Master's programs require 24 semester hours of course work plus a thesis, or 30 semester hours of course work plus an exam. Only the first option is open to students who receive financial aid from the University.
Students can usually complete a master's program in three semesters of full-time study.
In the doctoral programs, which are tailored to suit individual needs and interests, students may specialize in a classical area or pursue studies in an interdisciplinary area. Doctoral programs require at least 48 semester hours beyond the B.S. as well as a dissertation. The department operates a UNIX network linking the laboratories, including data acquisition equipment that can be linked to research experiments requiring online data reduction, an Experimental Mechanics Laboratory, a Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, the Laboratory for Research in Intelligent Sensors, and the Robotics and Control Laboratory for the study of robotics and computer control. The departmental network is linked to the University computing network and then to various national computing networks. The Laboratory for Research in Intelligent Sensing includes advanced ultrasonic ranging equipment used in applications such as mobile robots and robotic welding.