Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering is intended to extend undergraduate preparation in and address the multidisciplinary nature of various mechanical engineering fields, such as product design and manufacturing, robotics and control, biomechanics, thermal fluid energy and micro/nano systems. It can be considered as a terminal degree or as preparation for the Ph.D. program. The program builds a solid foundation for a career in mechanical engineering. The curriculum of the program spans a wide spectrum of fields and multidisciplinary topics which prepare the students to solve the most challenging real-world engineering problems.
A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related engineering fields is required to complete the rigorous course requirements. Students with bachelor’s degrees in other disciplines may be required to take appropriate undergraduate courses to bridge the knowledge gaps before being formally admitted to the program. Both full and part-time graduate students can take advantage of the flexible curriculum designed to fit into the busy schedule as some classes are offered online.
The Master of Science degree requires completion of a 6-credit master’s thesis or a 3-credit project course. Students in the program will be introduced to research methodology and ethics through thesis, project, or respective courses. In the Master of Engineering degree, the completion of a master’s thesis or a project course is optional.
The Master of Science - Mechanical degree requires 30 credits, approved by the student’s academic advisor. The program structure is as follows:
- Two required core courses
- At least four courses from any one of the seven concentrations below
- Master’s thesis or a special project
- and other elective courses chosen as described below
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Degree Requirements
Core Courses
| ME 635 | Modeling and Simulation | 3 |
| ME 641 | Engineering Analysis I | 3 |
Concentration Courses
Students are required to select at least four courses from any one of the seven concentrations:
Product Design
| ME 520 | Analysis and Design of Composites | 3 |
| ME 615 | Thermal Systems Design | 3 |
| ME 658 | Advanced Mechanics of Solids | 3 |
| ME 659 | Advanced Structural Design | 3 |
| ME 663 | Finite-Element Methods | 3 |
| ME 665 | Advanced Product Development | 3 |
Manufacturing
| ME 565 | Introduction to Additive Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 566 | Design for Manufacturability | 3 |
| ME 644 | Computer-Integrated Design and Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 645 | Design of Production Systems | 3 |
| ME 652 | Advanced Additive Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 653 | Design for Additive Manufacturing | 3 |
Thermal, Fluids, Energy Requirements
| ME 510 | Power Plant Engineering | 3 |
| ME 601 | Engineering Thermodynamics | 3 |
| ME 604 | Advanced Heat Transfer | 3 |
| ME 615 | Thermal Systems Design | 3 |
| ME 674 | Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| ME 675 | Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer | 3 |
Robotics and Control
Students are required to take the following two courses for the concentration:
| ME 598 | Introduction to Robotics | 3 |
| ME 621 | Introduction to Modern Control Engineering | 3 |
And select two additional courses from the list below:
| ME 655 | Wearable Robotics and Sensors | 3 |
| ME 656 | Autonomous Navigation for Mobile Robots | 3 |
| ME 650 | Robot Manipulators | 3 |
Below are suggested elective courses for students who pursue the Robotics & Control concentration.
| ME 622 | Optimal Control and Estimation of Dynamical Systems | 3 |
| ME 631 | Mechanical Vibrations I | 3 |
| ME 651 | Analytic Dynamics | 3 |
| ME 685 | Mobile Microrobotic Systems | 3 |
Micro/Nano Systems
| ME 573 | Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems | 3 |
| ME 581 | Introduction to Bio Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS) | 3 |
| ME 680 | Fundamentals of Micro & Nano Fluidics | 3 |
| ME 681 | Applications of Advanced Micro/Nano Materials, Structures and Devices | 3 |
| ME 685 | Mobile Microrobotic Systems | 3 |
| NANO 525 | Techniques of Surface and Nanostructure Characterization | 3 |
| NANO 600 | Introduction to Nanoscale Science and Technology | 3 |
Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering
Students are required to take the following two courses for the concentration:
| ME 530 | Introduction to Pharmaceutical Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 626 | Manufacturing of Biopharmaceutical Products | 3 |
And select two additional courses from the list below:
| ME 535 | Good Manufacturing Practice in Pharmaceutical Facilities Design | 3 |
| ME 602 | Statistical Methods in Life Sciences Industries | 3 |
| ME 628 | Manufacturing and Packaging of Pharmaceutical Oral Solid Dosage Products | 3 |
| ME 629 | Manufacturing of Sterile Pharmaceuticals | 3 |
| ME 647 | Environmental Systems (HVAC) in Healthcare Manufacturing | 3 |
Below are suggested elective courses for students who pursue the Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering concentration.
| ME 540 | Validation in Life Sciences Manufacturing | 3 |
| PME 542 | Global Regulation and Compliance in Life Science Industries | 3 |
| ME 560 | Quality in Life Sciences Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 555 | Lean Six Sigma | 3 |
Others of the student’s choosing (advisor approval recommended)
Medical Device Engineering
Students are required to take the following two courses for the concentration:
| ME 580 | Medical Device Design and Technology | 3 |
| ME 660 | Medical Devices Manufacturing | 3 |
And select two additional courses from the list below:
| ME 525 | Biomechanics | 3 |
| ME 602 | Statistical Methods in Life Sciences Industries | 3 |
| ME 648 | Mechanics of Continuous Media | 3 |
| ME 658 | Advanced Mechanics of Solids | 3 |
| ME 665 | Advanced Product Development | 3 |
Below are suggested elective courses for students who pursue the Medical Device Engineering concentration.
| BME 504 | Medical Instrumentation and Imaging | 3 |
| ME 540 | Validation in Life Sciences Manufacturing | 3 |
| ME 560 | Quality in Life Sciences Manufacturing | 3 |
| PME 542 | Global Regulation and Compliance in Life Science Industries | 3 |
| ME 555 | Lean Six Sigma | 3 |
Electives
Students are required to complete 12 credits of electives. Of these 12 credits, students are required to complete a 6-credit master's thesis (ME 900 Thesis in Mechanical Engineering) OR a 3-credit project course (ME 800 Special Project in Mechanical Engineering). Students are required to enroll in ME 700 Seminar in Mechanical Engineering, a 0-credit course, for at least one semester.
For the remaining elective courses, students may take a maximum of two non-ME graduate courses. Students in the Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) or those who receive approval from their advisor may take a maximum of three non-ME graduate courses.
In order to graduate with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree, a student must obtain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the major field, as well as an overall GPA of 3.0 for all the courses needed to meet the 30-credit requirement for the degree. In addition, no more than four 500 level graduate courses can be taken to satisfy the credit requirement for the degree.