Masters in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering (ME) deals with objects in motion, whether they are small particles or huge spacecraft. It is one of the oldest and broadest fields of engineering. Over the decades, the field of mechanical engineering has seen tremendous growth, and it is truly one of the most interdisciplinary engineering disciplines. It borrows heavily from aerospace, electrical, chemical and civil engineering fields, and in return, it enriches them too.

Mechanical Engineers apply principles of physics, mathematics and engineering to build, modify, design, manufacture or maintain systems that involve motion. They usually oversee generation and distribution of energy, processing of materials, controlling and manufacturing of mechanical systems and complex machines. They also find solutions to minimize the impact of human interference on the environment.
Traditionally, mechanical engineers were mostly concerned with industrial plants, manufacturing systems, transport systems, heating and cooling systems and aircraft. Of late, ME has begun to engage with computer-aided design and manufacture, medical equipment, biomechanics, nanotechnology and robotics.

Need an education loan for Mech Eng Master's abroad?

Apply Now!

Apply Now!

Course

Mechanical Engineering is not only interdisciplinary but also one of the fundamental engineering fields. For this reason, the course structure of a mechanical engineering master’s program can undergo a vast change in just a decade. These days, a typical master’s degree in mechanical engineering would train the students in the following basic ME topics: Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer; Fluid Dynamics; Manufacturing Processes; Materials; Machine Design; Systems, Dynamics and Control.

Beyond these basic topics, each university offers a number of electives depending upon its research thrust and the industry demand. Some of the best masters courses for mechanical engineering these days include Robotics, Mechatronics, Energy and Sustainability, Biomechanics and Nanotechnology. It is unimaginable that a university would offer master’s programs in ME without these popular electives. Some departments might allow students to specialize in either of these tracks in their ME master’s degree. Prospective students would be advised to carefully go through the detailed course-structure, curriculum and the list of master degree courses in mechanical engineering that are offered by the university they are seeking to apply for.

Eligibility

Students that do not have a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering would not be able to apply for a master’s in mechanical engineering. However, some universities might allow applications from students that have an engineering bachelor’s degree in other engineering fields.
The following is a list of main eligibility criteria for applying to post-graduate ME program:

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements: Having a bachelor’s degree in ME or a closely related field while applying for a master’s program is of advantage. Some universities might however also entertain applications from graduates from any science discipline provided that they have done the coursework required for ME. This usually consists of mechanical engineering and materials science courses. Generally, there are no bridge courses before the main master’s ME coursework.

Other Requirements: TOEFL and IELTS: Nearly 60% of the top 20 universities in the world for ME are in the English speaking world. The remaining ones too have a considerable number of international students and offer English as the medium of instruction. This makes above-average scores in language ability tests very important for applications to be accepted. The cut-off scores shall be checked before applying. GRE: GRE score becomes more important in cases where students do not have a ME bachelor’s degree. It is not an essential criterion for application. Wherever GRE scores are considered, a good score lends extra weight to the application. Some institutions consider the total scores, while others might put differential weight on the scores of each component. Subject-specific scores might not be required. If they are, the GRE subject for mechanical engineering is Physics.   Undergraduate GPA: It is slightly lower than the average GPA requirement for most engineering master’s programs. It is usually around 3.0. Letters of Recommendation and Statement of Purpose: Three letters of recommendation are demanded by most universities. Some universities also ask for a Statement of Purpose.

TOEFL and IELTS: Nearly 60% of the top 20 universities in the world for ME are in the English speaking world. The remaining ones too have a considerable number of international students and offer English as the medium of instruction. This makes above-average scores in language ability tests very important for applications to be accepted. The cut-off scores shall be checked before applying.

GRE: GRE score becomes more important in cases where students do not have a ME bachelor’s degree. It is not an essential criterion for application. Wherever GRE scores are considered, a good score lends extra weight to the application. Some institutions consider the total scores, while others might put differential weight on the scores of each component. Subject-specific scores might not be required. If they are, the GRE subject for mechanical engineering is Physics.  

Undergraduate GPA: It is slightly lower than the average GPA requirement for most engineering master’s programs. It is usually around 3.0.

Letters of Recommendation and Statement of Purpose: Three letters of recommendation are demanded by most universities. Some universities also ask for a Statement of Purpose.