The best-qualified applicants will be admitted. Letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose written by the applicant are also required. The M.S. degree program is designed for students to gain advanced knowledge for research, analysis, and design in mechanical engineering. A Ph.D. thesis proposal may serve as the paper, provided the student has passed the Ph.D. candidacy examination. Generally, a Ph.D. student must have 30 credits above a master's degree before taking the comprehensive examination.
Continuous registration is required of all Ph.D. graduate students until the thesis is approved.
The Ph.D. program emphasizes scholarly research and helps students prepare for research and related careers in industry, government, and academe. Students are admitted to candidacy after passing written and oral examinations. The Ph.D. program is quite flexible, with minimal formal requirements. The Ph.D. is awarded upon completion of a program of advanced study that includes a minimum period of residence, a satisfactory thesis, and the passing of comprehensive and final oral examinations as determined by the student's doctoral committee. Student Aid Graduate students are supported by a variety of government and industry fellowships, traineeships, and research and teaching assistantships.