School of Engineering & Computing · Master's degree

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The MS in Mechanical Engineering offers advanced study in thermal and fluid systems, solid mechanics and materials, and dynamics and controls, with laboratory research in the Rowan Engineering Center.

Curriculum Courses & plan Milestones Tuition & funding

MS · 33 credits

Program Overview & Curriculum

Program requirements, the Graduate Program Director, and tuition for this degree are set out in Graduate Handbook §12.9: Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MS).

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering requirements
Requirement	Credits
Core courses: advanced engineering mathematics, continuum mechanics, and a thermal-fluids or dynamics foundation course	9
Electives in one area of emphasis	18
Thesis research (thesis pathway), or 6 more elective credits and the Comprehensive Examination (non-thesis pathway)	6
Total	33

Culminating experience

Master's thesis, or the written Comprehensive Examination in the final semester.

At a glance

Degree: MS
Credits: 33
Pathway: Thesis or non-thesis
Format: Full-time in two years, or part-time
Delivery: Daytime classes
Time limit: 5 years from matriculation

Program: Graduate Handbook §12.9 · Time limits: Graduate Handbook §3.5

Graduate Program Director

Dr. Emre Celik

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Assigns first-year advisors and approves program changes (Graduate Handbook §4.1, §2.9).

Department

Mechanical Engineering

33 credits

Courses

The courses that count toward each part of the MS curriculum, with the terms each is usually offered.

Core courses: advanced engineering mathematics, continuum mechanics, and a thermal-fluids or dynamics foundation course

9 credits

ME 510 Advanced Engineering Mathematics 3 credits Fall

Covers partial differential equations, linear algebra, and numerical methods for engineering problems. Students solve boundary-value problems from heat transfer and vibration.
ME 520 Continuum Mechanics 3 credits Fall

Develops stress, strain, and conservation laws in tensor notation for solids and fluids. Constitutive models for elastic and viscous materials are derived and applied.
ME 530 Advanced Thermal-Fluid Sciences 3 credits Fall

Covers advanced thermodynamics, viscous flow, and boundary layers as the foundation for thermal-fluids study. Problem sets apply the theory to engines, heat exchangers, and pipe networks.
ME 540 Advanced Dynamics and Vibrations 3 credits Spring

Covers Lagrangian dynamics, rigid-body motion, and multi-degree-of-freedom vibration. This is the foundation course for students emphasizing dynamics and controls.

Electives in one area of emphasis

18 credits

ME 550 Advanced Heat Transfer 3 credits Fall

Treats conduction, convection, and radiation with analytical and numerical methods. Students model heat transfer in electronics cooling and thermal storage.
ME 555 Computational Fluid Dynamics 3 credits Spring

Covers finite-volume methods, meshing, and turbulence modeling. In the computing lab students simulate internal and external flows and validate the results.
ME 560 Advanced Solid Mechanics 3 credits Fall

Covers elasticity, plasticity, and failure criteria for structural materials. Students analyze stress concentrations and fatigue in machine components.
ME 565 Finite Element Analysis 3 credits Fall, Spring

Covers the formulation and implementation of finite element methods for structural and thermal problems. Computing lab sessions use commercial and student-written solvers.
ME 570 Mechanics of Composite Materials 3 credits Spring

Covers the stiffness, strength, and failure of fiber-reinforced laminates. Students design a laminate to meet a stated load requirement.
ME 575 Feedback Control Systems 3 credits Fall

Covers state-space modeling, stability, and controller design for mechanical systems. Students simulate and tune controllers for motors and vehicle models.
ME 580 Robotics and Mechatronics 3 credits Spring

Covers manipulator kinematics, sensors, actuators, and embedded control. Weekly laboratory sessions in the Rowan Engineering Center have students build and program a robotic arm.
ME 585 Experimental Methods in Mechanical Engineering 3 credits Fall

Covers measurement uncertainty, data acquisition, and experiment design. Students plan and run experiments on thermal, fluid, and structural test rigs.

Thesis research (thesis pathway), or 6 more elective credits and the Comprehensive Examination (non-thesis pathway)

6 credits

ME 599 Master's Thesis Research 6 credits Fall, Spring, Summer

Independent laboratory or computational research under the direction of a faculty mentor. Meetings are by arrangement, and the thesis is defended before the supervisory committee.
ME 550 Advanced Heat Transfer 3 credits Fall

Treats conduction, convection, and radiation with analytical and numerical methods. Students model heat transfer in electronics cooling and thermal storage.
ME 555 Computational Fluid Dynamics 3 credits Spring

Covers finite-volume methods, meshing, and turbulence modeling. In the computing lab students simulate internal and external flows and validate the results.
ME 560 Advanced Solid Mechanics 3 credits Fall

Covers elasticity, plasticity, and failure criteria for structural materials. Students analyze stress concentrations and fatigue in machine components.
ME 565 Finite Element Analysis 3 credits Fall, Spring

Covers the formulation and implementation of finite element methods for structural and thermal problems. Computing lab sessions use commercial and student-written solvers.
ME 570 Mechanics of Composite Materials 3 credits Spring

Covers the stiffness, strength, and failure of fiber-reinforced laminates. Students design a laminate to meet a stated load requirement.
ME 575 Feedback Control Systems 3 credits Fall

Covers state-space modeling, stability, and controller design for mechanical systems. Students simulate and tune controllers for motors and vehicle models.
ME 580 Robotics and Mechatronics 3 credits Spring

Covers manipulator kinematics, sensors, actuators, and embedded control. Weekly laboratory sessions in the Rowan Engineering Center have students build and program a robotic arm.
ME 585 Experimental Methods in Mechanical Engineering 3 credits Fall

Covers measurement uncertainty, data acquisition, and experiment design. Students plan and run experiments on thermal, fluid, and structural test rigs.

Sample Roadmap

Sample Plan

A representative term-by-term sequence for the MS. “Elective” is one 3-credit course chosen from the program's elective list above, with your advisor.

Fall 1

ME 510 Advanced Engineering Mathematics 3 cr
ME 520 Continuum Mechanics 3 cr
ME 530 Advanced Thermal-Fluid Sciences 3 cr

Term total 9 credits

Spring 1

Elective 3 cr
Elective 3 cr
Elective 3 cr

Term total 9 credits

Fall 2

Elective 3 cr
Elective 3 cr
Elective 3 cr

Term total 9 credits

Spring 2

ME 599 Master's Thesis Research 6 cr

Term total 6 credits

Graduate Handbook

Milestones & Academic Standards

Every master's program at Alkimi follows the same Graduate School milestones. Each links to the handbook section that governs it.

1
Thesis and non-thesis pathways

Graduate Handbook §5.1: Master s Degree Milestones: Thesis vs. Non-Thesis Options
2
Supervisory committee

Graduate Handbook §4.2: Master s Supervisory Committee Composition
3
Format review and ProQuest submission

Graduate Handbook §5.6: Thesis and Dissertation Format Review and ProQuest Submission
4
Intent to Graduate and degree audit

Graduate Handbook §11.1: Filing the Intent to Graduate and Degree Audits

The 3.0 rule

Graduate students must keep a cumulative GPA of 3.000 or higher to stay in good standing and to graduate (Graduate Handbook §3.1).

Advisor

Thesis students choose a major professor before completing 12 credits. Non-thesis students are advised by the Graduate Program Director or a capstone coordinator (Graduate Handbook §4.1).

2026–27

Tuition & Funding

Graduate tuition

$1,450

Per credit hour, plus $300 in mandatory fees per semester. 33 credits come to $47,850 in tuition at 2026–27 rates.

Tuition & billing →

Assistantship stipend

$21,000

9-month stipend for a master's teaching, research, or graduate assistant.

Rates: Graduate Handbook §6.2

Assistantships in this program

Full-time students are considered for teaching assistantships in the engineering laboratories and for research assistantships on faculty grants.

A 20-hour assistantship includes a full tuition waiver of up to 12 credits per semester and covers mandatory fees (Graduate Handbook §6.3).

People

Faculty & Contacts

Department of Mechanical Engineering

22 faculty →

Chair: Dr. Yousef Mansour

Mechanical Engineering covers mechanics, dynamics, thermal systems, and design, with hands-on projects in the Rowan Engineering Center.

The Graduate School

Where: Founders Hall 240
Phone: (555) 555-0138
Email: gradschool@university.alkimi.ai
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Lead: Dr. Victor Huang, Dean of the Graduate School

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