MSESME

Master of Science in Engineering Science (Mechanical Engineering)


Overview

Candidates with acceptable academic background may enter a program leading to the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Science (with major in Mechanical Engineering). Candidates who have not majored in mechanical engineering or closely related subject areas, or who have experienced significant lapses in continuity with previous academic work, will initially take undergraduate courses in mechanical engineering and mathematics to prepare for their graduate program.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Engineering Science (with major in Mechanical Engineering) degree requires a minimum of 48 quarter hours of graduate level work. The candidate must take all courses in an approved study program, which must satisfy the following requirements: there must be a minimum of 32 quarter hours of credits in 3000 and 4000 level courses, including a minimum of 12 quarter hours at the 4000 level. Of the 32 quarter hours at least 24 quarter hours must be in courses offered by the MAE Department.

A student seeking the Master of Science in Engineering Science must also demonstrate competence at the advanced level in at least one of the available disciplines of Mechanical Engineering. These disciplines are the thermal-fluid sciences; solid mechanics, shock and vibration; dynamic systems and control; system design; and materials science. This may be accomplished by completing at least eight quarter hours of the 4000 level credits by courses in this department and a thesis in one of these discipline areas.

Thesis Requirements

An acceptable thesis for a minimum of 16 credits is also required for the Master of Science in Engineering Science (with major in Mechanical Engineering) degree. The student's thesis advisor, the Academic Associate, the Program Officer and the Department Chairman must approve the study program and the thesis topic. Under special circumstances as approved by Academic Associate, Program Officer and the Department Chair, students may take four additional courses in lieu of a thesis. Those four additional courses should be at least 3000 and 4000 level courses offered by the MAE Department, and among them at least 2 courses should be at the 4000 level.

Additional Information

Entrance into the 571 Reactors/Mechanical Engineering Curriculum program, leading to the degree Master of Science in Engineering Science (with major in Mechanical Engineering), is restricted to individuals who have successfully completed the Bettis Reactor Engineering School (BRES) and who have an academic profile code (APC) of 121 or better. All entrants must be nominated for the program by the designated program coordinator and primary consultant for Naval Reactors (SEA-08).

This program includes the following BRES courses: BRES 200 Mathematics; BRES 340 Applied Structural Mechanics; BRES 350 Heat Transfer and Fluid Flows; BRES 360 Reactor Dynamics, Control and Safeguards. The foregoing are equivalent to 16 credit hours of ME3XXX level courses. In addition, the BRES 370 Reactor and Power Plant Design Project and report must be successfully completed. In addition, the program must include 20 hours of graduate level (ME4XXX) level NPS courses in a program approved by the Department Chairman.