The master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in engineering mechanics are offered within a graduate program covering contemporary areas in both theoretical and applied mechanics. With the guidance of a major professor, a program can be designed to meet an individual student's needs and interests.
The program is broadly structured into several main areas of instruction and research interests in mechanics of materials and astronautics: continuum mechanics, computational mechanics, dynamics and vibration, fluid mechanics, nanomechanics, solid mechanics, and biomechanics. Related fields in which minor work may be done include civil and environmental engineering, chemical and biological engineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering and engineering physics, physics, geological engineering and geology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Current faculty research interests include adhesive-bonded joints; composites; failure criteria; analytical and computational solid mechanics; analytical and computational dynamics; multibody dynamics; analytical and computational active and passive space-structure control systems; dynamic stability; nonlinear fracture mechanics of traditional and advanced materials; continuum mechanics; modal analysis; nanomechanics and nanotribology; fluid-structure interaction; non-Newtonian fluid flow; structural mechanics; viscoelasticity; viscoplasticity; cell mechanics; and biomechanics.
Laboratories are well equipped for experimental testing and research; these include holography, Moire, atomic force microscopy, vibration testing, and other optical methods for experimental mechanics research. The department has access to collegewide facilities. The Wisconsin Laboratory for Structures and Materials Testing has facilities for testing large structures, fatigue and vibration labs, and complements the department's laboratories. The Materials Science Center provides state-of-the-art instrumentation, support facilities, and expert technical assistance for research and education in materials. Its facilities include scanning and transmission electron microscopes, image processing and analysis systems, surface and thin film characterization facilities, and x-ray diffraction facilities.
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 | October 1 |
| Summer Deadline | December 15 |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Required.* |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency). |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
| * | Except for current UW-Madison NE/EP/EMA undergraduate students. |
The Graduate School sets minimum requirements for admissions. Academic program admission requirements are often more rigorous than those set by the Graduate School. Please check the program website for details and admissions deadlines.
Graduate School Resources
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 processes related to funding.
Program Resources
Offers of financial support from the Department, College, and University are in the form of research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), project assistantships (PAs), and partial or full fellowships. Prospective PhD students that receive such offers will have a minimum five-year guarantee of support. The funding for RAs comes from faculty research grants. Each professor decides on his or her own RA offers, and a portion of the top domestic applicants is invited to visit Madison in order to meet faculty members and tour the department facilities. International applicants must secure an RA, TA, PA, fellowship, or independent funding before admission is final. Funded students are expected to maintain full-time enrollment. See the program website for additional information.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
MODE OF INSTRUCTION
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Evening/Weekend: These programs are offered in an evening and/or weekend format to accommodate working schedules. Enjoy the advantages of on-campus courses and personal connections, while keeping your day job. For more information about the meeting schedule of a specific program, contact the program. Online: These programs are offered primarily online. Many available online programs can be completed almost entirely online with all online programs offering at least 50 percent or more of the program work online. Some online programs have an on-campus component that is often designed to accommodate working schedules. Take advantage of the convenience of online learning while participating in a rich, interactive learning environment. For more information about the online nature of a specific program, contact the program. Hybrid: These programs have innovative curricula that combine on-campus and online formats. Most hybrid programs are completed on-campus with a partial or completely online semester. For more information about the hybrid schedule of a specific program, contact the program. Accelerated: These on-campus programs are offered in an accelerated format that allows you to complete your program in a condensed time-frame. Enjoy the advantages of on-campus courses with minimal disruption to your career. For more information about the accelerated nature of a specific program, contact the program. |
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 60 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 30 of the required 60 credits must be in graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide (http://my.wisc.edu/CourseGuideRedirect/BrowseByTitle). In addition, at least 18 of the non-research credits must be in classes having the graduate-level designation. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Courses in which grades of BC, C, or below are received cannot be counted toward the degree except as follows: 1) Credits of C will be allowed provided they are balanced by twice as many credits of A or by four times as many credits of AB, 2) Credits of BC will be allowed provided they are balanced by twice as many credits of AB or by an equal number of credits of A. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Ph.D. qualifying examination is required of all students. After acceptance of the student’s doctoral plan of study, the student must take an oral preliminary examination. Final oral examination is required at the end of the thesis work. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
| Doctoral Minor/Breadth Requirements | There are two minor options available: Minor Option A Students minor in a single department and satisfy the minor requirements of that department. Minor Option B (Distributed Minor) This option requires a minimum of 9 credits in two or more departments outside the major, in related courses selected for their relevance to a particular area of concentration. The following rules apply: 1. Courses typically included on or within the scope of the E M A Qualifying Exam shall not be considered acceptable for the Ph.D. Minor Option B. 2. At least 6 credits must be taken in courses listed in the UW-Madison Guide as "Grad 50%" courses. |
Required COURSES
At least 36 of the required 60 credits must be in classes satisfying the following general requirements and mathematics, breadth and depth requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| All courses must be at the 500-level or above. At least 21 credits must be 600-level and above OR from the following list: | 21 | |
| 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 | 6 | |
| At least 6 credits (2 courses) must be in applied mathematics from the following list: | ||
| 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 | ||
| As part of their M.S. or Ph.D., students must have taken courses from at least 2 of the 3 areas defined below. For each of the 2 areas, the student must have taken at least 2 courses. The courses must be at a similar level to those listed below. | ||
| Solid Mechanics | ||
| E M A 506 | Advanced Mechanics of Materials I | 3 |
| E M A/CIV ENGR/M E 508 | Composite Materials | 3 |
| E M A 519 | Fracture Mechanics | 3 |
| E M A/M S & E 541 | Heterogeneous and Multiphase Materials | 3 |
| E M A/M E 570 | Experimental Mechanics | 3 |
| E M A 605 | Introduction to Finite Elements | 3 |
| E M A 611 | Advanced Mechanical Testing of Materials | 3 |
| E M A/E P 615 | Micro- and Nanoscale Mechanics | 3 |
| E M A 622 | Mechanics of Continua | 3 |
| E M A 630 | Viscoelastic Solids | 3 |
| E M A 700 | Theory of Elasticity | 3 |
| E M A/M E 703 | Plasticity Theory and Physics | 3 |
| E M A 705 | Advanced Topics in Finite Elements | 3 |
| E M A/M E 706 | Plates, Shells and Pressure Vessels | 3 |
| E M A/M E 708 | Advanced Composite Materials | 3 |
| E M A/M E 722 | Introduction to Polymer Rheology | 3 |
| M E/B M E 603 | Topics in Bio-Medical Engineering (Topic: FE for Biomechanics) | 1-3 |
| M E 753 | Friction, Lubrication and Wear | 3 |
| Fluid Mechanics | ||
| E M A 521 | Aerodynamics | 3 |
| E M A 622 | Mechanics of Continua | 3 |
| M E 563 | Intermediate Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| M E 572 | Intermediate Gas Dynamics | 3 |
| M E 573 | Computational Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| M E 769 | Combustion Processes | 3 |
| M E 770 | Advanced Experimental Instrumentation | 3 |
| M E 774 | Chem Kinetics of Combust Systems | 3 |
| M E 775 | Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer | 3 |
| MATH 705 | Mathematical Fluid Dynamics | 3 |
| Dynamics | ||
| E M A 523 | Flight Dynamics and Control | 3 |
| E M A/M E 540 | Experimental Vibration and Dynamic System Analysis | 3 |
| E M A 542 | Advanced Dynamics | 3 |
| E M A 545 | Mechanical Vibrations | 3 |
| E M A/ASTRON 550 | Astrodynamics | 3 |
| E M A 610 | Structural Finite Element Model Validation | 3 |
| E M A 642 | Satellite Dynamics | 3 |
| E M A 742 | Theory and Applications in Advanced Dynamics | 3 |
| E M A 745 | Advanced Methods in Structural Dynamics | 3 |
| E M A 747 | Nonlinear and Random Mechanical Vibrations | 3 |
| M E/E C E 577 | Automatic Controls Laboratory | 4 |
| M E 740 | Advanced Vibrations | 3 |
| M E 747 | Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes | 3 |
| M E 748 | Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements and Systems | 3 |
| Depth Requirement | 12 | |
| At least 4 courses (12 credits) must be 700-level or above in mechanics, applied mathematics, or computer science. At least 2 of the courses (6 credits) must be from List 1 (below), and the remaining 2 courses (6 credits) may be from List 1 or List 2. | ||
| List 1 | 6-12 | |
E M A 601 Special Topics courses may only be counted as 700-level if designated as such by the instructor. | ||
| Microhydrodynamics, Brownian Motion, and Complex Fluids | ||
| Engineering Properties of Soils | ||
| Soil Dynamics | ||
| Mathematical Fluid Dynamics | ||
| Advanced Vibrations | ||
| Dynamics of Controlled Systems | ||
| Advanced Computer Control of Machines and Processes | ||
| Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements and Systems | ||
| Matrix Methods in the Design and Analysis of Mechanisms | ||
| Friction, Lubrication and Wear | ||
| Combustion Processes | ||
| Advanced Experimental Instrumentation | ||
| Chem Kinetics of Combust Systems | ||
| Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer | ||
| List 2 | 0-6 | |
| Methods of Computational Mathematics I | ||
| Methods of Computational Mathematics II | ||
| Computational Methods for Large Sparse Systems | ||
| Linear Systems | ||
| Optimal Systems | ||
| Nonlinear Dynamics, Bifurcations and Chaos | ||
| Methods of Applied Mathematics 1 | ||
| Methods of Applied Mathematics-2 | ||
| Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing | ||
| Modeling and Simulation in Polymer Processing | ||
| Advanced Robotics | ||
| Solid Modeling | ||
| Topics in Thermodynamics | ||
| Advanced Heat Transfer I-Conduction | ||
| Structural Analysis of Materials | ||
| Imperfections and Mechanical Properties | ||
| Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo Simulations in Materials Science | ||
| Special Topics in Materials Science | ||
| Theoretical Physics-Dynamics | ||
| Statistical Mechanics | ||
| Theoretical Physics-Electrodynamics | ||
| Quantum Mechanics | ||
| Quantum Mechanics | ||
| Advanced Solid State Physics | ||
| Special Topics in Theoretical Physics (when taught as Nanostructures in Science and Technology) | ||
It is acceptable for students who earned an M.S. degree in Engineering Mechanics at UW-Madison to use coursework completed while in the M.S. degree program to meet the requirements above.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Graduate Program Handbook
The Graduate Program Handbook is the repository for all of the program's policies and requirements.
Prior Coursework
Graduate Work from Other Institutions
With permission from their faculty advisor and the department chair, students may use up to 6 credits of graduate work taken at another institution if they meet departmental MS requirements. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to the PhD program is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Graduate Coursework from Previous MS1
With advisor and EP Graduate Studies Committee approval, students may use up to 15 credits of prior MS coursework toward the PhD, provided that all of the following are met: (1) The student has completed an MS degree in a relevant field. (2) The coursework proposed by the student is at the graduate level and was taken as part of the student’s completed MS program. (3) The student’s faculty advisor agrees that the prior coursework proposed by the student satisfies the Engineering Mechanics PhD program requirements in terms of subject area and rigor. (4) A member of the EP Graduate Studies Committee who is familiar with the EM PhD program confirms the advisor’s recommendation.
| 1 | All credits earned toward the EM MS degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison count toward the EM PhD program. This policy applies to students who have not completed a previous MS degree in a relevant field. |
UW–Madison Undergraduate
With faculty approval, students who have received their undergraduate degree from UW–Madison may apply up to 7 credits numbered 400 or above toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. This work would not be allowed to count toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum unless taken at the 700 level or above. No credits can be counted toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a PhD program is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
With faculty approval, students who have received an ABET-accredited undergraduate degree (not including UW–Madison) may be eligible to apply up to 7 credits of their undergraduate coursework toward the Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement. No credits can be counted toward the Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement, nor the Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master's degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
UW–Madison University Special
With program approval, students are allowed to count up to 15 credits of coursework numbered 400 or above taken as a UW–Madison Special student toward the minimum graduate residence credit requirement, and the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. UW–Madison coursework taken as a University Special student would not be allowed to count toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum unless taken at the 700 level or above. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Probation
A semester GPA below 3.0 will result in the student being placed on academic probation. If a semester GPA of 3.0 is not attained during the subsequent semester of full time enrollment (or 12 credits of enrollment if enrolled part-time) the student may be dismissed from the program or allowed to continue for one additional semester based on advisor appeal to the Graduate School.
ADVISOR / COMMITTEE
Each student is required to meet with their advisor prior to registration every semester.
CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED
15 credits
Time Constraints
The Ph.D. qualifying examination should be first taken no later than completion of the M.S. requirements, or the beginning of the fifth semester of graduate study, whichever comes first. Students entering the program with a master’s degree in EMA, EP or NE from another institution, and taking the qualifying exam in that same major, must take the exam by the beginning of their third semester.
Students must submit the doctoral plan of study one month before the end of the semester following the one in which the qualifying exam is passed.
Candidates are expected to pass the Ph.D. preliminary examination no later than the end of the third year of graduate study, or by the end of the second regular semester following the one in which the Ph.D. qualifying examination was passed, whichever is later. A candidate who fails to take the preliminary examination within four years of passing the qualifying examination must retake the qualifying examination.
An oral examination on the findings of the Ph.D. research is required at the end of the thesis work. The candidate must apply for a warrant from the Graduate School through the student services office at least three weeks prior to the exam. The final oral examination must be taken within five years of passing the preliminary examination.
OTHER
n/a
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
- Demonstrate an extraordinary, deep understanding of mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles in the field.
- Demonstrate an ability to formulate, analyze, and independently solve advanced engineering problems.
- Apply the relevant scientific and technological advancements, techniques, and engineering tools to address these problems.
- Recognize and apply principles of ethical and professional conduct.
- Demonstrate an ability to synthesize knowledge from a subset of the biological, physical, and/or social sciences to help frame problems critical to the future of their discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to conduct original research and communicate it to their peers.
FACULTY
PROFESSORS
Blanchard, Bonazza, Bronkhorst, Crone, Hegna, Henderson, Lakes, Schmitz, Smith, Sovinec, Waleffe, Wilson(chair)
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
Allen, Witt
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS
Choy, Couet, Geiger, Franck, Notbohm, Thevamaran
AFFILIATE PROFESSORS
Bednarz, Bier, Engle, Graham, Kolkowitz, Ludois, Ma, Miller, Morgan, Nellis, Pfotenhauer, Porter, Prabhakar, Robertson, Szlufarska, Thomadsen, Trujillo, Vanderby
EMERITUS PROFESSORS
Abdel-Khalik, Bisognano, Callen, Carbon, Conrad, Cook, Corradini, DeLuca, Drugan, Emmert, Fonck, Hershkowitz, Kammer, Kulcinski, Mackie, Malkus, Moses, Plesha, Sandor, Schlack, Vogelsang