EARN ACADEMIC CREDIT
The Multidisciplinary Design Program hosts ENGR 255, 355, 455, and 599 – a series of lab courses that represent your multidisciplinary project team involvement on your academic transcript. The program works with both students and faculty mentors to determine the most appropriate enrollment level for each student.
How does MDP determine what level course I qualify for?
Each student earning credit with MDP will have their transcript reviewed by a member of our academic services team. To be approved for ENGR 355, for example, a student must have already completed a 300-level course in their major (or be currently enrolled in at least 2 courses at the 300-level during that same semester). The MDP staff make enrollment determinations based on the technical courses a student has already completed major, not from how many total credits they have earned, (which also includes AP credit, general elective or distribution credits). In the event a student has a major outside of engineering, the staff will review course enrollment on an individual basis, or match the enrollment on the student’s year in school (generally first and second year students will enroll in ENGR 255, third year students will enroll in ENGR 355, fourth year students will enroll in ENGR 455, and graduate students will enroll in ENGR 599).
ENGR 255: Introductory Multidisciplinary Engineering Project
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. (1-4 credits)
Intro course in which students acquire, develop, and refine skills for success in the modern engineering design process using mentored, multidisciplinary, team-based, project work. Students will integrate: (1) knowledge from previous courses; (2) knowledge of the engineering design process; and (3) professional skills (e.g., teamwork, project planning, communications, etc.).
ENGR 355: Intermediate Multidisciplinary Engineering Project
Enforced Prerequisite: Permission of instructor (1-4 credits)
Intermediate course in which students acquire, develop, and refine skills for success in the modern engineering design process using mentored, multidisciplinary, team-based, project work.
Students will integrate: (1) knowledge from previous courses; (2) knowledge of engineering design process; and (3) professional skills (e.g., teamwork, project planning, communications, etc.).
ENGR 455: Advanced Multidisciplinary Engineering Project
Enforced Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. (1-4 credits)
Advanced course in which students acquire, develop, and refine skills for success in the modern engineering design process using mentored, multidisciplinary, team-based, project work.
Students will integrate: (1) knowledge from previous courses; (2) knowledge of the engineering design process; and (3) professional skills (e.g., teamwork, project planning, communications, etc.).
ENGR 599: Special Topics in Engineering
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission of instructor. (1-4 credits)
Special topics in interdisciplinary engineering.
ENGR 456: Mentorship-Leadership in Multidisciplinary Design
Enforced Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. (2 credits)
Mentoring and/or leadership of engineering team projects for multidisciplinary design at junior or senior level. Students participate in reflective and integrated learning exercises while simultaneously providing guidance based on previous participation in team based multidisciplinary engineering projects. Students offer technical knowledge, interpersonal/group dynamics, and project management skills to teams.
This course is open only to those declared in the Minor in Multidisciplinary Design.
Many majors are able to apply MDP/ENGR credits toward specific degree requirements (typically Flexible Technical Electives, Engineering Electives, etc.) or General Electives. Additionally, some Partner Sponsored projects are pre-approved to fulfill additional degree requirements (such as Major Design Experience, Capstone, etc.). Additionally, MDP project credits can count toward the minor in Multidisciplinary Design.
Please review the info below and connect with your academic advisor about how MDP credits might fit into your specific degree plan.
Art & Design
Credits for MDP projects typically count as academic/experiential, under the 'non-studio', 'non-Stamps', and/or 'Free Elective Courses' credit requirements for Stamps students. Where they count will depend on a student's specific degree and unique path through the Stamps curriculum. Before enrolling, students should consult with their academic advisor to review how MDP credits would fit on in their Progress Toward Degree sheet.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Art & Design students.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering students may be eligible to earn BME degree credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn BME degree credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Biomedical Engineering students.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering undergraduate students may earn up to 3 credit hours of Engineering Elective credit towards their degree by participating on any MDP project team (no departmental approval necessary). Note: this applies toward all credit levels – ENGR 255, 355, and 455.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Chemical Engineering students.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering students may be eligible to earn Major Design Experience credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn MDE substitution on an MDP Project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Computer Engineering students.
Computer Science
Computer Science undergraduate students who meet the pre-requisites are eligible to earn degree substitutions on a pre-approved MDP Project Team.
Click here to see requirements and degree substitutions for CS-ENGR students.
Click here to see requirements and degree substitution for CS-LSA students.
CSE Master's Students on pre-approved MDP projects are eligible to earn up to four hours of Technical Elective credits towards their degree requirements. Please follow up with the CSE Graduate Programs Office at csegradstaff@umich.edu for more details.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Computer Science students.
Data Science
Data Science students may be eligible to earn Capstone credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements and degree substitution for DS students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Data Science students.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering students may be eligible to earn Major Design Experience (MDE) substitution on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn MDE substitution on an MDP Project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Electrical Engineering students.
Engineering Honors Capstone
Click here to see requirements to fulfill Engineering Honors requirements on an MDP Project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Engineering Honors students.
Industrial Operations Engineering (IOE)
IOE undergraduate students on pre-approved MDP Projects are eligible to earn Senior Design substitution on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn IOE Senior Design substitution on an MDP Project.
Click here to see requirements to earn IOE Grad 400 Level Cognate on an MDP Project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for IOE students.
Integrative Systems + Design
ISD students on pre-approved MDP projects may earn 503 credit during the second semester of the project only.
Click here to see requirements to earn 503 credit on an MDP Project for all ISD students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-AUTO students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-GAME students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-MFG students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-SED students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-DESCI students.
Click here to see all projects with roles for ISD-ESE students.
Materials Science + Engineering
Materials Science + Engineering undergraduate students may be eligible to earn Science and Technical Electives credit by participating on MDP Partner Sponsored or FRST projects through credit on ENGR 355 or 455. Credit is limited to one semester (up to 3 hours on an industry sponsored project and up to 2 hours on a faculty research team). Projects must be approved, on an individual basis, by the MSE advising office/chief program advisor; only projects with MSE content will be considered.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Materials Science + Engineering students.
Mechanical Engineering
Click here to see requirements to earn ME 450 credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see requirements to earn ME 490 credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see requirements to earn ME 590 credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Mechanical Engineering students.
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering students may be eligible to earn NAME degree credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn NAME degree credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering students.
Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear Engineering students may be eligible to earn NERS 499 credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn NERS 499 credit on an MDP project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Nuclear Engineering students.
Robotics
Robotics students may be eligible to earn degree credit on MDP projects.
Click here to see requirements to earn ROB 490 on an MDP Project.
Click here to see requirements to earn ROB 590 on an MDP Project.
Click here to see all projects with roles for Robotics students.
School of Information (SI)
School of Information undergraduates/Bachelor of Science in Information (BSI) students who are eligible to enroll in ENGR 355 or ENGR 455 for their MDP project may apply these credit hours toward their General/Free Electives. School of Information Master's Students can use MDP projects toward their Cognate requirement. Neither will count as direct SI credits.
Click here to see all projects with roles for School of Information students.
ECE Cognate (Master's Students Only)
ECE Master’s students may count all 4 of the credits earned within any Pre-Approved MDP Partner Sponsored or Pre-Approved Faculty Research Team course toward their Cognate requirement.
Click here to see all projects eligible for ECE Cognate Credit.
Master of Public Health
Public Health Master’s students may count all 4 of the credits earned within any pre-approved MDP Project as an Open Elective for the MS program requirements.
Click here to see all projects approved for MPH Open Elective Credit.
What if my degree is not listed?
Please note: course substitutions are not a requirement for participating in MDP projects. Many students find space to participate in these projects without using them for course substitutions or to fulfill degree requirements. See below for the standard enrollment plans for undergraduate and graduate students.
Sample Enrollment Plan: Sponsored Project Teams (undergraduate students) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR x55 (3 credit hours) | ENGR x55 (4 credit hours) | |||
Sample Enrollment Plan: Faculty Research Teams (undergraduate students) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR x55 (2 credit hours) | ENGR x55 (2 credit hours) | |||
Sample Enrollment Plan: (graduate students -all project types) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR 599 (2 credit hours) | ENGR 599 (2 credit hours) |
MDP Course Substitution Archive
For Partner-Sponsored Projects & Faculty Research Student Team students
Partner-Sponsored Projects & Faculty Research Student Team course overrides (ENGR 255/355/455/599) will be automatically sent when you are first accepted to a team. For alternative enrollment options, please see the MDP Course Substitutions list below.
For students returning to Faculty Research Student Teams beyond the original two-semester commitment: please contact MDP during course registration to request your override.
For Student Organization Team and Independent Projects
Student Organization Team Project and Independent Project students need to plan ahead to curricularize your project work and learning. Work with your team leads and your faculty advisor/mentor to define and document your plans for the coming semester. Create a strong proposal for credit (view a sample proposal) and follow these steps to earn credit through MDP:
- Define your work and role with your team leads
- Draft your objectives, outcomes, and deliverables
- Obtain agreement from your team’s faculty advisor to supervise and grade your work
- Review this proposal with the team’s faculty advisor to confirm the scope and depth of your contribution and to determine the appropriate course level (255, 355, 455) and the number of credits to be earned
- Ask your advisor to send his/her approval to the MDP Academic Advisor (mlangill@umich.edu) to receive your permission to register for your course
- Be sure to register by the Third Week Drop/Add Deadline
What if my degree is not listed?
Please note: course substitutions are not a requirement for participating in MDP projects. Many students find space to participate in these projects without using them for course substitutions or to fulfill degree requirements. See below for the standard enrollment plans for undergraduate and graduate students.
Sample Enrollment Plan: Sponsored Project Teams (undergraduate students) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR x55 (3 credit hours) | ENGR x55 (4 credit hours) | |||
Sample Enrollment Plan: Faculty Research Teams (undergraduate students) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR x55 (2 credit hours) | ENGR x55 (2 credit hours) | |||
Sample Enrollment Plan: (graduate students -all project types) | ||||
Winter semester | Fall semester | |||
ENGR 599 (2 credit hours) | ENGR 599 (2 credit hours) |