell Grant
Cal Grant A or B
Direct Subsidized Loan
Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Note: Students are NOT eligible for the State University Grant, nor can they use a Cal Vet Fee Waiver.
There are many other avenues available to students for scholarships through professional societies as well as from industry. Paid internships are also available to qualified students from industry and government organizations.
For more information regarding financial aid, click here.
The program can be completed in two and a half years, provided you have no remedial requirements.
The cost per unit is $495. The total program cost (provided you have no remedial requirements) is $33,660.
CSULB has a very active Career Development Center with a host of services. As a registered CSULB student, you can access these services and receive assistance with resume creation, job fairs, internships, job searches, and career counseling.
CSULB facilitates internship opportunities, but we cannot guarantee that every student will obtain an internship. Students must qualify and compete for available intern positions. We will provide students access to industry/government representatives who will be able to discuss the available programs and qualifying requirements. We will also provide networking opportunities and recommendations via our industry contacts. In the end, however, it will be up to each student to qualify, apply, and make the appropriate impression on employers.
The College of Engineering at California State University, Long Beach
Yes! All BS in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley program students are considered fully matriculated CSULB students; therefore, all students who complete the program will receive a diploma and be eligible to walk in the graduation ceremony.
The minimum GPA required for admission is 2.5 and is applied to all transferable course work attempted. Additionally, a minimum grade of C is required of all classes transferred.
The rank of an applicant is dependent on the quality of the applicant pool. The candidates deemed the best prepared to succeed will be ranked higher.
Extracurricular activities contribute to the overall quality of an application. Of significance to engineering majors is participation in a professional society.
In order for a transferable course to be accepted, a minimum grade of C is required.
English proficiency is critical for those seeking a career in engineering. Student English proficiency is evaluated during the first semester after transfer (first semester junior year) via the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement Placement Examination (GPE). Students failing the examination are required to take additional course work in order to graduate.
Student Testimonials
The access to industry was by far the number one reason for attending [AVEP]—a promise which the program delivered on beautifully. The small class sizes and the predetermined schedule of the program were also appealing. It was the direct access to an internship and consistent schedule during my time at AVEP that led to great opportunities, and in turn, to my success. It all stems from that.
David Salazar
PhD, graduate of the first cohort of AVEP (2013), National Science Foundation fellow, and President, Redwood Labs
Having a cohort style structure in this program created a connection between my classmates and myself inside and outside of the classroom. This structure helped me to transition into the summer internship and prepared me to be a part of a successful team of engineers. A successful engineer is a cooperative team player. The most valuable experience I have learned in this program was teamwork, because cooperating together is a must to accomplish anything.
Amir Labib
AVEP student, 2017
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Antelope Valley
Application Period:
Fall 2023
Cost:
The typical program cost is $33,660, with a per unit fee of $495. Unit fees are paid per term.
The application period for Fall 2022 is closed. Applications for Fall 2023 will be available from October 1, 2022 to January 15, 2023 (preferred by December 1).
The organizations listed below have partnered to offer this program because they view this as a shared commitment to ensure the students in the region have access to high-quality, affordable engineering education.
CSULB College of Engineering (COE)
CSULB College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPaCE)
The Air Force Research Laboratory
Cerro Coso Community College
Antelope Valley College
Southern California Edison
Antelope Valley Board of Trade
The City of Lancaster
The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Antelope Valley Union High School District Board of Trustees