Program Requirements

In order to obtain a master of science degree (thesis option) in mechanical engineering, a student must meet the following conditions:

• Complete at least 30 total credit hours
• Complete at least 21 credit hours of lecture courses
• Complete at least 6 credit hours of ME 6099
• Complete at least 9 credit hours of lecture courses in the MAE department, at least 3 credit hours of which are at the 6xxx level
• Complete at least 3 credit hours of mathematics, statistics, or computer science; AE/ME: 5830 Applied Computational Methods may be used to satisfy this requirement
• Complete at least 6 credit hours of 6xxx lecture courses
• Complete thesis (see below)
• Pass oral examination (see below)
• Meet seminar requirements (see below)

No course below the 5xxx level may be applied to the degree requirements. A graduate student accumulating 10 or more credit hours of C and F grades will no longer be a candidate for an advanced degree from Missouri S&T.

In order to earn a graduate degree, all students must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in all graduate work taken at Missouri S&T, as well as for all graduate courses listed on the program of study (Form 1 for master’s students and Form 5 for doctoral students)

Thesis Requirements

The thesis is a document embodying the results of the student’s original investigation under the guidance of his/her Advisory Committee. It is expected that this document will yield scholarly products, including one or more articles worthy of publication in high-quality archival journals. The student’s Advisory Committee will examine the student’s thesis closely for both scientific content and format. The thesis must be formatted appropriately. Formatting specifications and further information regarding theses are available at Formatting Resources.

Oral Examination Requirements

The oral examination is an oral defense of the student’s thesis. When the thesis is completed, the student distributes a copy to each member of his/her Advisory Committee and arranges a time and place for the oral examination. Each Advisory Committee member should be allowed to examine the thesis for at least seven working days before the oral examination. In order for the student to pass the oral examination, every member of the student’s Advisory Committee must vote affirmatively. Further information regarding the oral examination is available in the Graduate Catalog.

Seminar Requirements

All graduate students are required to attend the Department Seminar Series. 

General Information

The non-thesis Master of Science program in mechanical engineering at Missouri S&T offers multiple opportunities for advanced graduate studies. Non-thesis master’s students will greatly update and enhance their technical skills in areas of advanced manufacturing, aerospace, energy, materials and structures, micro/nano systems through the state-of-the-art curriculum. The program is offered on campus and via distance education, so that students can access the lectures anywhere at any time. A wide range of courses in mechanical engineering is available with multiple focus areas of study, including composite materials and structures, control systems, energy conversion and transport, engineering mechanics, and manufacturing automation, etc.

Please note that the students can choose the courses from the focus areas of study they are interested in, and the degree itself is purposefully flexible so the students can tailor the coursework to their needs. Typically, there are two to four courses within each focus area that are offered each year that our advisors highly recommend for students who are interested in one or more of these pathways. The remainder of the courses are to complete the degree. Other courses that round out the degree program will be chosen in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisor.

Admission Requirements

• BS degree in the same discipline
• GPA: Minimum undergraduate GPA 3.0
• GRE: Verbal + Quantitative 302, Analytical Writing 3.5
• Transcripts: Official transcripts required
• English proficiency test score requirements: TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5, PTE 58, Duolingo 115
• Other requirements: Resume/CV, Statement of Purpose

Program Requirements

• Complete at least 30 total credit hours of lecture courses
• Complete at least 24 credit hours in the MAE department
• Complete at least 9 credit hours of 6xxx lecture courses, at least 6 credit hours of which are in the MAE department
• 6 credit hours of lecture courses can be taken out of the MAE department

List of Courses (24 credit hours must come from the list below; 6 credit hours of lecture courses out of the MAE department can be taken with the advisor’s approval)

• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5001: Intro to Design Optimization (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5001: Machine Learning for Manufacturing Automation (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5001: Smart and Multifunctional Materials (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 5001: Neuromechanics of Human Movement (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5131: Intermediate ThermoFluid Mechanics (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5212: Intro to Finite Element Analysis (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5234: Stability of Engineering Structures (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5236: Fracture Mechanics (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5282: Intro to Composite Materials & Structures (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5307: Vibrations I (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5313: Intermediate Dynamics (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5449: Robotic Manipulators and Mechanisms (Lab 1 credit hour, lecture 2 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5478: Mechatronics (Lab 1 credit hour, lecture 2 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5481: Mech & Aero Control Systems (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5519: Advanced Thermodynamics (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5527: Combustion Processes (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 5533: IC Engines (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 5537: Fuel Cell Principles (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 5543: Energy Efficiency of Vehicles (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5570: Plasma Physics I (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 5571: Environmental Controls (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 5575: Mech. Syst. for Environmental Control (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 5653: CNC of Manufacturing Processes (Lab 1 credit hour, lecture 2 credit hours, offered every Spring/Fall)
• MECH 5656: Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 5708: Rapid Product Design and Optimization (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 5715: Concurrent Engineering (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 5757: Integrated Product and Process Design (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5760: Probabilistic Engineering Design (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 5763: CAD: Theory and Practice (Lab 1 credit hour, lecture 2 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 5830: Applied Computational Methods (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 6131: Gas Dynamics I (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 6135: Turbulent Flows (3 credit hours, offered every other Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 6212: Advanced Finite Element Analysis (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 6230: Theory and Design of Plates and Shell Structures (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG/AERO ENG 6284: Analysis of Laminated Comp. Structures (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 6307: Advanced Vibrations (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 6420: Nonlinear Control Systems (3 credit hours, offered every other Fall)
• MECH ENG 6470: Adaptive Control (3 credit hours, offered every other Fall)
• MECH ENG 6585: Adv Optical Materials & Structures (3 credit hours, offered every Fall)
• MECH ENG 6653: Adv. CNC of Manuf Proc & Eng Metrology (Lab 1 credit hour, lecture 2 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• AERO ENG/MECH ENG 6657: Laser Aided Manufacturing & Mat. Process. (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 6659: Adv Topics in Design & Manufacturing (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)
• MECH ENG 6663: Adv Digital Design and Manufacturing (3 credit hours, offered every Spring)

Visit course availability to see the full list and timing.

Please note: During the semester, a student will have completed nine hours of graduate credit, the student must formally plan the remainder of their graduate program in consultation with their academic advisor, and submit a Form 1 for approval, first to the department chair and then to the vice provost of graduate education.

The Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs will advise the student regarding his/her academic program during the first semester, or until the student selects a Graduate Advisor. When a student selects a Graduate Advisor, the student must submit a Graduate Advisor Form‌ to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs. In situations where two faculty members are actively involved in advising a student, the student may have a Graduate Advisor and a Graduate Co–Advisor. After the student selects a Graduate Advisor, the responsibility of advising the student in regards to his/her academic and research programs will reside with the Graduate Advisor until the student graduates. The Graduate Advisor or Co–Advisor must be a faculty member of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) department.

A graduate student is strongly discouraged from changing graduate advisors. When an unavoidable circumstance arises and warrants consideration for a change, the student and his/her Graduate Advisor must meet with the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs to resolve the issue before the student may select another Graduate Advisor.

If you are interested in getting your degree online, please visit online education to learn more about this program.