University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

Master of Science in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering

I.       Program description

Master of Science in Engineering

Admission: Applicants should have completed their undergraduate work in an accredited program and earned a B.S.E. or equivalent degree.

Minimum Number of Credits Required: 30 credit hours. 

◆ Degree Options: 

◇ Coursework

◇ 12 hours of ME 500 level courses or above

◇ 6 hours ME 400 level courses or above

◇ 6 hours Math courses

◇ 6 hours cognate courses

◆ Thesis, Research Project, or Industrial Research: Research will be requested of student if financial support is offered.

◇ 12 hours of ME 500 level courses or above

◇ 6 hours Math courses

◇ 12 hours will vary depending on degree option selected

◆ Areas of Research

• Combustion and Heat Transfer

• Design and Manufacturing

• Dynamics and Vibrations

• MEMS/Microelectrical Systems

• Fluid Mechanics

• Systems and Controls

• Materials and Solid Mechanics

• Bioengineering

II.    Deadline

Application Deadlines

◆ Fall Term (September) à May 1 (January 5 for financial aid consideration)

◆ Winter Term (January) àOctober 1

(From: How to Apply. PDF)

III. Admission requirement 

◆ Applicants to our master's programs usually hold a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with a grade point average of > 3.4 in their undergraduate studies, and GRE scores >80th percentile. We also encourage applications from students with undergraduate education in a related scientific subject and from industry engineers seeking further educational training. Please note that applicants to the MSE program are now required to submit at a very minimum only two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member. At this point, departmental fellowships are not offered to MSE applicants.

◆ There are no specific minimums, but we are generally looking for students who are strong in at least three of the four areas below:

1. Average GPA in the 3.2-3.5 range on a scale of 4.0

2. GRE scores in the 80-90th percentile (The GRE is a standard requirement for all applicants)

3. Letters of recommendation

4. Statement of purpose

5. International students must also take the TOEFL, IELTS or the MELAB. (Applicants who have earned a degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English exclusively are exempt.)

◆ I want to apply on-line; do I need to apply to the " University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School ," or should I apply to the College of Engineering ? à You MUST apply using the Rackham Graduate School link. Do not use the College of Engineering link. The Mechanical Engineering program is a Rackham Graduate School program - NOT a College of Engineering program.

◆ In addition to the Statement of Purpose and the Personal Statement, should I also submit my resume/curriculum vitaes/publications, etc.? à We do NOT require that you submit any additional information other than the two writing samples (Academic Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement). Therefore, you may skip Page 7 in the online application. However, if you wish, you may list briefly your publications, additional school or employment information, or any other information that you consider important to your application on Page 8 of the online application.

◆ What is the minimum TOEFL requirement? à On the Paper-Pencil TOEFL, the minimum score is 560. On the Computer-Based TOEFL, the minimum score is 220. On the Internet-Based TOEFL, the minimum score is 106.

◆ How should I send my letters of recommendation? à We prefer that all your letters of recommendation be submitted electronically. Please follow the instructions on the Rackham online application to submit the names of your recommenders, who will in turn receive an e-mail notification that will prompt them to submit their letter directly online on your behalf. This is the most efficient and preferred method of submitting letters.

◆ I am an international applicant. Do I need to have all of my transcripts, diplomas and certificates translated? à Yes, everything must be translated, and both the originals and translations must be mailed in.

◆ Do I need to submit an Affidavit of Financial Support or any finanical documentation? à No, you do not need to submit any financial documents at the time of application. However, if you are offered admission, Rackham School of Graduate Studies will contact you with a request to provide this information at a later date.

◆ What type of academic records/transcripts to submit if you attended an undergraduate or postgraduate institution in the United States à You must provide 2 sets of official final undergraduate and or graduate transcript ts, with your degree posted. Official documents must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Use our Department Information Guide to navigate to the graduate program's website for details on how to submit your official documents. It is your responsibility to request the release of any such records from the institutions involved.

◆ The fee for United States Citizens and those with permanent resident visa status is $60. The fee for non-U.S. citizens is $75. This fee is non-refundable and subject to change.

IV. Process & Mailing Address

◆ Submit Online:

• Application form (https://apply.embark.com/Grad/UMich/Rackham/ProgramA/36/)

• Letters of Recommendation – a minimum of 2 for Masters; 3 for Ph.D.

• Statement of Purpose (Academic)

• Personal Statement

V.    SOP/ESSAY/WRITING SAMPLE

◆ What should I include in the Statement of Purpose? à This is a chance for you to show the admissions committee who you are. You will want to talk about your engineering experiences, your motivation for pursuing a higher degree, your long-term goals, as well as your specific interests.

◆ What should I include in the Personal Statement? à How have your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan ? This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.

http://me.engin.umich.edu/prospective/graduate/faqs.shtml

VI. Additional note for Int’l Applicant

VII.  OTHER

You are required to certify the availability of $49,440 for your expenses for the first year only, and indicate source(s) of funding for subsequent years. Estimated Student Expenses 2007-2008 (Fall 2007 and Winter 2008 terms only - September 2007 through April 20