Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

While pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in mechanical engineering, the student wil take graduate-level courses and conduct research with a faculty advisor and observe how these studies will lead to key engineering innovations and societal impacts in the field of mechanical engineering. Equipped with complementary and state-of-the-art computational and experimental facilities, the Mechanical Engineering Department has active research programs in the following three disciplinary groups; Dynamic Systems & Control (DSC), ThermoFluids Science (TFS), and Materials Processing & Manufacturing (MPM). Faculty teach graduate-level courses and conduct research in cross-disciplinary research thrust areas that include: automotive systems, robotics and human systems, automation and mechatronic systems, energy and building efficiency, internal combustion engines, manufacturing systems, additive manufacturing, and materials processing and modeling. Graduate courses in these areas, in addition to the general core graduate courses, provide the foundation for earning a PhD degree in mechanical engineering. The student must demonstrate mastery of the selected study area through the qualifying exam, the proposal of a research topic, and the defense of a research-based dissertation. In addition to conducting research, the student also gains teaching experience through a practicum.