Master of Science (SM) Degrees
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (SMME)
Master of Science in Ocean Engineering (SMOE)
Master of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (SMNAME)
Master of Science in Oceanographic Engineering (SMOGE, joint MIT/WHOI degree)
Overview
A Master of Science degree is the first graduate degree offered in MechE. It is awarded for the completion of a program of advanced study, together with a thesis that is considered to be the centerpiece of a student’s graduate experience.
A typical Master’s degree consists of six twelve-unit subjects plus a thesis, and is expected to take a full-time student approximately 2 years (4 regular semesters and the intervening summer and IAP periods) to complete. Students with a research assistantship will not be able to finish in less than 1.5 years because of the limitation on the number of subjects they are allowed to take per term (see Types of Financial Aid Available). At the same time, there is no reason, other than the uncertainties or requirements of research, why they should take longer.
The Master’s thesis is essentially a research (or development, or design) apprenticeship under a faculty supervisor, and as such is usually the major contributor to the student’s professional maturation. Incoming students are urged to find a thesis project and supervisor without undue delay. There are several reasons for avoiding delay. For one thing, the SM thesis is a substantial piece of work and takes time to mature. For another, a student who begins thesis work associates him/herself not only with a faculty member, but usually also with a research group or laboratory where s/he meets other faculty and experienced graduate students from whom to learn and get good advice. It is usually a mistake to think that the degree can be attained more efficiently by taking the coursework first, and putting off the thesis work to the last term.
A student’s thesis supervisor usually also serves as the academic advisor. If the thesis supervisor is not a MechE Department faculty member, the student should seek academic advice from an MechE faculty member whose research interests are close to his/her own (such as the departmental thesis reader), or from the Graduate Officer.
Writing Ability
Requirement for all incoming graduate students – native and foreign.
72 Credit Units
36 units: At least three 12-unit graduate-level Course 2 subjects (one of them can be a special graduate subject that has been approved by the Graduate Officer via email)
12 units: One graduate-level Course 18 subject
24 units: Graduate-level courses
Thesis
The centerpiece of a student’s graduate experience.
Funding
The Master of Science (SM) degree is expected to be fully-funded.
Requirements
Double SM Degrees
- Students registered in another engineering department at MIT who wish to earn a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, or Oceanographic Engineering simultaneously with a Master’s degree with specification in their own department may do so by satisfying both departments’ requirements, with the credit unit requirements satisfied separately, but with a common thesis. Such programs of study must be approved in advance by the Graduate Officers of both the departments involved. A student who had previously applied for, but was denied, admission to the MIT MechE Department is not eligible to get a dual degree from the MechE Department. The Department’s procedural requirements are the following: (i) A petition for the dual master’s degree in the MechE Department must be filled out, and adhered to. The student must be admissible to the MechE Department. (ii) The student must select a MechE faculty member as a thesis reader. That faculty member must accept this responsibility by signing the petition. (iii) Items (i) and (ii) must be completed well in advance of thesis completion, but no later than June 1 of the year before the student expects to graduate.
Completion of a double SM degree in Mechanical Engineering does not imply admission to the MechE department. Students who want to pursue any other degree in the Department must follow the normal application route for that particular program.
- The preceding also applies to students registered in Mechanical Engineering who wish to earn an SMME degree simultaneously with one of the Ocean-Engineering Master’s degrees offered by the Department. In this case item (ii) above is modified as follows: the MechE faculty member who serves as the thesis advisor must accept this responsibility by a letter to the MechE Graduate Officer, and ensure that all requirements for the dual degree are met.