Mechanical Engineering, MS

Program Coordinator: Brian Sylcott (208 Slay Hall; 252-737-4652; sylcotb15@ecu.edu)

The Mechanical Engineering, MS is a research oriented degree program that is administered by the Department of Engineering in the College of Engineering and Technology. The program has two focus areas of research - advanced energy systems and mechanics of biomaterials. Students are prepared for employment in a variety of areas of industry and the program provides training and research experience for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD degree in mechanical engineering or related fields.

1. Admission

Application for admission to the graduate program in mechanical engineering must meet the general requirements of admission set forth by the Graduate School. Advanced, highly motivated undergraduate students, may apply to the Engineering, BS/Mechanical Engineering, MS .

a. Requirements for admission

Applicants for study in mechanical engineering are expected to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering with a minimum 3.0/4.0 grade point average in the last two years of undergraduate study. The following preparatory courses are recommended:

• Mathematics - calculus through differential equations, probability and statistics
• Physics - one semester
• Chemistry - one semester
• Biology - one semester
• Engineering - one course in basic thermodynamics
• Engineering - one course in basic materials science
• Engineering - one course in basic electrical engineering
• Engineering - one course in three of the following five areas: biomaterials, fluid mechanics, heat and/or mass transfer, mechanics of materials, energy systems
• Engineering research or design experience

b. Conditional admission

Applicants may be granted conditional admission if they do not qualify for regular admission. Students entering from disciplines other than engineering may find it necessary to take preparatory undergraduate and/or graduate level courses that serve as prerequisites. Preparatory courses that are for undergraduate credit only may not be applied toward credit hours required for a graduate degree.

2. Degree Requirements

The university confers the Mechanical Engineering, MS when the candidate has earned at least 32 s.h. of graduate credit. In addition to the course work each student must complete a research-based thesis, a comprehensive defense of thesis proposal, a seminar based on thesis research, and a thesis defense.

a. Core - 8 s.h.

MENG 6000 - Introduction to Engineering Research
MENG 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h. of thesis are required for this program)

b. Area of focus requirements -12 s.h.

c. Mathematics requirement - 3 s.h.

All students must complete one 3 semester hour graduate level course in advanced mathematics. Contact the program director for a list of approved mathematics courses.

d. Electives - 9 s.h.

A course used as an area of focus requirement may not be used to fulfill this elective requirement.

MENG 5100 - Numerical Methods in Engineering
MENG 5600 - Experimental Methods in Engineering
MENG 6100 - Finite Element Analysis of Solids and Fluids
MENG 6210 - Thermal Systems Design
MENG 6220 - Advanced Thermodynamics
MENG 6230 - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems
MENG 6310 - Advanced Mechanics of Materials
MENG 6320 - Advanced Engineering Design
MENG 6330 - Advanced Vibration and Structural Dynamics
MENG 6343 - Advanced Composite Materials
MENG 6350 - Theory of Elasticity
MENG 6410 - Bioheat and Mass Transfer
MENG 6700 - Selected Topics in Mechanical Engineering
Any approved graduate level technical elective in engineering, mathematics, or the physical sciences as approved by the program director