Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The four elements of study within the MS program include core courses, courses required within an elected focus area, selected elective courses, and a thesis. A minimum of 45 credits are required for the MS degree. At least 28 credit hours of graduate-level course work, including the core and focus area courses, must be taken in the mechanical engineering department. All full-time MS students are required to attend the weekly graduate seminar each quarter they are on campus. A minimum of 45 credits are required for the MS degree. Eight credits may be upper-level undergraduate electives (a course number beginning with 0304-6xx), or may be taken as technical courses outside of the department with prior approval. Typical out of department courses include advanced engineering, mathematics, and science courses.

Core Courses: All graduate students in the MS program are required to complete two required core courses: 0304-870 Mathematics for Engineers I and 0304-871 Mathematics for Engineers II (or an alternative course approved by the adviser and department head).

Focus Courses: All graduate students in the MS program must develop a graduate focus area of study, with prior approval from their adviser and the department head. The focus area should consist of at least 12 credits of graduate study in mechanical engineering, (0304-7xx or higher) and be related to the student’s technical and professional development interests. Examples of focus areas include controls, materials science, thermo/fluids, and mechanics/design.

Elective Courses: All graduate students in the MS program must complete a minimum of 16 credits of elective courses.

Thesis: Prior to completing 20 quarter credit hours of graduate work, the student should prepare a formal thesis proposal, and discuss it with the faculty adviser. An acceptable proposal (including a statement of work, extensive literature search, and proposed timeline), signed by the student and approved by their faculty adviser and department head, is required prior to registering for thesis credits. The student must form a graduate thesis committee in coordination with their adviser and present their proposal to their committee for review and approval during the first quarter in which the student has registered for thesis credit. A student is required to deliver a successful written and oral defense of their thesis near the completion of their degree program.

A maximum of eight quarter credits may be transferred from graduate courses taken outside the Institute provided such courses will complement a student's proposed graduate program in the mechanical engineering department. Students may count no more than 8 credits hours of 0304-6xx courses towards completion of the MS degree.  Requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years of the date of the oldest course counted towards the MS degree.

Upon matriculation into the MS program, the student will be assigned a temporary adviser to assist with scheduling the first quarter of classes. Prior to the end of the first quarter, the graduate student should identify a faculty adviser for their thesis, and formulate plan of study in consultation with their adviser and the department head. All full time graduate students are expected to attend the weekly graduate seminars.

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