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 School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering.

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 School Director, 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 M.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree with a thesis, a minimum of thirty hours of acceptable graduate credit is required. Of this total, eighteen credit hours must be earned in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering. A minimum of 15 credit 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 hours of acceptable graduate credit is required. The student is expected to take at least twenty-one credit hours within the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, including no more than three credit hours of the appropriate 592 course to be devoted to the preparation of a research paper. A minimum of 15 credit 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 M.S. in Mechanical Engineering student will select a minimum of three engineering graduate faculty members to serve as a graduate committee, subject to the approval of the School Director. The committee must include at least one member from one of the other engineering programs 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, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics or the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering

Graduate work leading to the Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering is offered by the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials 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, biomechanics, 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 M.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree after completing their bachelor of science degree will have these graduate credits transferred toward their M.S. in Mechanical Engineering 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 School Director for approval. Students will be allowed to complete up to 12 hours of graduate credit before receiving their bachelor of science degree.