Program overview
Engineering mechanics may sound a bit abstract, but it is actually all around you—why can airplanes fly? How do bridges withstand strong winds? Why does a phone screen shatter when it falls? The answers to these questions lie in mechanics. Simply put, this major teaches you to use mathematical and physical tools to analyze the motion, deformation, and failure patterns of objects under the action of forces. Core courses include theoretical mechanics (studying the motion of particles and rigid bodies), mechanics of materials (analyzing the deformation and strength of rods under load), elasticity (a more detailed study of stress distribution inside solids), fluid mechanics (studying the flow of gases and liquids), and computational mechanics (using computers to simulate mechanical problems). You will learn many mathematical methods, such as calculus, linear algebra, and partial differential equations, so students with a strong math foundation will have an advantage. Chinese universities are very strong in engineering mechanics. Top institutions like Tsinghua University, Peking University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Xi'an Jiaotong University have outstanding mechanics departments. Many professors have participated in major national projects, such as high-speed railways, large aircraft, and deep-sea submersibles, giving you access to the most cutting-edge topics. This major is suitable for students who like to get to the bottom of things, are curious about physical phenomena, and are willing to spend time deriving formulas.