Most
applicants for graduate study have the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical
Engineering. Students from science, mathematics, or other engineering
backgrounds also are welcome but may be required to take additional
courses. International applicants must present satisfactory scores
of 550 and above after taking the Test of English as Foreign Language
(TOEFL), and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required
for admission to the doctoral program.
The graduate programs of the department are characterized by
both breadth and depth. Mechanical Engineering students choose
from concentrations in solid mechanics (including tire mechanics),
fluid mechanics, heat transfer, energy systems, automatic controls,
dynamics and vibrations, design, manufacturing, and materials
science and engineering. More than 30 graduate courses are taught
in these areas each year. Table 11 provides a summary of graduate
courses taught by the faculty. Most courses are offered every
other year. A few core courses are offered every year.
Master's Program
Master's students in mechanical engineering earn 30
semester credits (32 semester credits for the non-thesis option)
of work beyond the baccalaureate degree. Each student is paired
with a faculty adviser whose activities parallel his or her own
interests, and together they design an individualized program
of study. Course requirements are therefore based on personal
goals, while also providing coherent, in-depth study of a particular
area of mechanical engineering.
The requirements for a master of science can be fulfilled within
three to four semesters for full-time students or three to four
years for part-time students. A student may choose the thesis
or non-thesis option.
Thesis Option: Students take a minimum of six credits by working
with a faculty member on a research project and publishing the
findings in a thesis. The department considers this experience
valuable for all advanced engineering students. All department-supported
teaching assistants are required to choose the thesis option.
Non-Thesis Option: Students may elect to earn all credit toward
the degree through additional coursework. This plan is appropriate
for individuals who wish to enhance their general professional
capability but prefer less concentrated research experience.
The department recommends that such students take a two-credit
special-problem course, which involves work on either a faculty
directed research project or a job-related project in industry.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
The Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering has been offered
at The University of Akron since 1969. Students seeking the doctoral
degree in The College of Engineering should earn a minimum of
96 semester credits of graduate work. Since doctoral candidates
must demonstrate an ability for independent scholarship, they
initiate their research early in their program.
Early in the doctoral program each student must take a qualifying
examination. The examination is intended to verify the student's
grasp of basic engineering knowledge, the ability to organize
that knowledge for problem solving, and the capacity to express
those concepts through writing. Doctoral candidates conduct their
research as part of a faculty-student team examining an engineering
problem of significance. In addition to the dissertation adviser,
a student advisory committee is selected to guide the plan of
study and ensure that the research represents an original contribution
to advanced engineering knowledge. During the course of study,
doctoral students pass a candidacy examination to describe and
relate the intent and strategy for their proposed research. After
the dissertation is finished, a final seminar presentation and
defense mark successful completion of the doctoral program.
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