Master of Science in Engineering (Mechanical - Accelerated)

The Accelerated Master’s degree program allows undergraduate students in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering an opportunity to complete the requirements for the Master’s degree at an accelerated pace. Undergraduate students may count up to 12 (but not less than six) credit hours of 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies towards a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering within 24 months of completing their Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering. Students may choose to pursue a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering under either the Thesis Option or the Non-Thesis Option.

This program allows an undergraduate student, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, to complete an accelerated Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering by completing either 147 combined undergraduate/graduate credit hours (if choosing the Thesis Option), or 153 combined undergraduate/graduate credit hours (if choosing the Non-Thesis Option). Similarly, an undergraduate majoring in Aeronautical Engineering can complete an accelerated Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering by completing either 146 combined undergraduate/graduate credit hours (if choosing the Thesis Option), or 152 combined undergraduate/graduate credit hours (if choosing the Non-Thesis Option).

Criteria for Admission

Permission to pursue the accelerated degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate College. Admission is contingent on meeting the following eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program:

1. Students must have completed a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 96 credit hours in their undergraduate programs, including credits earned from advanced placement.
2. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours as a full-time student at WMU.
3. Students must have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.5/4.0 at WMU.

Admission Requirements

1. A prospective student, who meets the eligibility requirements (see Criteria for Admission), must set up a meeting with the MAE Undergraduate Advisor and Graduate Advisor to develop Plans of Work for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs.
2. Before admission to the accelerated master’s degree program can be finalized, students must submit the standard application for admission to the Office of Admissions following their standard procedures.
3. The Plan of Graduate Work for the master’s degree must clearly indicate:

                a. the 5000-level courses (a maximum of 12 credit hours) that will be counted towards the accelerated Master’s degree.
                b. the graduate date for the Master’s degree that meets the time limit (obtaining the Master’s degree within 24 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree)
                c. Any changes to the Plan for Graduate Work must be submitted, in writing, and approved by the Graduate Advisor and Graduate Dean.

Requirements for Participation and Graduation

1. Students must complete the Bachelor’s degree prior to entering the Master’s program.
2. Students will only be allowed to count a maximum of twelve (12) 5000-level credits taken during their undergraduate studies toward this Master’s degree.
3. Students must receive a grade of “B” (3.0/4.0) or better in the 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies.
4. No more than 12 hours of work may be counted towards the requirements for both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.
5. Students must complete the Master’s degree within 24 months from the completion of the Bachelor’s degree. If the Master’s degree is not completed within these time limits, none of the 5000-level courses used for the Bachelor’s degree may be counted toward the Master’s degree.

Continuing Eligibility

1. It is the responsibility of the student to recognize his/her eligibility status.
2. A student completing the Bachelor’s degree requirements with an accumulated GPA of less than 3.25/4.0 is no longer eligible to count the 5000-level credit hours specified toward the Master’s degree and is automatically terminated from the accelerated Master’s degree program.
3. A student who does not follow the approved Plan of Graduate Work may become ineligible to participate in the accelerated degree program.
4. A student who is ineligible to participate in (or withdraws from ) the accelerated program may not count any of the 500-level courses specified in the Plan of Graduate Work towards a Master’s degree.
5. A student who becomes ineligible to participate in the accelerated Master’s degree program must be informed by the Graduate Advisor, in writing, of his/her ineligibility. A copy of this letter must be sent to the Graduate College.

Withdrawal

A student may, at any time, withdraw from an approved accelerated program by informing the Graduate Advisor in writing. A copy of this request to withdraw must be sent to the both the Graduate College and the Registrar’s Office.

Program Requirements

A specific program of student for each student is determined in conjunction with and subject to approval of the student’s advisor. Students may choose the Thesis Option or the Non-Thesis Option.

Thesis Option

This option of the Master of Science in Engineering (Mechanical) consists 30 hours, of which six must be taken as thesis.

1. A minimum of 30 semester hours of credit including 18 hours of approved courses in the area of mechanical engineering, six hours of electives, and six hours of ME 7000: Master’s Thesis.

2. A minimum of six hours must be mathematics oriented. The mathematics-oriented courses may include mechanical engineering courses (e.g., ME 5600, 5610, 5620, 6370, and 6610) or electives selected from any engineering department in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or in mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences. Students who choose to take a class outside the ME approved list of graduate courses must obtain the approval of the ME graduate advisor prior to registering for such classes.

3. Satisfactory completion of six hours of the following course under the guidance of the thesis advisor and committee

ME 7000 - Master’s Thesis Credits: 6 hours

Non-Thesis Option

This option of the Master of Science in Engineering (Mechanical) consists of 36 hours, of which up to six may be taken as project.

1. A minimum of 36 semester hours of credit including 30 hours of approved courses in the area of mechanical engineering plus six hours of electives.

3. Up to six hours of project as seen below may be taken as part of the 30 hours of approved courses in the area of mechanical engineering for research conducted under the supervision of a department faculty member

ME 6970 - Problems in Mechanical Engineering Credits: 1 to 6 hours