Academics / Graduate Study / Student ResourcesMaster's Curriculum
The MS program has two options: the thesis option and the non-thesis option for terminal MS degree. In addition, MS students may choose an area of specialization:
- MS specializing in advanced manufacturing
- MS specializing in aerospace engineering
- MS specializing in energy and sustainability
- MS specializing in simulation-driven engineering (SDE)
- MS specializing in robotics and control
- MS specializing in nanotechnology
- MS specializing in biology and bio-inspired engineering
A separate professional master's degree program is available through the Segal Design Institute:
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- Breadth Requirement
- Energy & Sustainability Specialization Breadth Requirement
- Thesis Option Requirements
- Non-thesis Option Requirements
Breadth Requirement
Thesis or non-thesis MS students must take at least one course from four of the eight subareas: solids, fluids/thermodynamics/energy, dynamics/controls, design/manufacturing/tribology, MEMS/nanotechnology, biomedical/biology, mathematics/sciences, and engineering management.
See the Breadth Requirements - Acceptable Courses list at https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/mechanical/documents/graduate/forms/me-graduate-handbook
Please note: Not all courses are offered every year. Check the mechanical engineering course catalog for current offerings.
Energy & Sustainability Specialization Breadth Requirement
Thesis or non-thesis MS students participating in the Energy & Sustainability specialization must take ISEN 410 plus one course from each of the four topical areas: energy, environment, core principles of energy systems, and economics and policy. See https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/mechanical/documents/graduate/ms-flyers/ms-energy-flyer.pdf
Please note: Not all courses are offered every year. Check the mechanical engineering course catalog for current offerings.
Thesis Option Requirements
Courses
Nine course units are required, excluding research project units (ME 590).
Breadth
Courses are listed at https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/mechanical/documents/graduate/forms/me-graduate-handbook
Thesis Option Requirements
Courses
Nine course units are required, excluding research project units (ME 590).
Breadth
Courses are listed above.
Level
A minimum of five course units (excluding ME 590 research units) must be 400-level or above. All courses must be for graduate credit (as determined by selecting, “The Graduate School” as career option in Caesar course search). In addition, all courses must be from a department in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science or be on the list of Energy & Sustainability courses.
ME Courses (except for Energy & Sustainability specialization)
A minimum of five course units (excluding research units) must be ME courses or CE mechanics courses.
Seminar
Registration and regular attendance for the non-credit ME512 Seminar is required for all quarters.
Study Plan
There are no advisor holds for the registration process. Thus, the students are free to choose courses that accommodate individual needs, talents, and interests while satisfying the basic degree requirements. Students are encouraged to talk with the MS Program Director for any questions or consultation. Note that if you register for four units in any given quarter the tuition will be charged only for three units. That is a 25% savings in tuition for that quarter.
Students are encouraged to plan their schedules in the Graduate Student Tracking System (GSTS).
Research
Three credit units of ME 590 are required in which a suitable thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor must be completed and defended.
Residency
Three quarters of full-time registration (three to four courses or project units per quarter) are required.
Minimum GPA
The Graduate School requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 computed over all graded courses taken while in the program in order to earn a MS degree. The Graduate School requires ME 590 units to be taken on a pass/no pass basis, so they do not factor into the GPA.
Master's Thesis and Examination
The mechanical engineering department requires a written thesis to be approved at a final examination. The final examination shall include a presentation by the student of the thesis material and examination by the examining committee. The Examining Committee is comprised of at least two full-time members of the Northwestern University faculty, and at lease one of them must also be a member of the graduate faculty.
Coursework and core courses must be filled out on the ME / MS Degree Requirement form, signed by their adviser and by the graduate studies chair. This form must be presented at the time of final examination. Upon successful completion of the final examination, the examining committee signs the Report of Committee on Examination of Candidate for a Master's Degree, which is then submitted to The Graduate School.
MS Thesis
The thesis should be based on original research that is of publishable quality and should have a quantity of material equivalent to at least one journal paper. It should be prepared according to The Graduate School format for PhD dissertations.
An application for degree must be submitted to The Graduate School by the relevant published deadline for graduation in a specific quarter (June [spring], August [summer], December [fall], or March [winter]).
Non-Thesis Option Requirements
Courses
Eleven course units plus one project unit are required.
Breadth
Courses are listed above.
Level
A minimum of five course units (excluding ME 590 research units) must be 400-level or above. All courses must be for graduate credit (as determined by selecting, “The Graduate School” as career option in Caesar course search). In addition, all courses must be from a department in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science or be on the list of Energy & Sustainability courses.
ME courses
A minimum of seven course units (excluding project units) must be ME courses, or CE mechanics courses, or "ME core courses" for the Energy and Sustainability specialization.
Seminar
Regular attendance for the non-credit ME512 Seminar is strongly encouraged for all quarters.
Approval
Students must obtain approval from ME Assistant Chair or the Graduate Studies Chair for all courses before registration.
Project
One credit unit of ME 499 or an approved project course is required in which a suitable research project under the direction of a faculty adviser must be completed.
Minimum GPA
The Graduate School requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 computed over all graded courses taken while in the program in order to earn a MS degree.
An application for degree must be submitted to The Graduate School by the relevant published deadline for graduation in a specific quarter (June [spring], August [summer], December [fall], or March [winter]).