The M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (ME) degree program is designed for students to gain advanced knowledge for research, analysis, and design in mechanical engineering. It has established a six-year time limit for completion of the M.S. degree. Extension beyond six years requires the approval of the ME Graduate Faculty. The student must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better on a 4.00 scale in 400-, 500-, and 800-level courses listed on her/his Plan of Study.
Areas of Concentration
The program is structured into three areas of concentration in order to take full advantage of the specialty areas of expertise of the Mechanical Engineering graduate faculty:
- Thermo-Fluids Science
- Mechanical Science
- Materials Science
M.S. ME Program Requirements
| Course Type | Course Number or Area | Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | EMCH 524A |
3 |
||
| Concentration area | Thermo-Fluids Science, Mechanical Science, or Materials Science | 9 | ||
| Electives (i) | Variable, but including at least one outside concentration area | 12 | ||
| Colloquium | ME 590 | 1 | ||
| Thesis/scholarly paper research | ME 600 | 6 | ||
| Total Credits | 31 | |||
Note:
- The required course credits must be completed with a grade point average of 3.00 or higher.
- At least 18 credits must be earned in 500- and 600-level courses.
- Preparatory course(s) required for teaching assistants (such as ENGR 888), remedial courses, and any courses required in our undergraduate program are not counted toward degree requirements for the M.S. degree.
Culminating Experience: The M. S. Thesis
A candidate registers for a minimum of six credits of M E 600 or M E 610 and submits a thesis following the procedures specified by the Graduate School.
During the first year of enrollment, graduate students will be required to complete an online Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training program. This is part of the SARI (Scholarship and Research Integrity) program at Penn State which is designed to offer graduate students comprehensive, multilevel training in the responsible conduct of research. The Office for Research Protections (ORP) will provide the conduit to this training via the SARI Resource Portal on the ORP website (www.research.psu.edu/orp/sari/). Graduate students will also be required to engage in an additional 5 hours of discussion-based RCR education prior to degree completion. SARI instruction will be included as an integral part of the graduate colloquium.
All students are expected to complete one credit of colloquium (ME 590) during the first two semesters of study. Degree requirements must be completed during a six-year period.
Students who have deficiencies in the use of spoken or written English may be required to take speech and writing classes in addition to the specified degree requirements. Credits earned to remediate deficiencies cannot be applied towards requirements for the M.S. degree.
Tentative Two-year Course Offering Plan
| Year #1 | Year #2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Summer | Fall | Spring | |
| Thermo-Fluids Science | ME 427 ME 504 |
ME 521 |
ME 401 |
ME 512 | ME 523 ME 408 |
| Mechanical Science | ME 445 ME 545 |
ME 560 ME 469 |
ME 446 | ME 554 | ME 577 ME 470 |
| Materials Science | MATSE 564 MATSE 419 |
MATSE 565 | MATSE 507 | MATSE 436 | MATSE 510 |
| All tracks | EMCH 524A ME 596 |
ME 461 ME 596 |
EMCH 524A ME 596 ME 600 |
ME 444 ME 596 ME 600 |
|
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