Overview

The M.S. in Mechanical Engineering program provides the opportunity for students to specialize in one of four emphasis areas: aerospace systems; mechanical design; system dynamics and controls; and thermal-fluid systems.

The program also features a thesis plan and a comprehensive exam plan so that the students can tailor their studies to complement their specific career and educational goals.

Program Requirements

A. Requirements for Admission to the Program

1. General University requirements apply for all applicants.
2. For admission, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a 2.75 or higher overall grade point average is required. Applicants with an overall grade point average between 2.50 and 2.75 may be admitted if their grade point average in the last 60 units is at or above 2.75.
3. For admission with a baccalaureate degree other than Mechanical Engineering, applicants must have an overall grade point average of 2.75 or higher. Qualified applicants without a baccalaureate degree in Mechanical Engineering will be considered for admission as post-baccalaureate students with additional preparatory courses necessary before a change of objective into the formal M.S. program as a conditionally classified student would be considered.
4. GRE test scores in the verbal and analytical sections are required at the time of department review of the application. The department may request additional supporting material to assess an applicant’s preparation and likelihood for academic success.
5. Foreign students must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) to demonstrate their proficiency in the English language.

B. Requirements for Advancement to Classified Graduate Status

1. General University requirements for classified status include: passing of the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Examination, Overall GPA of 3.0 in all coursework completed in the formal M.S. program, completion of a baccalaureate degree, and submission of test scores for the Analytical and Verbal sections of the GRE.
2. Applicants may be admitted to the M.S. program in classified status if they have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in all coursework taken prior to admission and all other requirements are satisfied.
3. Applicants not meeting one or more requirements for classified status will be admitted as conditionally classified or post-baccalaureate only.
4. Upon completion of 12 units and satisfaction of University requirements for classified status (see University section regarding Graduate Programs in this Catalog) matriculated students must meet with the graduate coordinator.
5. Students admitted as post-baccalaureate to the graduate program must show evidence of completion of recommended coursework and meet all other eligibility criteria to be considered for conversion to conditionally classified status in the formal MSME program.
6. Approval by the Department Graduate Coordinator.

C. For the Degree

1. Completion of 30 units under the Thesis Plan or 33 units under the Comprehensive Examination Plan.

A. Thesis Plan

1. 24 units of coursework applicable to the M.S. degree, of which at least 18 units must be Engineering courses at the 500- or 600-level. All coursework in the student’s graduate program must be completed with a C or better.
2. 6 units of Thesis and successful defense of Thesis.

B. Comprehensive Examination Plan

1. 30 units of coursework applicable to the M.S. Degree, of which at least 21 units must be Engineering courses at the 500- or 600-level. All coursework in the student’s graduate program must be completed with a grade of “C “or better.
2. 3 units of Directed Comprehensive Study, and successful passage of a Comprehensive Examination.

2. Formal approval of granting of the Degree by the Mechanical Engineering faculty.

Required Courses (9-21 units)

The number of required units depends on the number of “Expected Background” courses taken previously as part of a B.S. Degree Program and whether the Thesis or Comprehensive Examination Plan is chosen. Any “Expected Background” courses not taken are required in the M.S. Degree Program. The “Prerequisites” courses or their equivalents are required if they have not been taken previously, but they do not count as part of the M.S. program. Students interested in this Program who do not have an Undergraduate Degree in Mechanical Engineering should contact the Graduate Coordinator regarding prerequisite requirements.

1. Required Core M.S. Degree Program

Select one of the following:

ME 501A Seminar in Engineering Analysis I (3)
ME 501B Seminar in Engineering Analysis II (3)

Select one of the following:

AE 697 Direct Comprehensive Studies (3)
AE 698 Thesis (6)
ME 697 Direct Comprehensive Studies (3)
ME 698 Thesis (6)

Select at least one course from three of the four Emphasis Groups shown below.

Students may select appropriate experimental or special topics courses in an Emphasis that are not shown on the list below with the approval of their advisor and the Graduate Coordinator.

2. Electives (12-18 units)

The number of required units of elective courses depends on the number of units of required courses described above. The total number of units in the M.S. Degree program, both required and elective, must be at least 30 (33 with the Comprehensive Examination Option). Students are expected to have the prerequisite courses listed below upon admission to the Program. If they do not have these courses (or appropriate transfer courses), they will have to take the courses when they enter the M.S. Program. Since these prerequisite courses are all 300-level courses, they carry no credit toward the M.S. Degree. The courses listed below as “Expected Background” also must be completed as part of the M.S. Degree Program if students have not already taken them (or appropriate transfer courses) as part of their Undergraduate Degree. Students can take a maximum of 6 units (Thesis Option) or 9 units (Exam Option) of 400-level courses as part of their M.S. Degree program. The 400-level courses in the “expected background” list, which are taken as part of the M.S. Degree Program, will be part of this 6- or 9-unit maximum. The elective courses in the M.S. Degree Program are generally selected with the approval of an advisor, to be consistent with the chosen Emphasis. With the approval of an advisor, courses taken outside of the Department are eligible for graduate credit. The elective courses in the M.S. Degree Program are normally chosen from the “Suggested Electives” for each Emphasis.

A. Aerospace Emphasis

Prerequisites: ME 309, 370, 375, 390

Expected Background

AE 472 Aeropropulsion Systems (3)
AE 480 Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering (3)
AE 589 Aerodynamics (3)

Suggested Electives

AE 572 Rocket Propulsion (3)
AE 586 Aircraft Design (3)
AE 672 Advanced Topics in Aero-Propulsion (3)
AE 680 Flight Vehicle Performance (3)
AE 689 Advanced Aerodynamics (3)

B. Mechanical Systems Design Emphasis

Prerequisites: ME 309, 330, 370, 375, 384, 390

Expected Background

AM 410 Vibration Analysis (3)
ME 415 Kinematics of Mechanisms (3)
ME 430 Machine Design Applications (3)

Suggested Electives

ME 409/L Fundamentals of Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering  and Lab (2/1)
ME 515 Dynamics of Machinery (3)
ME 531 Mechanical Design with Composites (3)
ME 532 Mechanical Design with Polymers (3)
ME 560 Automotive Engineering (3)
ME 562 Internal Combustion Engines (3)
ME 630 Computer-Aided Design of Machinery (3)
ME 686A Advanced Modeling, Analysis and Optimization I (3)
ME 686B Advanced Modeling, Analysis and Optimization II (3)

C. System Dynamics and Controls Emphasis

Prerequisites: ME 309, 330, 370, 375, 384, 390

Expected Background

AM 410 Vibration Analysis (3)
ME 415 Kinematics of Mechanisms (3)
ME 484 Control of Mechanical Systems (3)

Suggested Electives

ME 501B Seminar in Engineering Analysis II (3)
ME 503 Biomedical Instrumentation (3)
ME 520 Robot Mechanics and Control (3)
ME 522 Autonomous Intelligent Vehicle (3)
ME 584 Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Systems (3)
ME 684 Design and Control of Dynamic Systems (3)

D. Thermofluid Systems Emphasis

Prerequisites: ME 309, 370, 375, 390

Expected Background

ME 470 Thermodynamics II (3)
ME 490 Fluid Dynamics (3)
ME 575 Applied Heat and Mass Transfer (3)

Suggested Electives

ME 483 Alternative Energy Engineering II (3)
ME 485 Introduction to Environmental Engineering (3)
ME 493 Hydraulics (3)
ME 501B Seminar in Engineering Analysis II (3)
ME 573 Chemical Reaction Engineering (3)
ME 583 Thermal-Fluids System Design (3)
ME 590 Advanced Fluid Dynamics (3)
ME 670 Advanced Topics in Thermodynamics (3)
ME 675A Conductive and Radiative Heat Transfer (3)
ME 675B Convective Heat and Mass Transfer (3)
ME 678 Transport Phenomena (3)
ME 683 Energy Processes (3)
ME 692 Computational Fluid Dynamics (3)

Total Units Required for the M.S. Degree: 30-33