New Graduate Student
Welcome to the Wolfpack!
Congratulations on your recent admission to the NC State Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Program. We are excited to have you join our department. This welcome page will include important information about the MAE Program, including how to register for classes, degree requirements, a summarized timeline of your degree progress, and links to helpful resources.
You can use the block headings below to find the information that applies to your specific program.
Welcome to MAE at NC State – Go Wolfpack!
MAE Graduate Office
Who We Are
The MAE Graduate Office consists of:
- Director of Graduate Programs and Professor: Dr. Katherine Saul (ksaul@ncsu.edu)
- Graduate Program Manager: Summer Fulcher (mae_gradoffice@ncsu.edu)
- Graduate Program Assistant: Brandon M. Jones (mae_gradadmission@ncsu.edu)
A complete list of the faculty and staff within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering can be found here.
What We Do
The staff within the MAE Graduate Office is here to assist you with any program related issues you may encounter. For example, if you need guidance filling out a Graduate School form, completing your Plan of Work, or making sure you have fulfilled your degree requirements, we can be of assistance. If you are unsure of where to locate information, we will be glad to help you find the information you need! Our contact information is above.
Our graduate website offers a large amount of information including advising information, answers to frequently asked questions, the MyPack Portal User Guide, Graduate School forms, and a link to the Graduate School Handbook. We also have a document which lists degree requirements for all MAE students. We realize that information about our program may be limited and we welcome your questions as we work to improve the online visibility of our programs. You should originate all questions with the MAE Graduate Office as you are earning a degree through our program.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to one of the MAE Graduate Office staff.
How to Enroll in Courses
Please visit the NC State Enrollment Calendar to review when enrollment opens for your admission semester. If we are beyond the open enrollment date, your advising hold should have already been lifted. If you are being notified that you have an advising hold on your account when you attempt to register, please contact the MAE Graduate Office to have the hold released. Additional important information regarding registration is available on the Student Services Registering for Classes webpage.
As a first semester MAE student you should use our Suggested First Semester Course Listing to help select your courses. If you require advising before you connect with an advisor, please contact the MAE Graduate Office. It is your responsibility to register for appropriate courses that fall within the requirements of your degree. Please review the course description and prerequisites closely before enrolling in a course.
Please keep in mind, Engineering Online courses – 6## course sections, are reserved for Engineering Online distance education (DE) students only. On-campus students cannot register for Engineering Online courses.
If you have any questions concerning course enrollment you should contact the MAE Graduate Office before you enroll in a course.
Advisors
When and how you find an advisor will depend greatly on whether you are an MS Thesis or MS Non-Thesis student. Please review the advisor procedures below. You can find more information about the difference between the thesis and non-thesis tracks in the MS Requirements guide linked in the Degree Requirements section below.
- MS Thesis students on the thesis track choose secure their own advisor; the advisor also serves as your Advisory Committee Chair. The graduate advisor is mutually agreed upon by you and the faculty after you arrive here and usually after you have been here several weeks and have had a chance to talk to those faculty in your technical area. Then during or near the end of the second semester, we suggest you submit your plan of work for approval with all three committee members (chair + 2 members).
Until a MS thesis student identifies their advisor, the Director of the Graduate Programs will serve in this capacity– advising you on course selection for your first semester. Questions regarding graduate program requirements and Graduate School requirements should be directed to the MAE Graduate Office staff (mae_gradoffice@ncsu.edu).
- MS Non-thesis students are advised by the Director of Graduate Programs throughout their academic career. During the second to last semester non-thesis MS students will identify who their MAE 586 project advisor will be. Though your independent project will be advised by a project advisor, your graduate program advisor will always be the Director of Graduate Programs. A Non-Thesis plan of work requires one (and only one) faculty advisor. Though students will develop their MAE 586 project with their faculty advisor, students should list the Director of Graduate Programs as Committee Chairperson on their Plan of Work.
Plan of Work
The Graduate Plan of Work is a document that serves both as a guide to successful degree completion and a contract between students and their programs. In this way, it serves to reduce the potential for misunderstandings about degree requirements and outlines the expected academic progress students should make. It is especially helpful when it is evaluated on at least an annual basis by students with their advisor(s), and, where applicable, their advisory committees, with any needed modifications recorded at that time. It should be viewed as a “living document” that reflects changes that may occur as students continue to develop and refine their academic programs.
As such, you will be expected to fill out your plan of work in your first semester. However, you will not ‘submit for approval’ until after you know your committee members. For MS thesis students, this will typically be in the second or third semester. For MS non-thesis students, this will generally be near the end of the third semester when you have found your MAE 586 project advisor. For more information, you can review your program student guide and requirement documents in the next section.
Degree Requirements
There are two main documents that will help you understand your MS degree program and the degree requirements:
If you will be completing a thesis:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Graded Courses: You must have a minimum of 21 credits from graded courses
- Up to 3 courses (9 credits) can be from non-MAE courses approved by your advisor
- Research Credits: You must have a minimum of 9 credits of MAE 695
- Total Credits Required: 30
If you will not be completing a thesis:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Graded Courses: You must have a minimum of 27 credits from graded courses
- Up to 3 courses (9 credits) can be from non-MAE courses approved by your advisor
- Project Work Credits: You must have 3 credits of MAE 586
- Total Credits Required: 30
Transcripts
Please make sure that you have sent the Graduate School official transcripts of all coursework taken and all degrees awarded at any institution of higher learning that you have attended. If you are currently enrolled at such an institution, upon completion of your program there, you should ask the registrar to send the Graduate School an updated official transcript covering all work completed and a statement of any degree awarded, including the date awarded. All transcripts should be submitted prior to your enrollment at NC State. If they are not on file with the Graduate School by the end of your first semester here, you will not be permitted to register for your second semester.
Transfer Credit
MS students can transfer up to 12 credits of related graduate-level work with grades of B or better (not B-) if the credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements. Students who are interested in transferring credits toward their MS degree should make sure that their credits are eligible for transfer per the Graduate School’s requirements. Also, MS students who would like to transfer credits must abide by the Graduate School’s time limit policy (Section 3.4 Time Limit). If you would like to transfer credits into your program, you should complete a transfer credit request form in your first semester. If you have any questions about transferring credits or the related policies, please contact the MAE Graduate Office.
- Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) program Transfer Credit
Students enrolled in the MS program as part of ABM program are not required to complete/submit a transfer credit form. Instead, the approved ABM Plan of Work allows ABM students to bypass the transfer credit form, and add the transfer credit to the Plan of Work in MyPack Portal. ABM double-counted courses are considered transfer credit, therefore these courses should be added to the Plan of Work as such.
Graduate Student Deadlines
The MAE Graduate Office will occasionally send out emails to your NC State email address, including reminders about deadlines as they arise. Please keep an eye on your email for important announcements such as these.
Graduate Student Job Opportunities and Events
The MAE Graduate Student Weekly, comes out every Monday in an email. It is an important newsletter with job opportunities, events, and academic opportunities for students.
Engineering Online & Distance Education
Distance Education (DE) is a general term that refers to any students at NC State who are in online programs. It can also refer directly to the online courses. DE programs are available in many areas of study such as communication, psychology, or engineering. Engineering Online (EOL) is a platform for Distance Education students who are enrolled in engineering programs. Engineering Online houses many engineering programs such as Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Computer Engineering. EOL also has their own certificate programs and professional development courses.
As a student in the online MS program in MAE, you will be considered a Distance Education (DE) student and you will use Engineering Online (EOL) as your platform.
How to Enroll in Courses
As a DE student in MAE at NC State, you will be registering for and taking classes through the EOL platform. To begin the registration process, please visit the EOL Enroll in Courses webpage.
Please follow the instructions provided by EOL to register for courses. Please note that MAE DE graduate students are limited to two courses per semester. You can select any of the MAE courses listed on the EOL Courses by Semester webpage. For more details on taking up to three approved non-MAE courses please see the Degree Requirements section below. For more detailed information on the way the program works, please visit the EOL Online Learning webpage.
As a first semester DE student, you should use our Suggested First Semester Course Listing to help select your courses. If you require advising before you connect with an advisor, please contact the MAE Graduate Office. Because you are a DE student, you should only take courses listed on the Engineering Online website, as these have been specifically selected by the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department for DE students. It is your responsibility to register for appropriate courses that fall within the requirements of your degree. Please review the course description and prerequisites closely before enrolling in a course. If you have any questions concerning course enrollment you should contact the MAE Graduate Office before you enroll in the course.
Please visit the NC State Enrollment Calendar to review when enrollment opens for your admission semester. If we are beyond the open enrollment date, your advising hold should have already been lifted. If you are being notified that you have an advising hold on your account when you attempt to register, please contact the MAE Graduate Office to have the hold released.
Exams and Proctors
You will be required to nominate a proctor to administer your exams. This does not have to be done immediately but should be done within the first two weeks of the semester. To learn more about the Engineering Online exam procedure, please visit the EOL Exams and Homework webpage.
If you have any questions or concerns about the exam and proctor process, you can contact our Exam Coordinator, Lisa Jessick:
Lisa Jessick, Exam Coordinator
College of Engineering – Engineering Online
246A Page Hall, NCSU
Box 7547, Raleigh, NC 27695-7547
Local Phone: 919.515.3693
Fax: 919.515.8415
E-mail: lisa_jessick@ncsu.edu
Exam E-mail: exams_eol@ncsu.edu
Advisors
The MAE Graduate Office is the advising resource for MAE distance education graduate students– it is comprised of the Director of Graduate Programs, the Graduate Programs Director, and the Graduate Program Assistant. Visit the MAE Graduate Advising contact information.
The Director of Graduate Programs (DGP) serves as your Academic Advisor, while the MAE Graduate Office staff are available to answer general graduate program questions and receive official forms from students for processing.
Distance Education students typically complete MAE 586 Course in Project Work during their final semester. Although you will be assigned a project advisor for this course, the DGP will remain your academic advisor.
Plan of Work
The Graduate Plan of Work is a document that serves both as a guide to successful degree completion and a contract between students and their programs. In this way, it serves to reduce the potential for misunderstandings about degree requirements and outlines the expected academic progress students should make. It is especially helpful when it is evaluated on at least an annual basis by students with their advisor(s), and, where applicable, their advisory committees, with any needed modifications recorded at that time. It should be viewed as a “living document” that reflects changes that may occur as students continue to develop and refine their academic programs. As such, you will be expected to complete and submit your plan of work before the end of your second semester you are enrolled.
Committee: Your Faculty Advisor (Director of Graduate Programs) will serve as the Chair of your Advisory Committee on your plan of work. For more information, you can review the MAE MS Student Guide.
Degree Requirements
There are two main documents that will help you understand your MS degree program and the degree requirements:
As DE student, you will automatically be a non-thesis MS student and your degree requirements are as follows:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Graded Courses: You must have a minimum of 27 credits from graded courses
- Up to 3 courses (9 credits) can be from non-MAE courses approved by your advisor
- Project Work Credits: You must have 3 credits of MAE 586
- Total Credits Required: 30
GE ‘A’ Courses: If you are a GE Edison Scholar, your two ‘A’ courses will count toward your degree requirements. One will count as an MAE course and one will count as a non-MAE course which means, after your A courses, you have only 2 approved non-MAE courses left.
Time Limit Policy: Many DE students attend the program part-time but please be aware that this does not extend the 6-year MS degree time limit. For more information please review this policy in the Graduate School Handbook (Section 3.4 Time Limit).
Transcripts
Please make sure that you have sent the Graduate School official transcripts of all coursework taken and all degrees awarded at any institution of higher learning that you have attended. If you are currently enrolled at such an institution, upon completion of your program there, you should ask the registrar to send the Graduate School an updated official transcript covering all work completed and a statement of any degree awarded, including the date awarded. All transcripts should be submitted prior to your enrollment at NC State. If they are not on file with the Graduate School by the end of your first semester here, you will not be permitted to register for your second semester.
Transfer Credit
MS students can transfer up to 12 credits of related graduate-level work with grades of B or better (not B-) if the credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements. Students who are interested in transferring credits toward their MS degree should make sure that their credits are eligible for transfer per the Graduate School’s requirements. Also, MS students who would like to transfer credits must abide by the Graduate School’s time limit policy (Section 3.4 Time Limit). If you would like to transfer credits into your program, you should complete a transfer credit request form in your first semester. If you have any questions about transferring credits or the related policies, please contact the MAE Graduate Office.
Graduate Student Deadlines
The MAE Graduate Office will occasionally send out emails to your NC State email address, including reminders about deadlines as they arise. Please keep an eye on your email for important announcements such as these. Distance Education students are welcome to attend all on-campus events.
Graduate Student Job Opportunities and Events
The MAE Graduate Student Weekly, comes out every Monday in an email. It is an important newsletter with job opportunities, events, and academic opportunities for students.
Helpful Links for DE
Getting Started with Online Courses:
Virtual Orientation – NC State orientation designed specifically for online and distance education students
Engineering Online Student Resources – including how to register for classes, testing procedures, how to choose a proctor, etc
Testing Services – explains how to take proctored tests on campus or remotely
How to Enroll in Courses
Please visit the NC State Enrollment Calendar to review when enrollment opens for your admission semester. If we are beyond the open enrollment date, your advising hold should have already been lifted. If you are being notified that you have an advising hold on your account when you attempt to register, please contact the MAE Graduate Office to have the hold released. Additional important information regarding registration is available on the Student Services Registering for Classes webpage.
As a first semester MAE student you should use our Suggested First Semester Course Listing to help select your courses. If you require advising before you connect with an advisor, please contact the MAE Graduate Office. It is your responsibility to register for appropriate courses that fall within the requirements of your degree. Please review the course description and prerequisites closely before enrolling in a course.
Please keep in mind, Engineering Online courses– 6## course sections, are reserved for Engineering Online distance education (DE) students only. On-campus students cannot register for Engineering Online course sections using the Enrollment Wizard.
If you have any questions concerning course enrollment you should contact the MAE Graduate Office, before you enroll in a course.
MAE 801 Seminar Course
MAE 801 (Mechanical Engineering Seminar) is a required course starting in the first semester, for all PhD students. Students must attend 5 seminars a semester.
Advisors
Our program does not assign advisors to students. It is the responsibility of the student to connect with an advisor. Your advisor will function as your Committee Chairperson on your plan of work. Your advisor will also work with you to complete your dissertation. You should look for a faculty member to serve as an advisor to your proposed project by going to our Research webpage. Through this link, you will find faculty whose interests overlap with your own. Discuss your proposal with the faculty and ask one of them if they would work with you. If you are unable to select an advisor, the Director of the Graduate Program will help you secure an advisor. Please contact the MAE Graduate Office if you need assistance with securing an advisor.
Plan of Work
The Graduate Plan of Work is a document that serves both as a guide to successful degree completion and a contract between students and their programs. In this way, it serves to reduce the potential for misunderstandings about degree requirements and outlines the expected academic progress students should make. It is especially helpful when it is evaluated on at least an annual basis by students with their advisor(s), and, where applicable, their advisory committees, with any needed modifications recorded at that time. It should be viewed as a “living document” that reflects changes that may occur as students continue to develop and refine their academic programs.
As such, you will be expected to fill out your plan of work in your first semester, however, you will not ‘submit for approval’ until after you know your advisor and committee members. For PhD students, you should know your committee members by your third semester when you take your Qualifying Exam; however, you are not required to submit your plan of work until you go to schedule your Preliminary Exam. For more information, you can review your program student guide and requirement documents in the next section.
Degree Requirements
There are three main documents that will help you understand your PhD degree program and the degree requirements:
Transcripts
Please make sure that you have sent the Graduate School official transcripts of all coursework taken and all degrees awarded at any institution of higher learning that you have attended. If you are currently enrolled at such an institution, upon completion of your program there, you should ask the registrar to send the Graduate School an updated official transcript covering all work completed and a statement of any degree awarded, including the date awarded. All transcripts should be submitted prior to your enrollment at NC State. If they are not on file with the Graduate School by the end of your first semester here, you will not be permitted to register for your second semester.
Transfer Credits: PhD students can transfer credits into the program Please review the information below:
- If you do not have a previous MS, you can transfer up to 12 credits of related graduate-level work with grades of B or better (not B-) if they were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements. Students who are interested in transferring credits toward their PhD degree should make sure that their credits are eligible for transfer per the Graduate School’s requirements.
- If you would like to transfer these credits into your program, you should complete a transfer credit request form in your first semester.
- If you have a previous MS from a different institution, 18 credits will automatically transfer from your MS when you complete your plan of work.
- You do not have to complete a form to transfer these credits.
- If you have a previous MS from NC State and have not taken a break between MS and PhD, 30 of your MS credits will transfer to your PhD when you complete your plan of work.
- You do not have to complete a form to transfer these credits.
- If you have a previous MS from NC State and have taken a break between MS and PhD, 18 of your MS credits will transfer to your PhD when you complete your plan of work.
- You do not have to complete a form to transfer these credits.
Graduate Student Deadlines
The MAE Graduate Office will occasionally send out emails to your NC State email address, including reminders about deadlines as they arise. Please keep an eye on your email for important announcements such as these.
Graduate Student Job Opportunities and Events
The MAE Graduate Student Weekly, comes out every Monday in an email. It is an important newsletter with job opportunities, events, and academic opportunities for students.
Below are some links and resources we hope you will find helpful during your time as a student at NC State.
Getting Started at NC State as a Graduate Student:
New Graduate Student Survival Guide
Graduate Student Health Services (GSSP)
New Graduate Student Resources – from the Graduate Student Association
Graduate Student Pre-Arrival Guide – all graduate students may find the last page helpful, which includes a list of resources at NC State and throughout Raleigh.
General NC State Info:
Think and Do the Extraordinary – NC State’s campus-wide campaign
NCSU Campus Map
Wolfalert & Campus Emergency Information
Main Campus Virtual Tour
Diversity at NC State
Office of International Services
Local News – WRAL – WRAL is the main news network for Raleigh, and their headquarters is based on Western Blvd across from NC State’s Main Campus
Centennial Campus:
Centennial Campus – the MAE program is primarily located in Engineering Building III (also called “EB3” or “EBIII”) on Centennial Campus
Centennial Campus Interactive Map – includes dining, bus stops, parking, etc
Centennial Campus Virtual Tour
Centennial Campus Food Truck Calendar – food trucks stop at Centennial Campus almost every weekday and can offer some variety to the other dining options on campus
Student Life:
Campus Life General Info
NCSU Housing – as a Graduate Student you are not required to live on campus. This link also includes information about NC State apartments and villages.
NCSU Dining
NCSU Dining Locations – including dining on Centennial Campus
NCSU Dining Sustainability Programs
Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity – OIED includes Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), the Women’s Center, the African American Cultural Center, the GLBT Center, as well as other resources
Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Spaces – this list is provided by the OIED and includes spaces on Centennial Campus in EB2
MAE Departmental Student Organizations – this list includes organizations for graduate students, undergraduate students, and both together
NCSU Graduate Student Association
NCSU American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) – more information about ASME can be found here
Health & Wellness:
NCSU Health Services
NCSU Counseling Center
NCSU Counseling Center on Centennial Campus (appointments only)
NCSU Recreation
NCSU Recreation Facilities – including those on Centennial Campus. If you are a full-time, on-campus student you are also automatically permitted to use the main recreation facility Carmichael Complex (located on Main Campus).
Things To Do:
NCSU Athletics
NCSU Athletics Student Tickets
Music, Theater, Art, and Dance Performances
Get Involved with NC State Sustainability Initiatives