The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate program in mechanical engineering (ME) at both the MS and PhD levels. The goal of the graduate program is to educate students in the disciplines of mechanical engineering, in more depth and breadth than is possible at the BS level. This preparation will allow the graduate to utilize contemporary methods at an advanced level during a professional career in engineering design, development, teaching, and research. Each student's plan of study is based on their background and career objectives as well as on sound academic practice. The mechanical engineering program faculty members have teaching and research expertise in areas related to fluids engineering, thermal sciences, solid mechanics, and mechanical systems.
Academic programs emphasizing fluid mechanics, hydrodynamics, heat transfer, combustion, materials processing, solid mechanics, and mechanical systems may be developed from courses offered by the mechanical engineering program faculty. Students desiring a more general program may combine these emphases, while those wishing a degree of specialization in computational mechanics, bio-fluid dynamics, environmental fluid mechanics, atmospheric processes and climate change, materials engineering, chemically reactive flows, computer-aided design, bio-mechanics, manufacturing, or automatic control may combine departmental courses with appropriate courses from other departments of the College of Engineering and the university.
Graduate Certificate
ME has an Artificial Intelligence, Modeling, and Simulation in Engineering (AIMS) certificate graduate program. To apply, submit an application online.
Master of Science Degree
The MS program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate course work (level 4100 or higher) and research. Students may choose either a thesis or non-thesis program. For MS thesis, normally six and no more than nine semester hours of research (registration in ME:6199, graded by the students’ advisor) shall be counted in satisfying the 30-semester hour minimum requirement. For MS non-thesis, ME 6199 shall not be counted towards satisfying the 30-semester hour course requirement. Out of the required 30 semester hours of graduate course work, a minimum of 12 semester hours must be from 5000 or higher level mechanical engineering courses. In each semester, the graduate course plan should be approved by their advisor prior to registration.
To earn the MS degree, the student is required to attain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale on the graduate work used to satisfy the degree requirements and be successful in the final examination (for MS thesis only), administered by the student's committee.
The requirements for the MS degree are such that they may be completed within a calendar year. However, students with assistantship duties and/or other constraints may take up to two calendar years to complete the degree.
Students are encouraged to consult sections IX and X of the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College for further requirements and information about the master's degree.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The PhD program in mechanical engineering requires a minimum of 72 semester hours of credit, including research for the dissertation, beyond the BS degree. Out of the required 72 hours of credit, a minimum of 42 semester hours must be from courses (except thesis research) taken beyond the BS degree and a minimum of 12 semester hours must be from PhD thesis research (registration in ME:7299, graded by the students’ advisor). Out of the required 42 semester hours of graduate course work (level 4100 or higher), a minimum of 12 semester hours must be from 6000 and 7000 level mechanical engineering courses. This last requirement can be waived by the ME Graduate Committee. A final cumulative GPA of higher than 3.25 is needed to obtain the PhD degree. In each semester, the graduate course plan should be approved by their advisor prior to registration.
The Graduate College requires that courses taken ten or more years prior to the comprehensive examination be evaluated by the department to assess the use of these credit hours within a student’s plan of study. The department must send a letter of petition to the Graduate College, requesting the use of any or all of these credits toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.
To be admitted formally to the PhD program, the student must pass the Qualifying Examination. Having satisfactorily completed the Comprehensive Examination, the student normally has only to complete and defend the dissertation at the Final Examination. Requirements for the PhD degree can generally be completed in about three years beyond the MS degree.
Students are encouraged to consult sections IX and XII of the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College for further requirements and information about the doctoral degree.
Learning Outcomes
Masters Program
- MS graduates will have a broad knowledge of mechanical engineering topics and advanced knowledge in their specific area of study.
- MS graduates will be able to analyze engineering problems and apply their knowledge to solve them. MS graduates with thesis option will be able to solve research-oriented problems.
- MS graduates will develop professional skills that include effective communication, leadership, and ethical conduct in professional, social, and scholarly activities.
PhD Program
- PhD graduates will have an extensive knowledge of mechanical engineering topics, and a mastery of advanced concepts in their specific area of study.
- PhD graduates will be able to identify, formulate, analyze, and solve research problems, thereby advancing knowledge through creative scholarship.
- PhD graduates will develop professional skills that include effective communication, leadership, and ethical conduct in professional, social, and scholarly activities.