Program Overview
The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) graduate program in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) Department provides students the opportunity to advance their knowledge and conduct research in the cutting-edge areas of mechanical engineering and related fields.
This degree is intended for students with a research emphasis. There are two options for completing an MSME degree, Plan A (thesis option) and Plan B (project option).
Focus areas include:
- Thermo/Fluids
- Materials/Manufacturing
- Dynamics/Control
- Mechanical design and analysis
We support our student's work with:
- Research supervision
- Excellent facilities and equipment
- A collaborative learning environment
- Faculty expertise and advice
Plan A: Thesis Based
This includes the completion of a Master's thesis based upon original research carried out under the direction of a faculty member. The MS Plan A is intended for students pursuing a research emphasis and seeking in-depth knowledge in a sub-discipline of Mechanical Engineering.
The MS Plan A requires an original body of work resulting from research conducted by the student under the supervision of an advisory committee of graduate faculty members. The MS Plan A requires 20 credits of course work and 10 credit thesis (approximately 600 hours of work including writing the report) and is usually completed within two years.
Plan B: Project Based
Involves the completion of a project that may consist of participation in ongoing faculty research and preparation of a report on that work.
After attaining their degree, our students are typically well placed in industrial companies or PhD programs in other universities nationwide. Assistantships are not available for Plan B programs.
Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IDP) Program
For BSME students at UMD, the program also provides an Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Program.
This is a unique opportunity for top BSME students to seamlessly integrate their BS and MS degrees. Students typically apply to the program in their junior/senior year and develop an integrated plan of study to complete a BSME degree directly followed by a thesis-based (Plan A) MSME degree. Undergraduate students who are admitted into the IDP program can apply up to 9 credits of approved graduate level coursework (5xxx level) to both their undergraduate (BSME) and graduate (MSME) degrees. Students must be admitted to the IDP program prior to taking these courses in order to count toward graduate credits. The application deadline of IDP is the same as that of the MSME program. Students admitted to this program typically have a high GPA and are committed to completing a challenging thesis-based MS program.
Students that are interested are encouraged to begin talking with their advisor, our Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Department Head about this opportunity early in their undergraduate program. IDP students are not eligible for assistantships until they complete their BSME degree.