ME Study Abroad

Not sure where to start? Contact CSE International Programs at cseabroad@umn.edu or set up an appointment (virtually or in person) at: cseabroad.appointments.umn.edu. Explore College of Science & Engineering Majors & Abroad Planning here (for a semester abroad program we recommend using the "Recommended for Your Major" search tool).
See below for institutions that offer programs that ME students have completed in the past!

Initial Planning: The University of Minnesota has one of the most comprehensive learning abroad programs in the country! At this stage, students looking to do a semester “Exchange” program will most commonly work directly with either the Learning Abroad Center (LAC) or CSE International Programs, depending on what exchange program you participate in. 
Students should start planning a semester exchange 2 semesters  before departure.

Once you have narrowed down/ picked a program: You will continue to work with CSE International Programs as you finalize your program and prepare to depart. Once you have selected a location & term, this is the time to connect with the department! 

The Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS) and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator in ME will be your departmental contacts as you plan. The ME DUGS will help with:

• Course planning: how to structure your program to include an abroad experience and offer guidance on what courses are typically easier to find at other institutions and how to adjust your four year plan if needed. 
• Transferability of courses (for courses that have not been previously reviewed by the department)
• Appointments for students that have selected a program & term
• Schedule an appointment with the DUGS by going to meadvising.appointments.umn.edu and selecting “Learning Abroad”.

The ME Undergraduate Program Coordinator will help with:

• General questions about the process for ME students
• APAS updates once you return from your experience
• Email: meundergrad@umn.edu

Your learning abroad advisors can help you explore and find the right fit. 

Popular institutions for ME students (based on course transferability) include, but are not limited to:

• Universidad Pontificia Comillas | Madrid, Spain
• National University of Singapore | Kent Ridge, Singapore
• University of Sydney | Sydney, Australia (program offered through the LAC)
• Hong Kong University of Science & Technology | Clear Water Bay, China
• Chalmers University of Technology | Gothenburg, Sweden
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology | Trondheim, Norway
• Technical University Munich | Munich, Germany (ME is only offered in German)
   

Find what courses have already been reviewed here. 

The key is to ensure you know what courses from abroad will transfer back before you depart. It is important to work closely with the department as you finalize your class list (often you will find more classes than you will actually take so you have options in case you are not able to register certain courses). 

Find what courses have already been reviewed or how to submit courses not yet reviewed here.

Courses will generally fall into one of four buckets:

1. Course has already been evaluated as a 1-1 transfer for a UMN course. 
2. Course has already been evaluated and comes back as general credit (no specific 1-1 course). If appropriate, the DUGS may approve use of this type of course as a major requirement (technical electives must be a 1-1 equivalent and the specialization may be more flexible).
3. Course has already been evaluated and does not transfer back to the U of M.
4. Course has not been evaluated. For these courses, you must submit them to the Transfer Evaluation System with the syllabus to be reviewed. This can take a few weeks. It is strongly preferred that you submit these a few weeks prior to meeting with the DUGS.

The Department Recommends: 

• If you have outstanding liberal education requirements, these are typically transfer-friendly and a good option to take abroad.
• 3000 level ME core courses: Core courses typically have more equivalents as these courses are fairly standard for ME programs internationally. As courses get more specialized (4000 level+), it can be more challenging to find equivalencies. 
  
• Electives: Your ME specialization elective can be a good option to take abroad. Students may also take up to one technical elective abroad (technical electives must be a 1-1 equivalent). See the Elective Program Document for program information. Please talk through elective options with the DUGS. 

The ME Department offers all of our core courses for the major every semester. This allows more flexibility for scheduling an abroad experience.

The department recommends (depending on program and course offerings):

• Spring semester of sophomore year can be a good option for some students (check out the Universidad Pontificia Comillas (Spain) program!)
• Fall or spring of junior year
• Senior year can present more challenges for planning as courses become more specific to our program, but can be done with dedicated planning and a compatible program
• ME 3221 and ME 3222 can be taken concurrently (these classes can be more challenging to find equivalencies for). If studying abroad in your junior year, taking 3221/3222 concurrently in your non-abroad semester can be a good option for more flexibility. 
• ME 4053 and ME 4054W can be taken concurrently if non-concurrent registration would delay graduation.