Master's Program

The MS degree in mechanical engineering requires 30 hours of graduate credit. Students are also required to complete a thesis (Plan A) or an oral exam (Plan B).

No more than 10 credits can be transferred from non-matriculated study at Rochester or from an outside institution. See the Graduate Bulletin for steps on how to request transfer credit.

All students need to complete the Program of Study Form, available from the graduate coordinator, by the end of their second semester of study.

Plan A, Thesis Option

Plan A requires a written dissertation prepared by the student under the supervision of his/her advisor. Of the 30 required credit hours, this option requires:

  • 6 to 12 hours of thesis research
  • At least 16 hours of courses 400 level or higher
    • At least 12 of these 16 course must be ME courses

The formal defense of the dissertation takes place after the completion of all coursework, and the student must be registered for the semester in which the defense takes place.

See the ME Graduate Handbook for more information about Plan A and the thesis defense.

Plan B, Coursework Option

Plan B requires at least 20 hours of ME courses, at least 16 of which must be at the 400 level or higher. Reading and research credits cannot be counted towards the 20 required ME credit hours. The maximum number of research credits for this option is 6. At least 20 of the 30 credit hours must be in formal courses at the 400 level or higher.

Plan B students are required to take a comprehensive oral examination at the end of their coursework. Students should speak to the graduate coordinator and their faculty advisor to schedule the exam.

See the ME Graduate Handbook for more information about Plan B and the oral exam.

Tuition Benefits

No stipend support is available for MS degree candidates, but a limited number of partial tuition scholarships are available.

Full-time MS students who also work as teaching assistants are eligible for a competitive tuition discount . Federal work-study program funds, government or personal loans, or part-time employment may sometimes be used to meet expenses.

The details of a particular student's financial offer can vary depending upon specific circumstances and will be specified in a letter sent to each student at the time that an admission offer is made.