Program Overview

Mechanical Engineering (M.S.)

The Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering is offered under various options, including a traditional program and an online program. The program specializations at the master's degree level may be undertaken in many areas, including acoustics, vibrations, machine tool design, biomechanics, combustion engines, controls, composite materials, and fluid and solid mechanics, among others.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must apply online for admission and have a bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited institution in the United States or a comparable degree from an officially recognized institution outside the United States. They must also have adequate preparation and discernible ability to pursue graduate study in the selected major field. All applicants for the master's program, whose B.S. degree is not from an ABET-accredited university, are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. International applicants are required to submit a WES Evaluation for their transcripts.

• A minimum score of 79 on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT) or 550 from a paper-based TOEFL (pBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 is required for students who have earned degrees from a country where English is not the native language.
• To be admitted into the Mechanical Engineering graduate programs, an applicant must satisfy all Graduate School requirements.
• A regular admission for Master's degree may be authorized if the applicant's grade point average (g.p.a) is 3.0/4.0 or better and if they hold a degree from an ABET-accredited or equivalent institution.
• Students with an overall g.p.a. between 2.8 and 3.0 out of 4.0 in their B.S.M.E. degree program will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Requirements – Traditional Program

The master's degree in mechanical engineering is offered under two options: Plan A (Thesis Option) and Plan C (Coursework Option).

Plan A (Thesis Option)

• A minimum of thirty-two credits in course work, including an eight-credit thesis.
• ME 8999 - MS Thesis (8 Cr.) is required.
• A minimum of 8 credits (2 courses) should be taken at the 7000-level.
• At least 4 credits should be selected from the ME curriculum.
• ME 5000 - Engineering Analysis I (4 Cr.) is a required core course.
• A maximum of 8 credits may be taken from other Departments in Engineering (excluding Engineering Technology), Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics Departments.
• A maximum of 4 credits may be taken in Directed Studies (ME 5990).
• A minimum of 4 courses (16 Cr.) should be taken from one of the three thrust areas of the ME Department.

Plan C (Coursework Option)

• A minimum of thirty-two credits in course work.
• A minimum of 12 credits should be taken at the 7000-level.
• At least 8 credits should be selected from the ME curriculum.
• ME 5000 - Engineering Analysis I (4 Cr.) is a required core course.
• A maximum of 8 credits may be taken from other Departments in Engineering (excluding Engineering Technology), Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics Departments.
• A maximum of 4 credits may be taken in Directed Studies (ME 5990).
• A minimum of 4 courses (16 Cr.) should be taken from one of the three thrust areas of the ME Department.

Course Group Requirements

The Department of Mechanical Engineering has three research thrust areas: Noise and Vibration Control, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, and Advanced Propulsion and Energy Systems. Graduate students must select a field of study in one of the three thrust areas of the ME Department.

Noise and Vibration Control Thrust Area

• Courses offered in this area include:
  • ME 5115 - Fundamentals of Electric-drive Vehicle Modeling
  • ME 5400 - Dynamics II
  • ME 5440 - Industrial Noise Control
  • ME 5460 - Fundamentals in Acoustics and Noise Control
  • ME 5990 - Directed Study
  • ME 5995 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering I
  • ME 6550 - Modeling and Control of Dynamic Systems
  • ME 7315 - Electric-drive Vehicle Simulation and Control
  • ME 7400 - Advanced Dynamics
  • ME 7440 - Signal Processing Technologies and Their Applications
  • ME 7460 - Advanced Acoustics and Noise Control
  • ME 7480 - Nonlinear Vibration
  • ME 7550 - Control of Dynamic Systems
  • ME 7590 - Nonlinear Control Systems

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Thrust Area

• Courses offered in this area include:
  • ME 5000 - Engineering Analysis I
  • ME 5040 - Finite Element Methods I
  • ME 5453 - Product and Manufacturing Systems and Processes
  • ME 5580 - Computer-Aided Mechanical Design
  • ME 5620 - Fracture Mechanics in Engineering Design
  • ME 5720 - Mechanics of Composite Materials
  • ME 5990 - Directed Study
  • ME 5995 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering I
  • ME 7020 - Finite Element Methods II
  • ME 7451 - Advanced Manufacturing II: Material Forming
  • ME 7680 - Manufacturing Processing Mechanics
  • ME 7720 - Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials
  • ME 7820 - Engineering Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Methods and Industrial Applications
  • ME 8020 - Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection in Transportation Systems I
  • ME 8030 - Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection in Transportation Systems II

Advanced Propulsion and Energy Systems Thrust Area

• Courses offered in this area include:
  • ME 5000 - Engineering Analysis I
  • ME 5110 - Fundamental Fuel Cell Systems
  • ME 5215 - Fundamentals of Battery Systems for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
  • ME 5300 - Intermediate Fluid Mechanics
  • ME 5800 - Combustion Engines
  • ME 5810 - Combustion and Emissions
  • ME 5990 - Directed Study
  • ME 5995 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering I
  • ME 7260 - Heat and Mass Transfer
  • ME 7290 - Advanced Combustion and Emissions I
  • ME 7310 - Computational Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
  • ME 8290 - Advanced Combustion and Emissions II

Student Performance Requirements

• A grade of B or better must be earned for the core course ME 5000 - Engineering Analysis I.
• The Graduate GPA will be calculated using all graduate courses taken at Wayne State University and must always be maintained at 3.0/4.0 or better.
• Students on academic probation have one semester to raise their GPA to at least 3.0/4.0.
• The overall GPA for completing MSME Degree is 3.0/4.0 or higher with no more than two courses with grades less than C and no more than two courses can be repeated throughout the MSME program.

M.S. Thesis

• The Master's Thesis Committee will consist of three graduate faculty members from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, including the advisor.
• A public final oral examination based on the M.S. thesis is required.
• Passing of the examination requires a majority vote of the committee.

Time Limitations

• Students have a six-year time limit to complete all requirements for the Master's degree.
• The six-year period starts at the beginning of the semester during which the student has taken work that applies toward meeting the requirements of the degree.
• The James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering reserves the right of re-validation of over-age credits.

Graduation

• Each degree candidate must file an Application for Degree at the beginning of the semester in which he/she plans to complete degree requirements.
• The candidate should consult the academic calendar of the Graduate Division Bulletin.

Requirements – Online Program

• The online Master's of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Energy Storage and Vehicle Science provides students with the proper training in emerging fields of energy storage systems, materials, safety, and crash-worthiness of battery packs, hybrid powertrain, vehicle dynamics, and controls.
• The online MSME requires the completion of a minimum of 32 credits (equivalent to eight courses) under master's Plan C: Coursework.
• The proposed curriculum has one core course (ME 5000, 4 cr.) and six required courses (24 credits).
• Students have to select one course from a suggested set of five courses (4 cr.).