The department also offers an accelerated B.S./M.S. sequence that leads to an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering after students received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Industrial and Systems Engineering from NIU. This accelerated sequence is available to undergraduate majors in the programs listed above who have finished at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate work with a GPA of at least 3.00. A minimum GPA of 3.00 must be maintained during the course of study. Failure to meet the requirements of the accelerated sequence may lead to a B.S. degree only, but only after all the requirements for that degree have been met.
Students must complete all undergraduate required courses, including 9 semester hours of technical electives. Only those technical electives or required courses taken for graduate credit while enrolled in the program will be credited toward the M.S. program, up to a maximum of 9 semester hours. Students are required to fulfill all requirements for thesis option, project option, or course option mentioned in the previous section.
With this program, a student can take B.S. and M.S. courses simultaneously, up to three semesters before earning the undergraduate degree. Depending on the undergraduate major, one can have up to 18 semester hours count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students coming from programs other than Mechanical Engineering may also have to take additional foundational mechanical engineering undergraduate courses as described in the Graduate Catalog.
Students wishing to take part in this program should be aware of all the regulations and restrictions of accelerated baccalaureate/master’s degree programs as outlined in the NIU Graduate School Catalog under the heading of Early Admission of NIU Undergraduates, and Admission to Accelerated Baccalaureate/Master’s Degree Programs. All students enrolled in this sequence must have their schedules approved by their faculty advisors each semester. Any deviation from an approved course schedule may delay graduation.
Admission to the B.S./M.S. Program
Interested students should talk with an advisor as early as possible and are encouraged to apply three semesters prior to completing their B.S. degree. Applicants must submit the following:
NIU Transcript showing their GPA for their undergraduate work. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.
Resume.
Statement of purpose.
Two letters of recommendation.
NIU University Honors students in Mechanical Engineering who are actively accumulating points through honors course work or EngagePLUS are guaranteed admission to the B.S./M.S. program.
Return to: