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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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 Resources
Graduate School Resources
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