The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a program leading to the M.S. in mechanical engineering. The program is designed to stimulate creativity, to provide an in-depth understanding of the basic physical phenomena involved in mechanical systems, and to provide the student with the ability to use modern techniques in the analysis and design of mechanical components and systems.
Admission to the graduate program in mechanical engineering requires a baccalaureate degree in mechanical engineering or related areas such as physics, mathematical sciences, chemistry, computer science, and engineering disciplines. NIU undergraduate majors in mechanical engineering can, however, be admitted to the integrated B.S./M.S. sequence after finishing 90 semester hours with a GPA of at least 3.00.
Thesis Option
All students admitted to the M.S. program are initially classified as thesis option students. The thesis option is designed to prepare students for graduate work at the doctoral level or advanced engineering work in industry and focuses on original research techniques. The graduate program of study must include 6 semester hours of MEE 599, Master’s Thesis, on a topic approved by the student’s graduate committee. The thesis must be satisfactorily defended at an oral examination. Portions of the research work required in MEE 599 may be performed in off-campus facilities if approved by the student’s graduate committee.
Non-Thesis Option
Students wishing to pursue the non-thesis option are required to petition the department’s graduate committee upon admission to the major. The non-thesis option is designed for practicing professionals who wish to pursue advanced study in mechanical engineering culminating in the M.S. degree and who cannot pursue the traditional research experience of a thesis option. Students pursuing a M.S. degree under this option must earn a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit including 3 semester hours of MEE 597, Independent Study, for a master’s project resulting in significant original work which must be defended at an oral examination and presented in a written report.
Requirements for Graduates with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Students must satisfy the following departmental requirements.
Submit to the department a program of graduate study approved by the student’s graduate committee or the department.
Complete at least 30 (thesis option) or 33 (non-thesis option) semester hours of graduate work, not more than 30 percent of which may be in courses numbered 400-499. All courses taken outside the Department of Mechanical Engineering must have departmental approval in advance.
The graduate program must include 6 semester hours of MEE 599, Master’s Thesis, on a topic approved by the student’s graduate committee or must include 3 semester hours of MEE 597, Independent Study, for a master’s project plus additional 500-level MEE course work for 6 semester hours. Employed students may use topics and facilities from their work if approved.
Requirements for Graduates with a B.S. in an Area other than Mechanical Engineering
Students are required to fulfill all the requirements mentioned in the previous section. In addition, students with a B.S. degree in an area other than mechanical engineering are required to take at least three courses from one of the following groups depending on their chosen field of study. The department will stipulate the courses to be taken. A grade of B or better must be obtained in each of these courses.
Applied Mechanics
MEE 210 - Engineering Mechanics I Credits: 3
MEE 211 - Engineering Mechanics II Credits: 3
MEE 212 - Strength of Materials Credits: 3
MEE 220 - Mechanism Design Credits: 3
MEE 350 - Engineering Thermodynamics Credits: 3
MEE 470 - Design of Machine Elements Credits: 3
Dynamic Systems and Control
MEE 211 - Engineering Mechanics II Credits: 3
MEE 321 - Mechanical Vibrations I Credits: 3
MEE 322 - Dynamic Systems and Control I Credits: 4,
OR ELE 380 - Control Systems I Credits: 4
This integrated sequence leads to both the B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering and is available to all undergraduate mechanical engineering majors 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 integrated sequence may lead to a B.S. degree only, but only after all the requirements for that degree have been met.
All students enrolled in the integrated B.S./M.S. sequence must have their schedule approved by their faculty adviser each semester. Any deviation from the approved course schedule may delay graduation.
Students must complete all undergraduate required courses, including 9 semester hours of technical electives, all of which must be taken for graduate credit during the student’s final undergraduate term.
Students must also complete 21 (thesis option) or 24 (non-thesis option) additional graduate semester hours, as follows.
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