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Certificate

Mechanical Analysis and Design

Stand out in today's competitive engineering environment.

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About the Mechanical Analysis and Design Program

Advance Your Engineering Career with In-Demand Mechanical Design and Analysis Skills

Today’s most innovative companies—like Apple, Google, and Amazon—are seeking mechanical engineers who understand advanced materials, modern design tools, and real-world applications. The Mechanical Analysis and Design Certificate equips you with the technical and practical skills needed to thrive in this evolving field.

This hands-on, industry-informed program is ideal for professionals and recent graduates with a background in mechanical engineering or related disciplines. You’ll gain experience with cutting-edge tools and techniques used in mechanical system design, component analysis, and product development.

What You’ll Learn

Through a combination of technical training and applied projects, you’ll develop competencies in:

  • SolidWorks: 3D modeling, simulation, and computer-aided design (CAD)
  • Reverse Engineering: Using calipers, hard probes, and 3D scanning tools
  • Plastic Injection Molding: Material selection, part design, and manufacturing considerations
  • MATLAB: For design optimization and engineering analysis
  • Finite Element Method (FEM): Hands-on training with FEMAP and ANSYS
  • Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T): Practical applications for precision engineering
  • Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) and Consequence of Failure Analysis (COFA)

You’ll also gain soft skills in documentation, project coordination, and cross-disciplinary collaboration—essential for modern engineering environments.
 

Who Should Enroll

This certificate is designed for:

  • Mechanical engineers seeking to update or expand their technical skill set
  • Engineering professionals in related fields looking to transition into mechanical design roles
  • Recent graduates with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering or a related discipline

Program Benefits

  • Learn from industry professionals with real-world experience
  • Apply your skills immediately to current or future engineering projects
  • Gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools and software
  • Build a portfolio of work that demonstrates your capabilities to employers
  • Enhance your qualifications for roles in product design, and manufacturing
  • Access to dedicated Career Resources Hub with career information, job postings, events and tutorials

Program Format

  • Offered Online and In-Person
  • Flexible scheduling to accommodate working professionals
  • Courses can be taken individually or as part of the full certificate

 
In-Person, Online
12 months
or 4 quarters
$3,875
Includes only required courses and one elective. Certificate fee not included.

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: [www.bls.gov]

  • Employment of mechanical engineers is projected to grow 9% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
  • About 18,100 job openings for mechanical engineers are expected each year, driven by industry growth and workforce retirements.
  • The median annual wage for mechanical engineers was $102,320 in 2024.

  • This certificate program is designed to help you stay competitive in this growing job market by equipping you with the tools and proficiencies employers are actively seeking.

How to Apply

Students may enroll in individual courses without applying to the certificate program. For students pursuing the certificate, there will be a one-time $125 certificate fee.

Get More Information

For detailed information, please contact our Science & Technology department.

Mechanical Analysis and Design
Classroom type:
Live Online
In-Person
Online
Hybrid
Download Course List

Required Courses

Tracks

One required

Elective Courses

One required

Courses of Interest

Not required for Certificate

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FAQs

STEP 1: Click on the "Apply Now" button on the certificate page. Complete the required fields on the application. Then click the "Save" button. Once you have saved the application, the "Submit" button will appear. Click on the "Submit" button to submit your application for review and consideration. Once submitted, your application cannot be changed. You can track the progress of your application at MyExtension. 

STEP 2: If you have a MyExtension student account, skip to Step 2. If you do not have a MyExtension account, go to myextension.ucsd.edu, click "Create an account" on the right side of the page, and follow the instructions to create an account. Once you have a MyExtension account, continue to Step 2.

Current application or certificate enrollment fees, if any, are listed under the “Apply Now” button on the certificate page on our website.
When you have paid your certificate fee and successfully completed all program requirements, you will need to request an audit by Student Services. To request an audit:
  • In your MyExtension account, click on “My Courses.”
  • On the right side of the page under “My Certificates,” click on the name of the certificate.
  • On the right side of the page under “Tools,” click on “Request Certificate Audit.”
  • Complete and submit the form that appears.
Once you have formally submitted your audit request, your certificate will be mailed to the address we have on file for you within ten business days.
The courses in this program are post-baccalaureate, professional-level, credit bearing courses. Credit earned in these courses may lead to the award of a formal certificate by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies or may be applied toward an academic degree or professional credential, subject to the approval of the receiving institution.

If you wish to transfer credit, it is your responsibility to confer with the receiving institution before enrolling, as each individual academic institution decides whether or not to accept Extension’s credits.
You officially have five years from when you begin taking courses in the program to complete all requirements for the certificate.
To enroll into a class, click on the class link in the matrix and that will take you to that class page. There you can find the start date for that course, and you can click on “Add to Cart” which will lead you to complete the registration/payment process.
Our classes post to our website and become open for enrollment approximately two months prior to the new quarter starting. If you’d like to get an email reminder you can sign up for our newsletter(s) in MyExtension, under the “Preferences” tab.
Please visit the course page on our website to see when courses are typically offered. You can also see a full program schedule by clicking on the “View Schedule” button under the “Courses” section on this page.
Enrollment in a course may be closed for one or more of the following reasons:
  • The course is at capacity. If the course is at capacity you will only be able to join the waitlist. If space becomes available in the course, students on the waitlist are contacted in the order they joined the waitlist.
  • The course has progressed to a point where students will no longer be able to make-up missed work and be successful in the course.
  • The course is cancelled due to low enrollments.
For all three of these reasons we recommend students enroll early in the courses they are interested in.
If you have enrolled at least three days before the course begins, you will have access starting on the first day of class. You should receive an email from Student Services with instructions for how to login to the course. If you have enrolled on or after the start date of the course, you will have access to the course within one business day.
 

You will have access to the online Canvas course on the official start date of the class/exam/info session.  Access will be available at 12:01am Pacific Time.

Enrollment to online classes can take up to 24 hours to process and sync up to our online platform, Canvas. For example, if a class started on Tuesday and that is the day a student enrolled, they will likely not have full access to the class until 24 hours later on Wednesday.

The refund deadline for courses in this program is typically 3 days after the start of the course. This allows you to enroll in a course and participate in the first class meeting to determine if the course is a good fit. Then, if needed, either you may either transfer your enrollment to a different course or submit a drop request by emailing Student Services at unex-reg@ucsd.edu. The exact refund deadline for each section is listed in the section notes on the course page in our website, and you can also find it in MyExtension by clicking on “My Courses” and then the name of the course.
Login to your My Extension account and select “Documents” as the top of the page.

When registering, students may choose between a Letter Grade or Pass/No Pass option. As long as a student receives a passing score (70% or higher), they will earn the same certificate of completion and any related documents, regardless of the grading method selected.

If you're pursuing employer reimbursement, we recommend checking with your company to confirm whether a Letter Grade is required for reimbursement eligibility.

Students can update their grading option via their MyExtension student portal anytime before 12:00 a.m. on the final class meeting.

 

Two unit courses run for 6-7 weeks; three unit courses run for 9-10 weeks; four unit
courses run 10-11 weeks. For exact course dates of upcoming sections, visit the course page on our website.
Format: Online asynchronous. There are no set meeting times, however, students follow a weekly schedule and there will be deadlines to meet in terms of course requirements. This course cannot be completed at an accelerated rate. UC San Diego Extended Studies operates in Pacific Standard Time and therefore any deadline is considered 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Each student has their own learning style so this can vary greatly. As a rule of thumb, expect to spend an average of two hours studying for every hour you spend in-class. For online courses, students should plan to spend approximately 8-10 hours per week viewing lectures and completing coursework.
Each instructor has his/her own preferred method of communication and response policy, which will be detailed on the course syllabus. However, most instructors utilize email or the discussion board and will respond within 24-48 hours.
Once the course is completed, the instructor has 10 business days to submit your grades. Once grades have been posted, you can view and print them from your MyExtension account.

If you are interested in taking courses at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, you will need to obtain written approval from your school principal or counselor. The approval must be signed and printed on school letterhead, and must be included with your registration. If you are homeschooled, your approval needs to be signed by your contact in your local school district.

The letter should verify that you, the student, have the maturity and academic readiness to attend a post-baccalaureate level or college-level course.

Approvals can be emailed to unex-reg@ucsd.edu.

We are unable to accept letters signed by your parent, even if your parent is your teacher and/or school administrator. If you have taken community college courses, an official transcript from that college verifying coursework will be accepted in lieu of a letter from your high school or district. College transcripts must reflect a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

**Please note that some courses may address adult themes or use nude models.

Yes. Our programs are designed to be working-student friendly and most of our students are working professionals. The courses vary between two and three units, which amount to approximately 18-20 hours of class time for a two unit course and 27-30 hours of class time for a three unit course.
Yes, the program is open to non-California residents, including non-US residents. The tuition is the same for all students. If you have questions about how enrolling in courses may or may not affect your visa status, please contact our International Department at ipinfo@ucsd.edu or (858) 534-6784.
  • UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers continuing education loans through UC Approved Lenders. Each institution offers low competitive interest rates and flexible payment options. You are also encouraged to contact your personal financial institution about possible lending solutions. Direct links to UC Approved Lenders can be found on our website’s Financial Resources page.
  • The Employment Development Department (EDD) provides a comprehensive range of employment and training services in partnership with state and local agencies/organizations. More information is available on their website at edd.ca.gov.
  • Career Centers Located throughout San Diego County offer their communities comprehensive employment and training services benefiting both business and job seekers. More information is available on their website at workforce.org.
  • Please click here for information about Veteran’s Benefits.
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) funds are limited to degree programs only, and cannot be used for courses or certificate fees at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies.

Advisory Board

Neal Bloom

Southern California Lead
Hired, Inc.

Shengqiang Cai

Professor, Mechanical Engineering
UC San Diego

Tuan Dao

Senior Consultant
Polymer Engineering Group

Jean La Guerre

Regional Manager
D'Assault Inc.

Geno Pawlak

Professor, Mechanical Engineering
UC San Diego

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