Mechanical Engineer’s Degree

Mechanical Engineer's Degree

Overview

The Mechanical Engineer’s degree provides an opportunity for further study beyond the Master’s level. This degree emphasizes breadth of knowledge in mechanical engineering and its economic and social implications; it is not a stepping-stone toward the PhD. There is no direct admission process to the Mechanical Engineer’s degree; students admitted to the MechE SM and PhD programs are eligible to pursue this degree.

The overall course of study and thesis must comprise a coherent program in Mechanical Engineering. The candidate is required to prepare a plan of study and to submit it to the MechE Graduate Office for approval by the Engineer’s Degree Coordinator, Professor Jung-Hoon Chun. The student will be considered a Mechanical Engineer’s Degree candidate when this plan is approved.

Funding

The Mechanical Engineer’s degree is expected to be fully-funded.

Requirements

Writing Ability

Students must successfully fulfill the MechE Department’s writing ability requirement.

Program of Coursework

162 graduate-level credit units (including credited units taken during the Master’s degree program and no more than 12 units of credit received for thesis work done under 2.999 (see below)). No credit will be awarded for subjects taken on P/D/F basis. Credit for classes taken under the special grading policy announced for the Spring or Fall of 2020 will be awarded in accordance with Institute regulations. At least one subject from six of the following eleven areas:

Mechanics of Solids
Materials
Fluid Mechanics
Thermodynamics/HeatTransfer
System Dynamics & Control
Dynamics
Design
Manufacturing
Nanotechnology
Energy
Bioengineering

One subject on management/economics as approved by the Mechanical Engineer’s Degree Coordinator.

Students entering MIT’s Graduate School with a Master’s degree are permitted to transfer no more than 24 units of graduate credit from another school to the MIT record. No thesis units may be transferred. Subjects being transferred to MIT records should have a grade of B or higher.

Thesis

The thesis may be an extension of a SMME/SMOE/SMNAME/SMOGE thesis, or it may be a separate piece of work. An important requirement is that the relevance of the thesis work to the solution of real, practical engineering problems be considered, including both its technical and socio-economic aspects. Students are required to submit a thesis proposal to the Mechanical Engineer’s Degree Coordinator shortly after embarking on the program. Students who enter the program with an SM degree from another school must do a separate Engineer’s thesis.

The thesis work described in the preceding paragraph can be carried out under the subject 2.999 and/or 2.ThG. A student may receive a maximum of 12 units of credit for thesis work done under 2.999 (the student’s thesis advisor determining the actual amount of credit) and these credit units may be counted towards the 162 total credit unit requirement. Students may only register for 2.999 in the semester they are receiving the Mechanical Engineer’s degree. Thesis work done under 2.ThG cannot be counted towards the 162 credit unit coursework requirement.

Oral Presentation

Candidates must make an oral presentation of their Mechanical Engineer’s degree thesis work during their final semester of residence. These presentations are usually scheduled in January and May. The students typically make a ~twenty-minute presentation on the technical aspects of the thesis work including its usefulness in engineering applications in general. The Mechanical Engineering Degree Coordinator should be contacted in order to schedule this. S/he will invite additional faculty members to attend the presentation. Typically there will be 3 faculty members at the presentation not including the advisor. Completion of the degree requires a satisfactory presentation.

Intro to Graduate Study (Encouraged)

All incoming graduate students are encouraged to take the seminar subject 2.991 Introduction to Graduate Study in Mechanical Engineering that introduces students to various aspects of graduate student life in the MechE Department, MIT, and the Boston area. It meets for 1 hour each week during the Fall term. Students who do not have a confirmed research advisor by Registration Day, and students whose research advisors are based outside the MIT campus (e.g. a hospital or Draper Labs), are required to take this seminar class.