M.S. in Mechanical Engineering

This area of concentration includes the study of design, decision making, data analytics, machine learning, and reliability science. It includes methods for analysis of reliability, maintainability, and safety.  In the core courses, students learn about engineering design methods, engineering decision making, engineering optimization, reliability, risk management, and their applications to advanced systems, including electronic and mechatronic products.  Advanced courses are offered in prognostics, robotics, cost analysis, accelerated testing, condition monitoring, and cybersecurity for applications including health care, renewable energy, autonomous vehicles, and microelectronics.

Examples of current research topics include:

• Measuring, tracking, and predicting levels of reliability during systems’ life cycles
• Understanding and mitigating the causes of component, system, and process failures
• Incorporating reliability, sustainment, and life-cycle considerations into design
• Microelectronic device and electronic system reliability and stress analysis
• Integrated product design and manufacturing
• Design and reliability of high temperature and high power electronic systems, electro-optics, sensors, and actuators
• Battery design, thermal management, and reliability
• Design formalisms
• Multi-criteria design decision making and optimization
• Statistical process control and improved manufacturing methods
• Human reliability analysis
• Cybersecurity
• Machine learning and data analytics

This division concentrates on fundamental studies of mechanics, materials, and manufacturing. Areas of specialization include: additive manufacturing; autonomous systems; computational modeling; control systems, design, characterization, and manufacturing of materials; applied and theoretical mechanics; experimental mechanics; micro-nano-bio systems; noise and vibration control; nonlinear dynamics; robotics and intelligent machines; smart structures.

Examples of current research topics include:

• Control systems in product development organization
• Dynamic deformation and fracture studies, including fracture and fragmentation by explosives
• Fiber optics
• Smart structures
• Vibration and acoustic control
• Vibro-acoustic heating and phonon transport
• Non-linear dynamics of milling of thin walled structures
• Control of crane-load oscillations
• Surgical robotics
• Development of creep-fatigue damage models for viscoplastic materials such as solder
• Micromechanics of advanced composite materials
• Characterization and optimization of mechanical properties of materials
• Methods for non-destructive detection of damage in structural systems
• Mechanical characterization of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) materials
• Manufacturing systems
• Additive manufacturing in micro-nano-bio systems

This area of concentration encompasses three broad disciplines: thermal science, fluid mechanics, and energy science. Areas of specialization include heat transfer, combustion, energy systems analysis, hydrodynamics, turbulence, and computational fluid dynamics.

Examples of current research topics include:

• Application of three-dimensional vortex methods to turbulent flow prediction
• Experimental, numerical, and theoretical analysis of scalar pollutant dispersion in turbulent boundary layers
• Experimental studies of the near surface atmospheric boundary layer
• Large-eddy and direct numerical simulation of 3-D and non-equilibrium boundary layers
• Experimental measurement and analysis of particle/turbulence interaction within turbulent, multi-phase flows
• Fundamental research into pool and flow boiling heat transfer
• Experimental investigation of steady and unsteady breaking waves
• Fouling and particulate deposition on low temperature surfaces
• Performance of water foaming agents in fire protection applications
• Mixing of boron diluted water slugs and nuclear reactor reactivity excursions
• Thermal management and characterization of electronic equipment
• Transport phenomena in manufacturing
• Study of absorption heat pumps and chillers
• Heat transfer enhancement of environmentally safe refrigerants
• Investigation of performance potential for natural refrigerant
• Simulation, analysis, and experimentation in heat pump and refrigeration systems
• Annular and post-annular flow in microchannels
• Two-phase thermofluid enhancement through flow regime modification
• Monolithic and thin-film thermoelectric microcoolers

Students enrolled in the M.S. program in Mechanical Engineering must complete at least 30 credits for graduation. This includes 24 credits of approved coursework and 6 credits of M.S. Thesis Research. The M.S. Coursework Plan sets forth the courses required to be taken by the student in partial fulfillment of the M.S. degree requirements. The coursework plan must be prepared in consultation with a faculty advisor in the student's technical area of interest, and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office (2180 Glenn L. Martin Hall) for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies at the beginning of the first semester of study. Changes to the plan are permitted, but must be approved by the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies prior to their implementation. A new coursework plan reflecting the changes must be filed with the Graduate Studies Office every time changes are made.

The M.S. Coursework Plan can include a maximum of 6 approved transfer credits for graduate work undertaken at other accredited U.S. institutions. These transfer credits must be approved by Graduate School; approval is sought through the submission of a Transfer or Inclusion of Credit Form [pdf] to the Graduate School. Transfer of credits may be accepted on the following conditions: (a) The coursework must be no more than seven years old at the time of graduation; and (b) the Graduate Director and the advisor must indicate to the Dean of the Graduate School that the coursework taken has been revalidated by the student’s demonstration that the knowledge contained in the course(s) remains current. Each course for which revalidation is requested must be justified separately. Under no circumstances will any transfer credits be accepted that are more than seven years old at the time of graduation.

The plan must contain a minimum of 24 credits of graduate coursework (not including thesis credits). At least 15 credits must be from courses taken at the 600-level or above. The coursework must satisfy the following criteria:

• Core courses: 3 credits minimum
• Math courses: 3 credits minimum (see approved courses under Ph.D. in ME)
• Elective courses: 18 credits minimum

A minimum of five courses must be completed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The Core (breadth) requirement is fulfilled by completing one course that is outside of a student’s research area from the following list :

Design and Reliability of Systems

• ENME 600: Engineering Design Methods
• ENME 607: Engineering Decision Making
• ENME 610: Engineering Optimization
• ENME 690: Mechanical Fundamentals of Electronic Systems
• ENME 695: Design for Reliability
• ENRE 600: Fundamentals of Failure Mechanisms
• ENRE 602: Reliability Analysis

Thermal-Fluid Sciences

• ENME 632: Advanced Convection Heat Transfer
• ENME 633: Molecular Thermodynamics
• ENME 640: Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics

Mechanics and Materials

• ENME 605: Advanced Systems Control
• ENME 662: Linear Vibrations
• ENME 664: Dynamics
• ENME 670: Continuum Mechanics
• ENME677:  Elasticity of Advanced Materials and Structures

Credit will be given for only one of the following pairs:

• MAPL 460 and CMSC 460
• MAPL 466 and CMSC 466
• MAPL 467 and CMSC 467
• MAPL 477 and CMSC 477
• MATH 415 and MATH 462
• MATH 415 and ENME 700
• MATH 462 and ENME 700 and ENRE 620
• MATH 472 and MAPL 472
• MATH 473 and MAPL 473
• MATH 475 and MAPL 475

All graduate students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded. A student who fails to register and who has not requested and received a waiver of registration or "Leave of Absence for Childbearing, Adoption, Illness or Dependent Care" will be notified by the Graduate School after the first day of classes that he or she must register for the current semester. The Graduate School will also inform the Graduate Director of the graduate program that the student is in jeopardy of termination. If the student does not register, he or she will be dismissed from the Graduate School at the end of the semester for failure to comply with the continuous registration requirement. A student who is dismissed for non-registration may appeal dismissal during a 30-day period following the end of the semester of non-registration. If the student does not appeal, or if the appeal is denied, and the student wishes to continue in the Graduate School, the student must apply for readmission. In this case, readmission does not alter the initial requirements for time to complete the degree or advance to candidacy.

M.S. students must complete a minimum of 6 credits of Master's Thesis Research (ENME 799) while preparing the M.S. thesis. Thesis research must be carried out under the guidance of an advisor who is a member of the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Faculty. The thesis must be presented formally and defended in an oral examination open to the public, which is conducted upon completion of the thesis.

The members of the thesis examining committee must be nominated at least eight weeks prior to the thesis defense. The Graduate School has further information on deadlines for submission of the Nomination of Thesis Committee form. This form must first be submitted to the ME Graduate Office for approval and then forwarded to the Registrar's Office in order to nominate the committee. Changes in a thesis committee can be made at any time, with the approval of the student’s advisor, the Graduate Director, and the Graduate School. In addition to the Graduate School’s requirements for the composition of a thesis examining committee, the Department of Mechanical Engineering requires that mechanical and reliability engineering thesis committees be comprised of three regular faculty members (tenure or tenure-track faculty). Additional members beyond these three can be made, including the special nomination of research faculty or outside scientists.

The M.S. thesis must be prepared according to the guidelines in the current edition of the University of Maryland Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Style Guide. A copy of the thesis, after the advisor has approved it, must be provided to each member of the examining committee at least two weeks prior to the date of the examination. In addition, one week prior to the examination date, a notice must be sent to the ME Graduate Office at megrad@umd.edu inviting faculty and students to the formal thesis presentation.

After the committee approves the thesis, the Report of the Examining Committee Form should be brought to the ME Graduate Office. A few days before the examination is scheduled to take place, the student should verify with the ME Graduate office that the report is in his or her file. The student’s advisor then obtains the Report of the Examining Committee Form and takes it with them to the defense. Upon passing the examination, this form is signed by each member of the examining committee and submitted to the Graduate Office for forwarding to the Registrar's Office. An electronic copy is to be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office and also must be submitted to the Graduate School (see below). 

Once this is done we ask that students fill out the Departmental Exit Information Form.

The necessary forms may be processed by the ME Graduate Office with the assistance of the student and his or her advisor. The following forms must be completed and submitted prior to graduation:

1. The Application for Diploma, also referred to as Graduation Candidate Application must be completed online.
2. The Approved Program Form [pdf] (this is not the same document as the department’s M.S. Coursework Plan) must be submitted to the Registrar's Office, 1113 Mitchell Building. (If the students have transferred from another program into the Mechanical Engineering M.S. program they must submit a Request for Transfer or Inclusion of Credit Form to the Graduate School, in order to include previous coursework as part of the Mechanical Engineering Approved Program Form).
3. The Nomination of Thesis or Dissertation Committee Form [pdf] must be submitted to the Registrar's Office, 1113 Mitchell Building.
4. The Report of the Examining Committee Form is generated by the Registrar's Office upon the Graduate School's approval of the Nomination of Thesis Committee form and kept on file in the ME Graduate Office. The signed Report of the Examining Committee form must be submitted to the Registrar's Office.
5. An electronic copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School at UMI ETD Administrator. One copy of the approved thesis should be submitted to the ME Graduate Office, 2168 Martin Hall.

Deadlines for the above forms vary from semester to semester and are posted online. Failure to submit the forms by the established deadlines results in postponement of the student’s graduation to the following semester. During the final semester, students should verify with the ME Graduate Office that they have met all the requirements for graduation.

First semester

• M.S. Course Work Plan Approved by Advisor and Graduate Director
• Request for Inclusion or Transfer of Credits [pdf] (if transferring any credits into the M.S. program, these credits must be approved on your M.S. Course Work Plan)

Semester Before Last

• Nomination of Thesis Committee or Dissertation Form [pdf] (must be submitted at least 8 weeks before thesis defense)

Last semester

• Application for Diploma (submitted by first week of semester)
• Approved Program Form [pdf] (submitted at beginning of semester)
• M.S. Thesis Defense
• Report of Examining Committee Form submitted following defense
  (pick up form in ME Grad Office)
• Electronic copy of thesis submitted to Graduate School at UMI ETD Administrator
• 1 copy of Thesis submitted to Graduate Studies Office

* M.S. students must complete all requirements for their degree within five years, this includes any credit transferred from other institutions.

Students enrolled in the M.S. program with a GPA of 3.5 or above and at least 24 graduate credits have an option to take the Ph.D. qualifying exam (see Section VI.2 in the Graduate Handbook) during the following semester. This option must be exercised by no later than during their fourth semester of study, or during the semester following the semester in which the student has accumulated 24 credits or more, whichever occurs first.

Qualified M.S. students who would like to avail themselves of the opportunity to take the Ph.D. qualifying examination must notify the ME Graduate Office of their intention prior to the start of the semester in which they plan to take the exam. Students who pass the Ph.D. qualifying examination and meet the admission requirements of the Mechanical Engineering Department will be recommended for direct admission into the Ph.D. program. At their request, such students will also have an opportunity to earn an M.S. degree without thesis upon their advancement to candidacy. Students who anticipate qualifying for transfer or subsequent entry into the Ph.D. program should note that M.S. thesis credits (ENME 799) do not count toward the Ph.D. course work requirement. Students who exercise their option to take, but are unable to pass, the Ph.D. qualifying examination, will not be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program. Students wishing to switch from the M.S. Degree program to the Ph.D. must in all cases reapply to the Graduate School for admission into the Ph.D. program (see the admission requirements listed in section IV.1).

Students who graduate from the M.S. program in good standing may reapply to the Graduate School for admission into the Ph.D. program. Such students must satisfy the Admission requirements for the Ph.D. program, and will need to take the Ph.D. qualifying exam in their first semester of the Ph.D. program as described in section VI.2 in the Graduate Handbook.

Office for approval and then forwarded to the Registrar's Office in order to nominate the committee. Changes in a thesis committee can be made at any time, with the approval of the student’s advisor, the Graduate Director, and the Graduate School. In addition to the Graduate School’s requirements for the composition of a thesis examining committee, the Department of Mechanical Engineering requires that mechanical and reliability engineering thesis committees be comprised of three regular faculty members (tenure or tenure-track faculty). Additional members beyond these three can be made, including the special nomination of research faculty or outside scientists.

Grade-Point Average

Students seeking a graduate degree must maintain an average grade of “B” (3.0) in all courses that have been taken for graduate credit since enrollment in the degree program. Students

Time Limitation and Transfer of Credits

With the exception of the six semester-hours of graduate-level course credits applicable for possible transfer to the master’s degree program, all requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within a five-year period. When extraordinary conditions arise, this limitation can sometimes be extended to seven years by submitting a waiver request. This time limit applies to all coursework, including transfer credits from other institutions.

Program Advising

Prior to registering for any courses, students should consult with their advisor. The Graduate Studies Office can advise and assist students in locating an advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to develop an approved coursework plan at the beginning of the first semester of study in consultation with their advisor. Courses that are not on an approved coursework plan will not be counted toward the degree. The master’s coursework plan forms can be completed online.

Official Status

Official status (either full-time or part-time) for academic purposes will be determined on the basis of a student's registration at the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period (the first ten days of classes). Students receiving a private scholarship must maintain full-time status throughout the semester in order to keep their scholarship, unless otherwise stipulated by the donor in writing. International students on F-1 and J-1 student visas must also maintain full-time status throughout each semester according to Federal regulations governing F-1 and J-1 students. Please contact an advisor in IES at 301-314-7744 if you have any questions concerning full-time status. To be certified as a full-time student a graduate student must be officially registered for a combination of courses equivalent to 48 units per semester. Graduate assistants holding full-time (20 hours per week) teaching or research assistantship appointments are considered full-time students if they are registered for at least 24 units. Courses taken for Audit do not generate graduate units and cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status. The list below gives the number of units per credit hour for each course level.