►  Graduate School Rules  apply to this program

For the master of science (MS) degree in mechanical engineering, students may choose between two plans with each plan totaling 30 semester hours. Students following Plan I (thesis option) take 24 semester hours of formal course work plus 6 semester hours of thesis work. Students following Plan II (project option) take 27 semester hours of formal course work plus a 3 semester hour final project requiring a report. Students following Plan I or Plan II must submit a proposal to their examination committee prior to the semester in which they register for their thesis or project semester hours, and the examination committee must approve the proposal for the thesis or project.

Students in either plan may choose one of three options. In the first two options, the student may choose to specialize in either thermal science or mechanics. The third option is the general mechanical engineering option.

The thermal science option requires 12 semester hours of course work in analytical methods, numerical methods, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. The student then selects 9 semester hours of course work in approved electives from a selection of thermal science electives.

The mechanics option requires 12 semester hours of course work in analytical methods, numerical methods, elasticity and dynamics. The student then selects 9 semester hours of course work in approved electives from a selection of mechanics electives. For students following Plan I, both the thermal science and mechanics options allow the student to pick one approved 3-semester-hour elective not necessarily in the chosen specialty. For students following Plan II, both the thermal science and mechanics options allow the student to pick two approved 3-semester hour electives not necessarily in the chosen specialty.

The general mechanical engineering option requires the student to take 18 semester hours of required course work in analytical methods, numerical methods, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, elasticity and dynamics. For students following Plan I, the general mechanical engineering option allows the student to pick two approved 3-semester hour electives. For students following Plan II, the general mechanical engineering option allows the student to pick three approved 3-semester hour electives.