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DEGREE Engineering Mechanics: Research, MS

Master’s degree in engineering mechanics

As a master’s student in our traditional engineering mechanics major, you’ll gain additional understanding of several areas within the mechanics of materials and astronautics—among them, continuum mechanics, computational mechanics, dynamics and vibration, fluid mechanics, nanomechanics, solid mechanics, and biomechanics.

At a glance

Mechanical engineering department

US Dollars31MMillion
average annual research funding
14
undergraduate ranking among public universities
9
graduate ranking among public universities

Learn more about what information you need to apply.

Admissions

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Fall Deadline December 15
Spring Deadline September 1
Summer Deadline December 15
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) Not required.*
English Proficiency Test Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241.
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) n/a
Letters of Recommendation Required 3
*

Submitted scores will not be used in admission decisions.

Application Requirements and Process

Degree

For admission to graduate study in Engineering Mechanics, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, or physical science, and an undergraduate record that indicates an ability to successfully pursue graduate study. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree.

It is highly recommended that students take courses that cover the same material as these UW-Madison courses before entering the program:

Advanced Mathematics3
Techniques in Ordinary Differential Equations
Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Applied Mathematical Analysis 1: Vector and Complex Calculus
Linear Algebra and Matrices3
Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Elementary Matrix and Linear Algebra
Mechanics of Materials3
Mechanics of Materials
Dynamics3
Dynamics
Mechanics

Descriptions of course content can be accessed through Guide. Applicants may be admitted without having taken these courses. However, in such cases the applicants must inform their advisors, who will help them plan courses of study that will provide adequate background for our department’s graduate curriculum.

All applicants must satisfy requirements that are set forth by the Graduate School

GPA

The Graduate School requires a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours from the most recent bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

MS Thesis Track Advisor Selection Process

Applicants who intend to complete a thesis are encouraged to identify potential faculty advisors and seek a confirmation. Review the department Research and People websites and contact those whose research interests align with yours. Only faculty members listed with the titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, can serve as graduate advisors. Do not contact Emeritus faculty, Lecturers, Research Scientists, or Faculty Associates. You are also encouraged to inquire about possible funding opportunities. If a faculty member agrees to be your advisor, ask the person to email an acknowledgment to emgradadmission@engr.wisc.edu.

Application Materials 

Each application must include the following:

  • Graduate School Application
  • Academic transcripts
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume/CV
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • English proficiency score (if required)
  • Application Fee
Academic Transcripts

Within the online application, upload the undergraduate transcript(s) and, if applicable, the previous graduate transcript. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for review, but official copies are required for admitted applicants. Do not send transcripts or any other application materials to the Graduate School or the Department of Mechanical Engineering unless requested. Review the requirements set by the Graduate School for additional information about degrees/transcripts.

Statement of Purpose

In this document, applicants should explain why they want to pursue further education in Engineering Mechanics and discuss which UW faculty members they would be interested in doing research with during their graduate study (see the Graduate School for more advice on how to structure a personal statement).

Resume

Upload your resume in your application.

Three Letters of Recommendation

These letters are required from people who can accurately judge the applicant’s academic and/or research performance. It is highly recommended these letters be from faculty familiar with the applicant. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically to graduate programs through the online application. See the Graduate School for FAQs regarding letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are due by the deadline. 

English Proficiency Score

See English Proficiency Test policy above.

Application Fee

Application submission must be accompanied by the one-time application fee. See the Graduate School for FAQs for information on the application fee.

Fee grants are available, refer to the applying for a fee grant for information.

Reentry Admissions

If previously enrolled as a graduate student in the Engineering Mechanics program, and applicants have not earned their degree, but have had a break in enrollment for a minimum of a fall or spring term, an application to resume studies is required. Review the Graduate School: Readmission for policy information. The previous faculty advisor (or another Engineering Mechanics faculty advisor) must be willing to supply advising support and should e-mail the Engineering Mechanics Graduate Student Services Coordinator regarding next steps in the process.

If previously enrolled in a UW-Madison graduate degree, completed that degree, have had a break in enrollment since earning the degree and would now like to apply for another UW-Madison program, applicants are required to submit a new student application through the UW-Madison Graduate School online application. For Engineering Mechanics graduate programs, you must follow the entire application process as described above.

Currently Enrolled Graduate Student Admissions

Students currently enrolled as a graduate student at UW-Madison, whether in Engineering Mechanics or a non-Engineering Mechanics graduate program, wishing to apply to this degree program should contact the Engineering Mechanics Graduate Admissions Team (see contact information box) to inquire about the process and deadlines several months in advance of the anticipated enrollment term. Current students may apply to change or add programs for any term (fall, spring, or summer).

Questions

If you have questions, contact emgradadmission@engr.wisc.edu.

Tuition

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

View tuition rates

Funding

Graduate School Resources

The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

There are three mechanisms for Graduate Student funding through the university for MS Engineering Mechanics: Research students:

  1. Fellowships
  2. Graduate assistantships: project assistantships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships
  3. Traineeships 

Funding is awarded based on the qualifications of the student, the number of applicants, the amount of available funding, the number of continuing students receiving support, and the degree program a student is enrolled in. Fellowship and research assistantship funding is only considered for thesis-based MS students. You can apply for funding for research assistantships by contacting individual faculty members directly. Review our website to look for faculty (only those listed with titles of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor can serve as graduate student advisors). Search for faculty who have research interests that align closely with your own by viewing faculty directory entries, visiting the faculty’s website (linked from the directory page), and reviewing publications by the faculty member. After you have identified faculty with interests close to your own, you are encouraged to contact them by email to inquire regarding available research assistant positions. The admissions office does not know if a particular professor has research assistant positions available.

Students who apply to the MS Research program will be automatically considered for fellowship opportunities within the department. Admitted students will be eligible to apply for Teaching Assistantship positions. More information, including the application, will be available to students after admission is complete.

More information on graduate student funding is available from the UW-Madison Graduate School.

Additional Resources

Office of Student Financial Aid

For information regarding student financial aid, scholarships, and more, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website

International Student Services Funding and Scholarships

For information regarding international student funding and scholarships, visit the International Student Services website.

In the Engineering Mechanics graduate research programs, students push the boundaries of fundamental knowledge in fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, and dynamics while working on problems with direct relevance to societal needs–like clean energy, aerospace, human health, and materials discovery–and with direct access to state-of-the art experimental and computational laboratories.

View our research

Minimum graduate school requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Curricular Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement 30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 16 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244.
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required.
Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203.
Other Grade Requirements Students must earn a C or above in all formal coursework.

Students may not have more than two incompletes on their record at any one time.
Assessments and Examinations A thesis is not required for a master’s degree in Engineering Mechanics. Credit for master’s research (E M A 790) will be granted toward meeting the MS requirements only when a formal MS thesis is submitted and approved by the thesis committee. If submitting a MS thesis, a thesis Oral Defense is required. Candidates must pass an oral exam administered by a three-member committee, selected by the student’s advisor. At least two of the committee members must be members of the UW-Madison Graduate Faculty. (For more information, see https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/committees/.) Typically, the student presents an overview of their thesis/research, and then the examiners ask questions in closed session. See the Graduate School’s information https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide/ and note the requirement for an advisor approval page.
Language Requirements No language requirements.

Required Courses

The program requires 30 credits of technical coursework approved by the student’s advisor. All courses must be numbered 500 or above. Technical coursework is defined as courses in Engineering departments, Physics, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, Medical Physics, and Chemistry. Other courses may be deemed appropriate by a student’s faculty advisor.

General 1
At least 15 credits must be taken in courses numbered 600 and above OR from the following list:15
Composite Materials
Fracture Mechanics
Aerodynamics Lab
Flight Dynamics and Control
Experimental Vibration and Dynamic System Analysis
Heterogeneous and Multiphase Materials
Engineering Analysis I
Engineering Analysis II
Experimental Mechanics
Mathematics Requirements 1
Students must take at least 3 credits (1 course) from the following list:3
Engineering Analysis I
Engineering Analysis II
Ordinary Differential Equations
Analysis I
Analysis II
Linear Algebra II
Analysis of Partial Differential Equations
Complex Analysis
Methods of Applied Mathematics 1
Methods of Applied Mathematics-2
Methods of Computational Mathematics I
Methods of Computational Mathematics II
Breadth Requirement 1
Five courses are required to complete the Breadth Requirement. Students must select two of the three area lists below (Solid Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Dynamic) and complete two courses in each of the two area lists. A fifth course must be completed and may be from any of the three area lists. Across the 5 courses, at least 3 courses must be identified with an *.
Solid Mechanics
Advanced Mechanics of Materials I *
Composite Materials
Fracture Mechanics *
Heterogeneous and Multiphase Materials *
Experimental Mechanics
Introduction to Finite Elements *
Advanced Mechanical Testing of Materials *
Micro- and Nanoscale Mechanics *
Viscoelastic Solids *
Theory of Elasticity *
Plasticity Theory and Physics
Advanced Topics in Finite Elements *
Advanced Composite Materials
Mechanics of Continua
Introduction to Polymer Rheology
Finite Elements for Biological and Other Soft Materials
Friction, Lubrication and Wear
Fluid Mechanics
Aerodynamics *
Rocket Propulsion *
Mechanics of Continua
Intermediate Fluid Dynamics *
Intermediate Gas Dynamics *
Computational Fluid Dynamics *
Combustion Processes
Advanced Experimental Instrumentation
Chem Kinetics of Combust Systems
Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer
Mathematical Fluid Dynamics
Dynamics
Flight Dynamics and Control *
Experimental Vibration and Dynamic System Analysis *
Advanced Dynamics *
Mechanical Vibrations *
Astrodynamics
Structural Finite Element Model Validation *
Satellite Dynamics *
Theory and Applications in Advanced Dynamics *
Advanced Methods in Structural Dynamics *
Nonlinear and Random Mechanical Vibrations *
Automatic Controls Laboratory
Advanced Vibrations
Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes
Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes
Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements and Systems
Depth Requirement 1
At least 2 courses (6 credits) must be numbered 700 or above in mechanics, from the following list:6
Any E M A course except E M A 790, E M A 890, or E M A 990.
E M A 601 Special Topics courses may only be counted as course numbered 700 or above if designated as such by the instructor.
Microhydrodynamics, Brownian Motion, and Complex Fluids
Engineering Properties of Soils
Mathematical Fluid Dynamics
Advanced Vibrations
Dynamics of Controlled Systems
Dynamics of Controlled Systems
Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes
Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements and Systems
Advanced Computational Dynamics
Friction, Lubrication and Wear
Precision Measurements
Combustion Processes
Advanced Experimental Instrumentation
Chem Kinetics of Combust Systems
Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer
Independent Study
At least 3 credits of the following course is required of all students. A maximum of 6 credits may be applied toward minimum degree requirements.3-6
Independent Study
Thesis Credits
Thesis credits are not required to meet minimum degree requirements. However, they may be used to satisfy degree requirements ONLY if a thesis is written and defended. Students utilizing thesis credits may use a maximum of 12 credits E M A 599 and E M A 790, combined, toward the minimum degree requirement.0-9
Master’s Research and Thesis
Seminar Credits
A maximum of 3 seminar credits, as deemed appropriate by faculty advisor, may be applied to the minimum degree requirements. Seminar credits are not required within the Engineering Mechanics MS – Research program. The following is an example:0-3
Special Topics in Engineering Mechanics (Mechanics Seminar)
Total Credits30
1

Courses used to satisfy the following degree requirements may overlap: General, Mathematics Requirement, Breadth Requirement, Depth Requirement.

Pathway

Students must select to follow either the thesis pathway or the independent study pathway. These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript. 

Graduate Student Services
emgradadmission@engr.wisc.edu
3182 Mechanical Engineering
1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706

Associate Chair for Graduate Studies
grad.chair@me.wisc.edu

View the Graduate Guide for program-specific information on policies, rules and regulations.

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