Mechanical Engineering

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Admission

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in mechanical engineering must meet the admission standards set by the Graduate School and have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or its equivalent. A student whose undergraduate training is deficient may be required to take coursework without graduate credit.

This program requires a nonrefundable $65 application fee that must be submitted with the application for Admissions to Graduate Study in Mechanical Engineering. Applicants must pay this fee by credit card. The application form can be obtained from the Department.

Requirements

Each student majoring in mechanical engineering will develop a program of study with a graduate adviser and establish a graduate committee of at least three members at the earliest possible date. A student may, with the approval of a graduate faculty committee and the department chair, also take courses in other branches of engineering, or in areas of science and business, such as physics, geology, chemistry, mathematics, life science, administrative sciences, or computer science. A thesis committee of at least three members will approve the thesis and the comprehensive oral exam.

For a student who wishes to complete the requirements of the master’s degree with a thesis, a minimum of thirty semester hours of acceptable graduate credit is required. Of this total, eighteen semester hours must be earned in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes. A minimum of 15 hours of coursework at the 500-level (excluding thesis) is required. Each candidate is also required to pass a comprehensive oral examination covering all of the student’s graduate work including thesis.

If a student prefers the non-thesis option, a minimum of thirty-six semester hours of acceptable graduate credit is required. The student is expected to take at least twenty-one semester hours within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes including no more than three semester hours of the appropriate 592 course to be devoted to the preparation of a research paper. A minimum of 15 hours of coursework at the 500-level (excluding thesis) is required. In addition, each candidate is required to pass a written comprehensive examination. An oral presentation of the paper may be required.

Each non-thesis student will select a minimum of three engineering graduate faculty members to serve as a graduate committee, subject to the approval of the chair of the department. The committee must include at least one member from one of the other engineering departments and will:

  1. approve the student’s program of study,
  2. approve the student’s research paper topic,
  3. approve the completed research paper, and
  4. administer and approve the written comprehensive examination.
Teaching or research assistantships and fellowships are available for qualified applicants. Additional information about the program, courses, assistantships, and fellowships may be obtained from the College of Engineering or the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes.

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Graduate work leading to the Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering is offered by the College of Engineering. The program is designed to provide advanced study in air pollution control, mechanical system dynamics and vibration, acoustics and signal processing, mass and heat transfer, coal conversion, electrochemical processes, thermal science, thermal systems design, solar systems design, chemical and biochemical processes, mechanical systems, computer-aided design, composite materials and ceramics and tribology.

Accelerated Master's Program

Mechanical Engineering students with senior standing and a GPA of 3.5 will be permitted to take up to six hours of graduate credit in Fall and Spring semesters. Outstanding junior students will be allowed to take one course for graduate credit. By doing so, students then pursuing their MSME degrees after completing their BSME degrees will have these graduate credits transferred toward their MSME degree so that they may be able to finish the degree requirements in a year or so. Students must complete a no fee Graduate School application and submit it to the department chair for approval. Students will be allowed to complete up to 12 hours of graduate credit before receiving their BSME.