Graduate Programs

Our award-winning faculty are engaged in exciting and cutting-edge research projects in state of the art laboratories and research facilities, so our graduate students excel inside and outside of the classroom.

Research areas and courses include a broad range of traditional and emerging fields in mechanical and nuclear engineering. With more than $5 million in research funding, many graduate students receive graduate research assistantships and several students receive graduate teaching assistantships with a 50-100% tuition waiver to help teach laboratory sections.

Resources

Application process

The requirements for graduate school admission can be found on the Graduate School website. Applicants contact faculty members directly for application fee waiver requests.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Although students with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical and/or nuclear engineering make up the bulk of our graduate student body, the department welcomes applicants from other fields including other engineering disciplines, mathematics, physics and chemistry. While the GRE is not required for admission it is recommended with scores of no less than 146 verbal, 151 quantitative, and 3.0 on analytical writing.

International applicants should also include TOEFL scores. TOEFL scores must be above 79 on internet based test (ibt) or 550 on paper based test (pbt). The IELTS may substitute for the TOEFL. IELTS scores are valid for two years and should be no less than 6.5. The minimum English language requirements can be found at the Graduate School website.

Graduate program outcomes

1. Ability to solve engineering problems using advanced mathematical, scientific, computational, and analytical methods appropriate to the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline.

2. Ability to synthesize and critically evaluate information pertinent to the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline.

3. (a) Demonstration of advanced knowledge in one or more areas of specialization within the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline.
(b) Demonstration of expertise in one or more areas of specialization within the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline. (Ph.D.)

4. (a) Ability to plan and conduct scholarly activities in one or more areas of specialization within the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline. (M.S. thesis or report; Ph.D.)
(b) Ability to plan and conduct scholarly activities that make original contributions to the knowledge base in one or more areas of specialization within the mechanical (nuclear) engineering discipline. (Ph.D.)

5. Preparation for leadership and teamwork through enhanced independence, initiative, and responsibility.

6. Ability to communicate effectively both in written and oral forms.

7. Understanding of the importance of the ethical, safety, socio-economic, and environmental issues related to the mechanical (nuclear) engineering profession.

8. Recognition of the importance of life-long learning and professional service to the mechanical (nuclear) engineering profession.

Academic resources

NSF Fellowship Opportunity

R3NRT logo The Rural Resource Resiliency NSF Research Traineeship (R3NRT) prepares future leaders to solve the grand challenges of creating sustainable food, energy and water systems in rural communities in semi-arid regions by developing a resilient food, energy and water system. We research engineering and socioeconomic innovations to conserve water, create renewable energy and help sustain rural communities in semi-arid regions despite water depletion, depopulation, and competition for water resources.

Interested? Apply to a graduate degree program in mechanical engineering and indicate your interest in our traineeship on your graduate school application.