Master of Science

Mechanical

Engineering

Master of Science (M.S.)

Students pursuing the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in mechanical engineering are expected to conduct research under the supervision of a faculty advisor who also is usually the Principal Investigator (P.I.) for a government or industry sponsored project. The student’s research, in conjunction with thesis credits and coursework, will culminate in an article for submission to a peer-reviewed journal and a final thesis. The final thesis may incorporate findings from the article.

Requirements

Minimum 30 semester credits of graduate work in approved course of study
Minimum 24 semester credits earned at CSU in courses numbered 500 and above
Minimum 21 credits taken after program admission
Maximum 6 transfer credits (with original transcript) not counted towards any other degree
Minimum 18 credits in regular courses numbered 500 and above (not including thesis, independent study, or supervised teaching)

Two core courses with a B or better
Minimum one publication in submission
Minimum 8 seminars attended
Minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 thesis credits may be applied to the degree
Final thesis defense
Final thesis submission

Core Courses

Complete two courses from the following list with a grade of B or better.

MATH 530: Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers
MECH 568: Computational Methods for Mechanical Engineers
CBE 521: Mathematical Modeling for Chemical Engineers
ENGR 550 / MATH 550: Numerical Methods in Science and Engineering
CIVE 560: Advanced Mechanics of Materials
MECH 529: Advanced Mechanical Systems
MECH 532 / BIOM 532: Materials Issues in Mechanical Design
MECH 538: Mechanical Engineering Thermodynamics
MECH 539: Advanced Fluid Mechanics
MECH 544: Advanced Heat Transfer

Thesis Credits

MECH 699A: Thesis: Bioengineering

Credits: Varies, 1-18
Prerequisite: None
Restriction: Must be a Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Grade Mode: Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory or Traditional only.
Special Course Fee: No

MECH 699B: Thesis: Energy Conversion

MECH 699C: Thesis: Environmental Engineering

MECH 699D: Thesis: Heat and Mass Transfer

MECH 699E: Thesis: Industrial and Systems Engineering

MECH 699F: Thesis: Mechanics and Design

MECH 699G: Thesis: Computer-Assisted Engineering

MECH 699H: Thesis: Robotics

MECH 699I: Thesis: Solar Engineering

MECH 699J: Thesis: Computational Fluids

MECH 699K: Thesis: Materials

MECH 699L: Thesis: Plasma Engineering

MECH 699M: Thesis: Motorsport Engineering

MECH 699N: Thesis: Aerospace Engineering

MECH 699O: Thesis: Advanced Manufacturing

Thesis Defense

The thesis defense (also known as the final examination) is presented at the end of the master’s degree program. It is most often an oral presentation describing the research and findings reported in the thesis. The defense is open to all mechanical engineering faculty, staff, and students and includes an open question period for all in attendance as well as a private question period for the committee.

Scheduling

The Department has set deadlines two weeks prior to Graduate School deadlines to avoid last minute emergencies that could prevent a student from graduating. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule a room for the defense, obtain a template for the announcement, to submit the announcement with abstract, and submit an electronic draft of the thesis to be shared with mechanical engineering faculty and graduate students. Students should begin planning for the defense and thesis submission a minimum of three weeks prior to the defense and a minimum of four weeks prior to Graduate School deadlines.

Suggested Timeline

Three weeks prior to the defense:

Confirm a date and time for your defense with your graduate committee

Two weeks prior to the defense:

Schedule the room and contact the Graduate Program Specialist to obtain a template for your announcement with abstract
Submit announcement with abstract by email to Graduate Program Specialist for distribution and advertising
Email a draft of the thesis (.pdf format) to your graduate committee

Two weeks prior to the Graduate School deadline for Thesis & Dissertation Submission:

The final examination/defense should be conducted at least two weeks prior to the Graduate School deadline for Thesis & Dissertation Submission to allow for unexpected delays.

If circumstances prevent a student from meeting department deadlines, the Graduate Program Specialist should be informed by the student’s advisor so that steps may be taken to ensure that the Graduate School deadlines and requirements are met for the intended graduation term.

Graduate School Deadlines

On the day of the defense

At the conclusion of the examination, the committee members will sign the GS24 form under the “pass” or “fail” section. The GS24 form is completed electronically and is due to the Graduate School within 2 days following the examination.

Thesis Submission

The student submits the Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS30) to the Graduate School, after which the Graduate School provides directions for electronic submission.

Clearance to Graduate

Graduating students should check their “Graduate Degree Plan” in RAMweb for discrepancies or comments. Any issues found there must be resolved before the student will be cleared for graduation by the Graduate School.

Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University is about using our knowledge of materials, energy, and health to solve society’s global engineering challenges.

Mechanical engineering at Colorado State University is about using our knowledge of materials, energy, and health to solve society’s global engineering challenges.

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