<p>MechE does have “physics” courses, e.g. statics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, circuits, etc. But the curriculum itself is not very hands-on. The only courses that are hands-on are intro to manufacturing and the two senior capstone classes. Upperdiv courses run from 60 (98% MechE students) to 100 (mix of MechE, AeroE, and CivilE students) in size. Every class is pretty easy to get into, except the labs, since the department is generous enough to increase the class sizes if there is a high demand.</p>