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Ms Program
MS in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
The course work and optional thesis leading to the Master of Science in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics prepares students for research-and-development positions in industry and government, and for further graduate study at the doctoral level.
Degree Requirements
Candidates for the Master of Science degree must complete either 32 hours of credit including a thesis (usually 8 hours), or 36 hours of credit without a thesis. Most graduate courses carry either 3 or 4 hours of credit. Whether or not a thesis is written is a decision made by the student in consultation with the student's adviser; students are expected to write a master's thesis or research paper if they intend to pursue the doctorate in TAM.
Students on an assistantship can usually complete the requirements for a master's degree in three semesters following the bachelor's degree.
Course Selection
The student has great flexibility in the choice of a program for the Master of Science degree. There is no typical program because students vary widely in their interests. Guidelines are provided for students intending to pursue the doctorate, however. A diagnostic interview is held with the student before the first semester of classes to assist the student in the selection of course work.
At least 12 of the hours used for the master's degree must be at the 500 level and at least 8 of these 500-level hours must be in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Altogether, at least 16 hours must be in TAM. The student is required to register for 1 hour of credit in TAM 500 each semester and to maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (out of 4.0) throughout graduate study.
Students intending to pursue the doctorate should include the following four core courses in their master's program:
- TAM 541—Mathematical Methods I
- TAM 542—Mathematical Methods II
- TAM 531—Inviscid Flow or TAM 532—Viscous Flow
- TAM 551—Solid Mechanics I
Non-thesis Option
Thirty-six hours of course work are required if the student elects not to write a master's thesis. The course work may contain individual-study and special-topics courses (TAM 597 and TAM 598), but not thesis hours (TAM 599).
Thesis Option
Thirty-two hours of course work are required if the student elects to write a master's thesis, and up to eight of these hours may be thesis hours (TAM 599). Only 4 hours of thesis credit can be counted among the required 12 hours at the 500 level and among the required 16 hours in TAM.
Minor in Computational Science and Engineering
The Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering is one of several College of Engineering departments participating in an interdisciplinary program in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE). By taking suitable additional course work in CSE, TAM master's students can fulfill the requirements for a minor in Computational Science and Engineering.
