The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers programs of study leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering. Graduate students will have the opportunity to work closely with internationally recognized faculty members on research at the leading edge of technology in fields such as: Aerospace technology through the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and EPSCoR programs. Research awards are competitive and often involve working with NASA on research methods for future NASA missions. Next generation manufacturing through the Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing. The ISM seeks to create products, processes and systems designed to significantly enhance manufacturing productivity, efficiency and quality – pioneering new manufacturing standards which respect the planet’s resources. Energy and environmental solutions through the Institute of Research for Technological Development (IR4TD). Areas of study include experimental combustion studies, fire research, painting technology research, lean manufacturing systems and scale modeling in engineering. The Power and Energy Institute of Kentucky (PEIK) was created to broaden power and energy education programs at the University of Kentucky through development of new courses and undergraduate and graduate certificate programs, as well as offering professional development/continuing education programs to current engineers who require additional education to address current power and energy issues. Admission to the mechanical engineering graduate programs normally requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering (not necessarily in mechanical engineering), a GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 on all graduate and undergraduate work, Graduate Record Examination scores of at least 310 (Verbal + Quantitative and at least 160 on the quantitative section) and 3.5 (Analytical), and Test of English as a Second Language scores of 550 (paper-based) / 213 (computer-based) / 80 (Internet-based). An undergraduate degree in chemistry or physics combined with a strong interest in engineering topics may be acceptable when certain required undergraduate courses are also taken. Satisfying the above requirements does not guarantee admission to the mechanical engineering graduate program. The master’s degree requires 24 credit hours of course work and a thesis (Plan A). A non-thesis option (Plan B) consisting of 30 credit hours is available with admission and enrollment limited to those students with acceptable previous research or design experience. Enrollment in the non-thesis option requires approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and must be requested within the student’s first 9 credit hours of graduate course work.

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