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 Department of Mechanical Engineering offers two distinct master of science (M.S.) degree programs in Engineering Mechanics:
- Engineering Mechanics M.S., Research – traditional master’s program culminating in a thesis for students with an undergraduate background in mechanics
- Engineering Mechanics M.S., Aerospace Engineering Option - an accelerated coursework-only program, where students will learn advanced mechanics topics pertaining to the aerospace field
Students apply to the Master of Science in Engineering Mechanics through one of the named options:
Admissions to the Fundamentals of Applied Mechanics named option were suspended as of fall 2022 and will be discontinued as of fall 2024. If you have any questions, please contact the department.
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 restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Program specific funding information may be reviewed through one of the named options:
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | See Named Options for policy information. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. This program follows the Graduate School's policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| 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 | See Named Options for policy information. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required COURSES
Select a Named Option for courses required.
Named Options
A named option is a formally documented sub-major within an academic major program. Named options appear on the transcript with degree conferral. Students pursuing the Master of Science in Engineering Mechanics must select one of the following named options:
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
- Demonstrate a strong 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.
PROFESSORS
Darryl Thelen (Chair) Peter Adamczyk Mark Anderson Riccardo Bonazza Wendy Crone Christian Franck Jaal Ghandhi Sage Kokjohn Roderic Lakes Dan Negrut Gregory F. Nellis Tim Osswald Frank Pfefferkorn Xiaoping Qian Douglas Reindl David Rothamer Scott T. Sanders Krishnan Suresh Mario F. Trujillo Lih-sheng Turng Fabian Waleffe
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
Lianyi Chen Melih Eriten Katherine Fu Tom N. Krupenkin Ying Li Franklin Miller Sangkee Min Wenxiao Pan James Pikul Pavana Prabhakar Alejandro Roldan-Alzate Michael Zinn
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS
Joseph Andrews Jennifer Franck Corinne Henak Eric Kazyak Allison Mahvi Luca Mastropasqua Jacob Notbohm Josh Roth Shiva Rudraraju Stephan Rudykh Eric Tervo Ramathasan Thevamaran Dakotah Thompson Michael Wagner Wei Wang Michael Wehner Jinlong Wu Xiaobin Xiong Xiangru Xu Lei Zhou