Mechanical Engineering, MSME (MEMS)
Thesis Option
The quantitative requirement for the degree is 30 credit units. A minimum of 24 of these units must be coursework, and a minimum of 6 units must be MEMS 7998 Masters Research.
The overall grade point average must be 2.70 or better.
Courses may be chosen from 4000- and 5000-level offerings. All must be engineering, math, or science courses with the following restrictions:
- No more than 3 units total of Independent Study (MEMS 4999 or MEMS 5999) are allowed.
- A maximum of 6 units of 4000-level courses are allowed, and these must be from courses not required for the BSME degree (if counted for the MSAE) or not required for the BSAE degree (if counted for the MSME degree), with the exception of MEMS 4320 Modeling, Simulation and Control, which can count toward the MS.
- Each course must be approved by the candidate's thesis advisor.
- A maximum of 6 units of transfer credit with a grade of B or better are allowed for courses taken at other graduate institutions.
- A minimum of 15 units of the total 30 units must be in MEMS courses.
The student must also write a satisfactory thesis and successfully defend it in an oral examination before a faculty committee consisting of at least three members, at least two of which are from the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science.
Full-time MS students in any area are required every semester to take MEMS 5000 Graduate Seminar, which is a 0-unit, Pass/No Pass course.
Course Option
The quantitative requirement for the degree is 30 credit units (normally 10 courses) completed with a grade point average of 2.70 or better.
Course credits must conform to the following distribution:
| Applied Mathematics | 6 credits |
| Area of Specialization | 15 credits |
| Electives | 9 credits |
Elective courses may be chosen in any area of engineering or mathematics at the 4000 level or higher. Of the 30 units, a minimum of 24 must be in 5000-level courses. No more than 6 units may be in 4000-level courses; core requirements for the ME undergraduate degree are not allowed, with the exception of MEMS 4320 Modeling, Simulation and Control, which is allowed. No more than 3 units total of independent study (MEMS 4999 Independent Study or MEMS 5999 Independent Study) may be used as an elective. A minimum of 15 units must be in MEMS. Non-engineering courses (e.g., Sever Institute courses, finance or entrepreneurship courses) cannot be counted.
Full-time MS students in any area are required every semester to take MEMS 5000 Graduate Seminar, which is a 0-unit, Pass/No Pass course.
Degree candidates will plan their course programs with the help of a departmental advisor. Use the link below to find courses in the areas of specialization.
Engineering Areas of Specialization for the MS in Mechanical Engineering
- Applied Mechanics
- Dynamics/Mechanical Design
- Solid Mechanics/Materials Science
- Fluid/Thermal Sciences
- Energy Conversion and Efficiency
Refer to the MS Degree Course Options for additional information.