GRADUATE: Master of Science Degrees

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME, thesis and non-thesis options)
Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (MSAE, thesis and non-thesis options)
MSME Degree with Concentration in Mechatronics
International Masters Program in Aerospace Engineering (IMSAE)

Master of Science (MS) degree in ME or AE (thesis option)

A student pursuing the MS degree (thesis option) is required to complete 30 semester hours of graduate credit. Fifteen hours must be in the student's major research area and 6 hours must be in thesis research (MAE 695). Three credit hours of the student's non-major coursework (i.e., math, physics, ChE, CE, etc.) may be at the 400 level. All other courses taken for credit towards the Masters degree must be at either the 500 or 700 level.

An option of a minor is available wherein the student takes 9 hours in non-departmental support courses. If a minor option is not chosen, 30 credit hours are still required and thus 9 hours of MAE or approved non-departmental courses must be taken at the recommendation of the student's advisor.

MS thesis students are required to have a thesis committee composed of an advisor and two other members.  A final oral examination (thesis defense) is required.

All students at NCSU are required to maintain continuous registration until completion of their degree program.  A procedure for formally requesting a leave of absence is available.

Master's students who hold an assistantship or fellowship are required to register for 9 credit hours for 3 semesters and then for at least 3 credit hours per semester until all requirements of their graduate program have been completed.

Master of Science (MS) degree in ME or AE (non-thesis option)

This degree is designed to allow a student to obtain an MS Degree in 12 months. It is intended for those students who have available only one calendar year to attend graduate school, or for those who are working full time (attending part-time), or for those students who generally want only one year of graduate coursework and also provide for their own expenses. 

The MSME (non-thesis) student will select one of two areas in which to focus:  (1) Mechanical Sciences or (2) Thermal Sciences. The MSAE (non-thesis) student will select a program of study after meeting with an AE advisor.  The curriculum for each will adhere to the following format:

• 6 MAE core courses (18 credit hours)
• 3 MAE-approved electives (9 credit hours)
• MAE 586 Project Work (3 credit hours)
• 30 credit hours total

This program is an Option B program as defined by the Graduate School, operates with a single advisor and requires neither an official final oral examination nor an officially designated minor. The program includes 30 semester hours as a requirement. Course listings will be offered for the major areas of concentration. A faculty advisor, either selected by the student in consultation with a faculty member or appointed by the department, will guide the student through the program.  In general, the MAE586 faculty member will serve as the student's advisor.  The Director of Graduate Programs should be consulted if a student is having difficulty identifying an advisor within the first three weeks of classes.

All students at NCSU are required to maintain continuous registration until completion of their degree program.  A procedure for formally requesting a leave of absence is available.

Teaching assistantships are not generally available for non-thesis Masters students,

MSME Degree with Concentration in Mechatronics

Mechatronics is a design philosophy that integrates the fundamental areas of mechanics, electronics, computer systems, controls and system interfaces, including sensors and actuators, to improve a process or product by making it more reliable, flexible (adaptive) and efficient.

NCSU offers a graduate program in Mechatronics as a concentration leading to a Master of Science degree from either the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering or the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.  Faculty in these two departments offer research activities in such areas as flexible manufacturing systems, intelligent automation, auto-adaptive materials and advanced robotic systems.

The Master of Science degree concentration in Mechatronics consists of 30 total credit-hours of graduate work.  In consultation with his/her thesis advisor, the Mechatronics student will develop a plan of work that includes courses from the two departments, culminating in the student's thesis, the Mechatronics Design Project, developed under 6 credit-hours of MAE695.

For more information, visit the NCSU Mechatronics* website.

International Masters Program in Aerospace Engineering (IMSAE)

Background

In September 1998, a joint US/European Commission consortium of nine universities was formed to educate future leaders for the international aerospace industry. The participants were:

U.S. Universities
The University of Colorado at Boulder (U.S. Lead)
The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
N.C. State University
Stanford University

European Universities
The University of Glasgow, Scotland (European Lead)
The Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany
The Politecnico di Milano, Italy
The Politecnico di Torino, Italy
The Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal

The first three years were a pilot phase to establish how students may spend time at a university overseas, as part of their M.S. degree program, to prepare them to become competent technical and scientific managers in the aerospace field. In addition to the international experience, they were to develop the ability to work effectively in foreign locations with languages and cultures different from their own. Travel funds were provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (FIPSE) for four students, and each faculty coordinator from the four U.S. universities, to travel to the European universities. For the students, the funding covered their travel and part of their living expenses for one semester. A similar arrangement was provided by a grant from the European Commission for the five European universities. The host university would not provide financial support for the visiting student. Any funding over that provided from the Department of Education grant was to be obtained by the student and his/her advisor.

The faculty coordinators decided that they would meet twice a year, alternating locations between the U.S. and Europe, to work out the details of the program. After the first year they determined that it was not possible to get approval from all the universities to offer a common M.S. degree. Instead, everyone agreed that the best program would be one where the student worked on a thesis or project topic that was endorsed by the student and his/her faculty advisors at the home and overseas universities. Then, there would not be any need to transfer credits, and the problems with the beginning and ending of semesters being different at the universities could be avoided by not taking courses for credit. The student would receive his M.S. degree by satisfying the requirements of his university. However, a certificate of participation in the program would be awarded to the student upon successful completion of his M.S. degree. Student exchanges were started during the second year of the of the program and are still continuing.

Between Fall 2000 and Fall 2002, the exchange students from NC State University have been for one-semester study to Milano, Italy; Torino, Italy; Glasgow, Scotland; and Munich, Germany.

The program is now in its fourth year and thus at the end of the pilot program. We have concluded that it is an outstanding program and are seeking additional funding to continue student exchanges. All of the students agree that they had a great technological as well as cultural experience and some of the Europeans plan to continue in graduate degree programs here at N.C. State.