Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Programs

Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering

Program Description

The Mechanical Engineering Department offers the Master of Science and Master of Engineering degrees for those students wanting to pursue an advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Applicants to the program are expected to hold a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Applicants with a B.S. degree in a related Engineering or Science field will be considered, however, these applicants must demonstrate competence in mathematics and the basic undergraduate mechanics offered in a typical mechanical engineering curriculum, such as differential equations, thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, and engineering dynamics.

The Master of Science degree requires the completion and defense of a thesis, while the Master of Engineering degree is coursework based.

Program Outcomes

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Tech will produce Masters degree graduates who are independent thinkers, taking ownership in identifying problems and determining effective solution strategies in a timely manner. Following working experience after graduation, they will:

Be employed successfully in government laboratories, graduate schools, industry, or other areas of the profession.
Have an understanding of the importance of lifelong learning such that they seek personal and professional growth.
Have achieved a noteworthy level of workplace responsibility.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in the graduate specialization of their degree (explosives, mechatronics, fluid/thermal sciences, solid mechanics, or general mechanical engineering).
Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency with written communication
Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency with oral communication.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 30 credit hours is required for the Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical Engineering or Master of Engineering (M.Eng) in Mechanical Engineering.

Core Specialization Courses: at least 12 credit hours from the selected specialization listed below:

Specialization in Explosives Engineering core classes:

MENG 545, Introduction to Explosives Engineering;
MENG 546, Detonation Theory;
MENG 549, Wave Propagation;
MENG 550, Advanced Explosives Engineering;
MENG 556, Compressible Fluid Flow;
MENG 513, Impact Dynamics;

Specialization in Fluid and Thermal Sciences core classes:

MENG 556, Compressible Fluid Flow;
MENG 575, Advanced Engineering Mathematics;
MENG 577, Advanced Fluid Mechanics;
MENG 578, Advanced Thermodynamics;
MENG 579, Advanced Heat Transfer;
MENG 580, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Reactive Flow.

Specialization in Mechatronics Systems and Robotics core classes:

MENG 541, Vibrations in Elastic Continuum;
MENG 544/EE 544, Modern Control Theory;
MENG 548/EE 548, Manipulator Based Robotics;
MENG 551, Optimal Control;
MENG 572, Sensor Technology;
MENG 575, Advanced Engineering Mathematics;
MENG 576, Biomedical Mechatronics.

Specialization in Solid Mechanics core classes:

MENG 504, Advanced Mechanics of Materials;
MENG 515, Theory of Elasticity;
MENG 516, Plates and Shells;
MENG 517, Advanced Finite Element Method;
MENG 520, Fracture Mechanics;
MENG 524, Continuum Mechanics;
MENG 541, Vibration in an Elastic Continuum;
MENG 583, Engineering Mechanics of Composite Structures.

Elective Courses: 6 (MS) or 12 (M.Eng) credit hours of graduate-level MENG courses. The advisory committee may allow for a maximum of 3 credits of out‐of‐department graduate level coursework hours to apply to the elective course requirement.

Out‐of‐Department courses: 6 credit hours of approved upper‐division or graduate course work from another department.

(The advisory committee may determine that a student’s previous academic experience has provided breadth and may recommend modification of this requirement.)

MENG 591, Thesis (6 credit hours, MS only): A student must prepare and submit a thesis to his/her advisory committee for approval in accordance with the general requirements of the graduate school.

Specialization Options

There are currently four areas of specialization for the MS in Mechanical Engineering degree:

Specialization in Explosives Engineering
Specialization in Fluid and Thermal Sciences
Specialization in Mechatronics Systems Engineering
Specialization in Solid Mechanics

Distance Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering with Dissertation in Intelligent Energetic Systems

Program Description

The Mechanical Engineering Department administers the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering with Dissertation in Intelligent Energetic Systems for those students wanting to pursue a doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering. This degree program allows students to focus their studies on the intersection of explosives/energetics and smart systems engineering. Graduates of the program often seek employment within the defense, energy, and aerospace industries, and develop into research & development leaders in these fields. Applicants to the program are expected to hold a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Applicants with a BS degree in a related Engineering or Science field will be considered, however, these applicants must demonstrate competence in mathematics and the basic undergraduate mechanics offered in a typical mechanical engineering curriculum, such as differential equations, thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, and engineering dynamics.

Program Outcomes

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Tech will produce Masters of Science graduates who are independent thinkers, taking ownership in identifying problems and determining effective solution strategies in a timely manner. Following working experience after graduation, they will:

Be employed successfully in government laboratories, graduate schools, industry, or other areas of the profession.
Have an understanding of the importance of lifelong learning such that they seek personal and professional growth.
Have achieved a noteworthy level of workplace responsibility.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in the graduate specialization of intelligent energetic systems.
Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency with written communication
Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency with oral communication.

Program Requirements

Core Specialization Courses: 27 credit hours (9 credit hours from each core segment):

Energetics Core Segment:

MENG 545 Introduction to Explosives Engineering,
MENG 546 Detonation Theory,
MENG 549 Wave Propagation,
MENG 550 Advanced Explosives Engineering,
MENG 552 Explosives Technology and Applications,
MENG 589 Impact Dynamics,
ME 548 Rock Fracturing and Fragmentation by Explosives,
CHEM 540 The Chemistry of Energetic Materials.

Intelligent Systems Core Segment:

MENG 544 Modern Control Theory,
MENG 548 Manipulator based Robotics,
MENG 567 Smart Engineering Systems,
MENG 570 Advanced Mechatronics,
MENG 572 Sensor Technology,
MENG 574 Electrical Measurements of Non-Electrical Quantities,
EE 551 Discrete-Time Signal Processing, Filtering, and Estimation,
CSE 568 Intelligent Systems

Fundamental Science and Engineering Core Segment:

MENG 515 Theory of Elasticity,
MENG 575 Advanced Engineering Mathematics,
MENG 577 Advanced Fluid Mechanics,
MENG 578 Advanced Thermodynamics,
MENG 579 Advanced Heat Transfer,
MATE 530 Design and Analysis of Experiments,
PHYS 509 Methods of Theoretical Physics.

Elective Courses: 9 credit hours of elective courses as approved by the graduate advisory committee.

Out-of-Department Courses: 6 credit hours of approved upper-division or graduate course work from another department. The advisory committee may determine that a student's previous academic experience has provided breadth and may recommend modification of this requirement.

Directed Study: A maximum of 9 credit hours of Directed Study can be used to satisfy degree requirements. Coursework must be taken for a letter grade if used to fulfill degree requirements.

Dissertation Research: 24 credit hours. A student must prepare and submit a PhD Dissertation to his/her advisory committee for approval in accordance with the general requirements of the graduate school.

Graduate Seminar: Students must take MENG 585, Graduate Seminar, each semester offered if the student is in residence. Distance‐education and part-time students are required to take three semesters of MENG 585. Three credits of MENG 585 may be used to fulfill degree requirements. MENG 585 must be taken for a letter grade if used to fulfill degree requirements.

Students holding the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (or closely related discipline) may petition to have the coursework requirements reduced to a minimum of 48 hours beyond the Master’s degree.

In addition to coursework requirements, students are required to pass a qualifying and candidacy examinations. Students must also successfully present and defend their dissertation, and publish dissertation research in a peer-reviewed journal.