Minors & Certificates

The College of Engineering and Applied Science has numerous minor and certificate options for engineering students. You can find out about all of your options by visiting the .

You may also be interested in minors and certificates offered outside of the College of Engineering and Applied Science such as Applied Math, Astrophysics, Economics, World Languages, and more. You can find information about all available minors at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder through our . 

How to Structure Your Classes

Considering a minor or certificate but wondering how it might impact your course schedule? Most minor and certificate classes can also be used to fulfill requirements of your mechanical engineering degree. The charts below outline how to best structure your classes to overlap with your major for the most common minor, certificate, and option programs. Use the web links above each chart to view the official, current requirements for each program.

Please note: some minor programs require an application/ prerequisites/ minimum GPA. Please contact your academic advisor with questions regarding minors/certificates and their potential impact on your degree plan. 

Minors

Visit the Applied Math Minor website 

Applied Math Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
APPM 2350 Calculus 3 for Engineers
or MATH 2400 Calculus 3
Calculus 3
APPM 2360 Diff Eq w/Linear AlgebraAPPM 2360
APPM 3310 Matrix Methods
One area of emphasis (see below)

Choose One Emphasis:

General Emphasis

Choose two of the following three courses

APPM 4600 Numerical Methods and Scientific ComputingMCEN 3030
APPM 4350 Fourier Series & Boundary Value ProblemsGeneral Technical Elective
APPM 4360 Complex Variable and Applications General Technical Elective

and 

One upper-division APPM or STAT Course (3000/4000 Level)General Technical Elective

Scientific Computation Emphasis

APPM 3050 Scientific Computing Matlab
or APPM 3650 Algorithms and Data Structures in Python
General Technical Elective
APPM 4600 Numerical Methods and Scientific ComputingMCEN 3030
APPM 4610 Numerical Differential EquationsGeneral Technical Elective

Probability & Statistics Emphasis

APPM 3570 Applied ProbabilityGeneral Technical Elective

and one of the following sequences

STAT 4000 Statistical Methods and Applications I
& STAT 4010 Statistical Methods and Applications II
General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective
APPM 4560 Markov Processes, Queues, and Monte Carlo Simulations
& STAT 4520 Intro to Mathematical Statistics
General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective

Visit the Astronomy Minor website 

Astronomy Minor Requirements (6 courses min.)ME Equivalent

Elementary ASTR Coursework (max of 3)

Recommended: ASTR 2000 Ancient Astronomies

Lower-Division Humanities/Social Sciences Elective

Advanced ASTR Coursework: 2 courses from one upper-level course sequence--

Planetary Sequence:
ASTR 3720 Planets and Their Atmospheres
ASTR 3750 Planets, Moons, & Rings

Astrophysics Sequence:
ASTR 3730 Stellar & Interstellar
ASTR 3830 Galactic & Extragalactic

 

 

 or General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective

General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective

1 upper-level course from their pre-approved listGeneral Technical Elective

Visit the Biomedical Minor website

Biomedical Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
BMEN 2000: Biomed GatewayCannot apply towards any major requirements
Biomed Elective
Biomed Elective (must be 3000+)General Technical Elective
Biomed Elective (must be 3000+)General Technical Elective
Biomed Elective (must be 3000+)ME Technical Elective
Biomed Elective (must be 3000+)ME Technical Elective

Business Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
BUSM 2010 & 2011: Marketing & ManagementFree Elective
BUSM 2020 & 2021: Finance & AccountingFree Elective
Track ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective
BUSM 4010: Business Plan DevelopmentGeneral Technical Elective

Visit the Computer Science Minor website

Computer Science Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
CSCI 1300/ ECEN 1310/ ASEN 1320 Computer Science 1MCEN 1030
CSCI 2270 Data StructuresFree Elective

CSCI 2824 Discrete Structures (Optional but recommended)

Both CSCI 3104 (Algorithms) and CSCI 3155 (Principles of Programming Languages) require a discrete mathematics course as a prerequisite. Students who want to take either of these courses as their Core option will need to plan to take an approved discrete mathematics prerequisite course in addition to the course requirements for the minor. 

Free Elective
CSCI 2400 Computer Systems
or ECEN 4593 Computer Organization
Free Elective
or General Technical Elective
One Core Option:
CSCI 3104 Algorithms
CSCI 3155 Principles of Programming Languages
CSCI 3753 Design and Analysis of Operating Systems

General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective
General Technical Elective
Computer Science Elective:
MCEN 3030 or CSCI 3656
MCEN 3030
Computer Science ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective

Visit the Creative Technology and Design Minor website

CDT Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
ATLS 1100 Design FoundationsFree Elective
ATLS 1300 Computation Foundations
(CSCI 1200, CSCI 1300, INFO 1701 also accepted)
MCEN 1030 or Free Elective
ATLS 2000 The Meaning of Information TechnologyLower-Division Humanities/Social Sciences Elective
ATLS 2100 ImageFree Elective
ATLS 2200 WebFree Elective
ATLS 2300 TextFree Elective
Upper-Division Focus Elective or Critical Perspectives in Technology Elective (MCEN 3017 and MCEN 4026 qualify)MCEN 3017 or MCEN 4026

Electrical Engineering Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
MCEN 3017 Circuits & Electronics
Substitutes as ECEN 2250 for EE minors
MCEN 3017
ECEN 2260 Circuits as Systems *
ECEN 2270 Electronics Design Lab *
Electrical Engineering ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective
Electrical Engineering ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective
Electrical Engineering ElectiveFree Elective

* ECEN 2260 and ECEN 2270 combined will satisfy ME's Math/Science Foundation requirement. 

Visit the Energy Engineering Minor Website 

Energy Engineering Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
Fundamentals-based course:
MCEN 3032 Thermodynamics 2
MCEN 3032
Energy policy/environment-based course:
ENVS 3621 Energy Policy and Society, or
ENVS/PHYS 3070 Energy and the Environment, or
MCEN 4032 Sustainable Energy

Humanities/Social Sciences Elective, or
General Technical Elective, or
ME Technical Elective
Energy ElectiveME Technical Elective, or
General Technical Elective, or
Energy ElectiveME Technical Elective, or
General Technical Elective, or
Energy Elective: MCEN 3022 Heat TransferMCEN 3022
Energy Elective: MCEN 3017 Circuits and ElectronicsMCEN 3017

 

Visit the Engineering Management Minor website

Engineering Management Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
EMEN 4030 Project ManagementGeneral Technical Elective
EMEN 4100 Engineering EconomicsGeneral Technical Elective
EMEN Elective
MCEN 3047 Data/Measurements
MCEN 3047
EMEN ElectiveFree Elective
EMEN ElectiveFree Elective

Vist the Engineering Entrepreneurship Minor website

Engineering Entrepeneurship Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
EMEN 4820 Entrepreneurial Product DevelopmentGeneral Technical Elective
EMEN 4800 Technology Ventures and MarketingGeneral Technical Elective
Engineering Entrepreneurship Elective
MCEN 4045 Senior Design 1 (if ESI section), or
MCEN 4238 Design for Community

MCEN 4045, or 
ME Technical Elective 
Engineering Entrepreneurship ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective
Engineering Entrepreneurship ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective

Visit the Global Engineering Minor website

Global Engineering Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
ENES 2360/3360 Global State of MindHumanities/Social Sciences Elective 
Language CourseworkHumanities/Social Sciences Elective 
Regional, Global, and Technical Perspective CourseHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Regional, Global, and Technical Perspective Course (3000+ level)Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Regional, Global, and Technical Perspective Course (3000+ level)Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Regional, Global, and Technical Perspective Course (3000+ level)Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Global Experience n/a

Visit the Leadership Minor website

Leadership Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
LEAD 1000 Become a LeaderFree elective
Leadership Foundaions ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Leadership Application ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective
Leadership in Context ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
LEAD 4000 CapstoneFree Elective

Visit the Math Minor website

Math Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
MATH 1300 Calculus 1, or
APPM 1350 Calculus 1 for Engineers
APPM 1350
MATH 2300 Calculus 2, or
APPM 1360 Calculus 2 for Engineers 
APPM 1360
MATH 2400 Calculus 3, or
APPM 2350 Calculus 3 for Engineers 
APPM 2350
MATH 2001 Intro to Discrete Math, or
MATH 2002 Number Systems: An Intro to Higher Math
Free Elective
MATH 2130 Intro to Linear AlgebraAPPM 2360 & *
MATH Elective (3000+ level)
MATH 3430 Differential Equations
APPM 2360 & *
MATH Elective (3000+ level)General Technical Elective
MATH Elective (4000+ level)General Technical Elective

* MATH 2130 & MATH 3430 combined will satisfy both APPM 2360 & ME's Math/Science Foundation requirement. 

Visit the Music Minor website

Music Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
MUEL 1081 Basic Music Theory*Free Elective
EMUS 1xx7 or 3xx7 Music Ensemble**Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Creating Music ElectivesFree Elective
Creating Music ElectivesFree Elective
Thinking Music Electives Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Thinking Music Electives Humanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective
Creative/Thinking Music ElectivesHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or Free Elective

* Students with appropriate background and instructor approval may substitute MUSC 1101 and MUSC 1121 for MUEL 1081.  

** Ensembles requiring no audition include Golden Buffalo Marching Band (auditions for drumline and color guard only), Concert Band, Festival Chorus, Japanese Ensemble, Latin American Ensemble, African Ensemble, Gamelan Ensemble, and World Vocal Ensemble. Ensembles requiring an audition include Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, University Singers, University Choir, Women’s Chorus, Jazz ensembles (Big Bands 1-3 and combos 1-7), Symphony Orchestra, and Campus Orchestra.   

Physics Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
PHYS 1110 Physics 1PHYS 1110
PHYS 1120 Physics 2PHYS 1120
PHYS 1140 Experimental Physics 1PHYS 1140
PHYS 2130 Intro to Quantum Mechanics, or
PHYS 2170 Foundations of Modern Physics
PHYS 2150 Experimental Physics 2Free Elective
PHYS 2210: Classical MechanicsFree Elective
Physics ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective
Physics ElectiveGeneral Technical Elective
Physics ElectiveFree Elective

Space Minor RequirementsME Equivalent
ASEN 1969 Pathway to SpaceFree Elective
Space ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective
Space ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective
Space ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective
Space ElectiveHumanities/Social Sciences Elective or
General Technical Elective or
Free Elective

*There are a lot of options for each elective, that could count for a variety of requirements. Please check with your Advisor for details.