Program Description
Enrollment in the MS program is open to students with degrees in physics, applied mathematics, or any branch of engineering.
Within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Master of Science (MS) degree program in mechanical engineering has a thesis option and a non-thesis option.
Combined BS/MS Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering undergraduates at Clemson University may begin their Master of Science (MS) degree program in Mechanical Engineering while completing their Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and use a limited number of courses to satisfy the requirements of both their degrees. The following are required:
Undergraduates must have an overall 3.4 GPA or better and must have completed their junior year courses prior to taking graduate courses for the BS/MS program.
- The application is not required for admission to the MS program for BS/MS program participants.
- Up to 12 semester credit hours from any 6000-8000 level Mechanical Engineering courses may be used to satisfy the requirements of their BS degree and also be used for their MS degree. Technical electives may be used.
- Since approval of the plan of study (GS2 form) by the student’s graduate advisory committee is required, students should consult with their academic advisors before selecting courses to be included in their graduate program.
- Students in the combined degree program are conditionally accepted to the MS degree program until completion of their BS degree requirements. Students with this conditional acceptance are not eligible for a graduate assistantship until the conditional acceptance is removed.
Undergraduate students who are interested in the combined program discuss it with their undergraduate academic advisor and receive the approval of program coordinator and the department chair. Applications for this program should be made during the junior academic year. The application form can be located on the website at https://gradapply.clemson.edu/register/GS6.
Summary of Degree Requirements
In general, MS Thesis students are required to complete 24 hours of coursework and six hours of master’s level research credits.
Thesis Option
Students enrolled in the MS thesis option must prepare and defend an MS thesis. The purposes of the MS thesis are to demonstrate the capability of the student to: (1) formulate engineering problems within a research project; (2) utilize engineering knowledge relevant to a meaningful resolution of a specific problem; (3) effectively plan and carry out the work leading to the completion of the project; and (4) report (orally and in writing) the results of the project in concise, precise professional style. Mechanical Engineering degree seeking master’s students are required to satisfy departmental core course requirements. At least three ME core courses must be taken to meet the departmental core.
Non-Thesis Option
Mechanical Engineering students enrolled in the MS non-thesis are not required to pass a final examination or defend their thesis (GS-7). These students are required to complete 33 hours of coursework to meet the requirements for graduation candidacy. A non-thesis advisory committee typically comprises the departmental leadership team, with the graduate coordinator serving as the chair.
Similar to MS thesis students, all Mechanical Engineering degree seeking master’s non-thesis students are required to satisfy departmental core course requirements. At least three ME core courses must be taken to meet the departmental core.
Non-Thesis Industry Track
In consultation with the advisory committee, MS non-thesis students may opt into the Industry Track. Mechanical Engineering students enrolled in the MS non-thesis Industry Track are not required to pass a final examination or defend their thesis (GS-7). These students are required to complete 33 hours of coursework to meet the requirements for graduation candidacy. Students in the MS non-thesis Industry Track are required to complete a zero-credit internship course, INT 8010 , after their second full semester in the program and before their graduating semester. Before starting the internship course, the student must meet the following criteria: 1) have been enrolled full-time for at least one full academic year; 2) have completed 21 credit hours of coursework prior to internship; and 3) have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. MS non-thesis industry track students must include INT 8010 on their approved GS2 plan of study.
Coursework
There are four Subject Area Groups for the purpose of defining core course requirements: Design and Manufacturing (DM), Dynamical Systems and Controls (DSC), Engineering Mechanics (EM), and Thermal and Fluid Sciences (TFS).
Students in the DM, DSC, and EM groups must complete at least three of the following core courses to meet the departmental core requirement:
Students in the TFS group must complete the following five core course requirements:
*Students must take either a MATH course at the 6000 level or higher or PHYS 8110 or PHYS 8120 to fulfill the TFS core requirements. Only one of these courses can be used to satisfy the fifth TFS core course.
Outcomes, Learning Objectives, and Graduation Requirements
Students in the MS program attain:
- Ability to apply fundamental knowledge of Mechanical Engineering
- Ability to effectively communicate research through oral presentation
- Ability to communicate research through scholarly publications
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