Graduate Student Handbook - Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Student HandbookDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaNovember 2019
Table of ContentsI. INTRODUCTION .1II. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS .1III. DEADLINES.3IV. GENERAL INFORMATION.3A. The University of Alabama .3B. The Department of Mechanical Engineering .4C. Assistantships, Financial Aid, and Fellowships .4D. Graduate Courses .5E. Academic Misconduct .6F. Grades and Academic Standing .7G. Office Space .7H. Email and Department Mailboxes .7I. Assessment of the Department Graduate Program .8J. Seminar .8V. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MSME DEGREE.9A. Degree Requirements .9B. Committees .10C. Transfer Credit .11D. Comprehensive Examination .11E. Thesis .12F. Necessary Paperwork & Deadlines .12G. Time Limits .13VI. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PhD DEGREE .13A. Degree Requirements .13B. Committee .14C. Transfer Credit .14D. Plan of Study .15E. Residence Requirements .15F. Dissertation Research Proposal .15G. Comprehensive Qualifying Examination .15H. Candidacy and Continuous Registration .16I. Dissertation and Final Examination .16J. Necessary Paperwork & Deadlines .16K. Time Limits .17APPENDEXES .18A. Undergraduate Course Requirements for Non-ME Graduates .18B. Guide for Math Courses for Master’s Students .18C. Departmental Disciplinary Groups and Research Thrust Areas .21D. Portfolio Sample and Graduate Assessment Forms with Instructions .21
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaI. INTRODUCTIONWelcome to the graduate program in Mechanical Engineering (ME) at The University ofAlabama. You have embarked on an exciting journey. Advanced engineering study isintellectually stimulating and will prove to be a great asset in your career.We have prepared this handbook to help you navigate through program and degreerequirements and to supply you with additional information that we have found will helpyou be successful in your studies.In addition to this handbook, useful information may be found on the follow web sites: UA Graduate School (http://graduate.ua.edu/),Department of Mechanical Engineering (http://me.eng.ua.edu/), andUA Graduate Catalog (https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/)Note that the purpose of the Graduate Handbook is to give you a brief outline of variousprocedures and requirements needed to attain a graduate degree; however, the GraduateSchool and Mechanical Engineering Department sites are the definitive resources forgraduate procedures and policies. Note that in all cases, information on the UA GraduateSchool web site (http://graduate.ua.edu/) and policies in the graduate school catalog(https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/) take precedent over the information provided in thisdocument.When questions arise, you should first consult your major advisor. Your advisor is yourprimary advocate. The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Director will behappy to help with any questions that your advisor cannot answer.II. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTSMSME (On campus and Distance): For unconditional admission to the MSMEProgram, a prospective graduate student should have: a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field (Appendix A listsrequirements for those with non-ME degrees),a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, anda combined verbal and quantitative GRE requirement of 300 or greater.There is no minimum score on the writing section of the GRE for admission to theMSME Program. A short Statement of Purpose describing possible research/studyinterests and a Resume are also required. External applicants should submit three letters1
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Alabamaof recommendation. Applicants with 5 or more years of field-related work experiencemay contact the ME Graduate Program Director to inquire about a GRE waiver request.All international applicants must submit TOEFL scores of 580 (229 computerized test,92 ibt) or higher.Accelerated Masters ProgramCurrent Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics(AEM) undergraduate students at The University of Alabama with a 3.3 or higher GPAand 90 or more hours of undergraduate course credit are eligible to apply for theAccelerated Masters Program (AMP). AMP allows undergraduate students tosimultaneously count up to 9 hours of graduate coursework toward both theundergraduate and graduate degrees. The GRE admissions test and recommendationletters requirements are automatically waived for AMP applicants. AMP is alsoavailable to distance students currently enrolled in our undergraduate program.PhD: For admission to the PhD Program, a prospective graduate student should have: a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering,a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (see Appendix A for non-MEdegree requirements),a grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, anda combined verbal and quantitative GRE requirement of 300 or greater.or There is no minimum score on the writing section of the GRE for admission to the PhDProgram. The GRE requirement is automatically waived for those applicants holding anMSME degree. BSME applicants with 5 or more years of field-related work experiencemay contact the ME Graduate Program Director to inquire about a GRE waiver request.A short Statement of Purpose describing possible research/study interests and a Resumeare required for each application. External applicants should also submit three letters ofrecommendation.All international applicants must submit TOEFL scores of 580 (229 computerized test,92 ibt) or higher.Current MSME students with a grade point average of at least 3.5 on 4.0 scale and 9 ormore graduate credit hours may also apply for admission to the PhD program with therecommendation of his or her major advisor.2
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaAccelerated Masters Program – PhD OptionCurrent Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics(AEM) undergraduate students at The University of Alabama with a 3.3 or higher GPAand 90 or more hours of undergraduate course credit are eligible to apply for the PhDprogram as part of the Accelerated Masters Program (AMP). AMP allows undergraduatestudents to simultaneously count up to 9 hours of graduate coursework toward both theundergraduate and graduate degrees. The GRE admissions test and recommendationletters requirements are automatically waived for AMP applicants. AMP is alsoavailable to distance students currently enrolled in our undergraduate program.III. DEADLINESThere are no formal deadlines for graduate applications. Once an application iscomplete, the internal review process typically only takes a few days. However,international applicants should consider the time required to obtain any necessary traveldocuments. Only after the student has been accepted and the University has provided theappropriate paperwork can an applicant then apply with their country of origin for thesetravel documents. Some countries take between two and six months, depending on thecountry of origin, to then provide the appropriate travel documents. Students mustcomplete this process and arrive on campus prior to the first day of class. All of thesesteps should be considered by international students when planning to apply.IV. GENERAL INFORMATIONA. The University of AlabamaThe University of Alabama was established in 1831. The University has an outstandingacademic reputation and consistently ranks in the top 50 public comprehensiveuniversities by US News and World Report. The current enrollment is over 38,000students with approximately 5,000 of those in graduate programs and around 6,000students enrolled in an engineering degree program. The approximately 2000-acrecampus surrounds a large main quadrangle with broad lawns, majestic trees, and shadedwalkways. In addition to the nationally renowned athletic programs, the University andthe Tuscaloosa community offer a wide range of cultural activities in theater, art, music,and other creative opportunities. The Tuscaloosa community offers a myriad ofrecreation and entertainment options with numerous parks, golf courses, galleries,museums, and an active night life with renowned sports bars, restaurants, and night clubs.The Black Warrior River and nearby Lake Tuscaloosa also provide opportunities forwater recreation.3
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaB. The Department of Mechanical EngineeringApproximately 1,700 undergraduates and over 100 graduate students are enrolled inmechanical engineering at The University of Alabama. Currently, there are 30mechanical engineering faculty members. The department has active research programsin Dynamic Systems & Control (DSC), ThermoFluids Science (TFS), and MaterialsProcessing & Manufacturing (MPM). Faculty teach graduate-level courses and conductresearch in thrust areas that include: automotive systems, robotics and human systems,automation and mechatronic systems, energy and building efficiency, internalcombustion engines, manufacturing systems, additive manufacturing, and materialsprocessing and modeling. Graduate courses in these areas, in addition to the general coregraduate courses, provide the foundation for earning a Master of Science (MSME) orDoctoral (PhD) degree in mechanical engineering. In addition to offering a thesis andnon-thesis master’s degree for the traditional on-campus student, the non-thesis master’sdegree is available as a distance degree through Bama By Distance. Individual facultymembers and their research and teaching interests are listed on the ME website,http://me.eng.ua.edu/people/.Students and faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have access to state ofthe art computational facilities and capabilities. On-campus assets include numerouscommercially available computational modeling software packages through the Collegeof Engineering server. In addition, high performance computing capabilities areaccessible through the University of Alabama’s Office of Information Technology (OIT).Additional information regarding the resources available from the OIT may be found athttp://oit.ua.edu/. High performance computing facilities are also available to UAstudents and faculty through the Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA). Informationregarding ASA resources and capabilities may be found at:http://www.asc.edu/supercomputing/index.shtmlC. Assistantships, Financial Aid, and FellowshipsMany unconditionally admitted full-time graduate students seek and receive some formof financial assistance in the form of a graduate assistantship. Assistantships generallyinclude a monthly stipend, tuition, and health insurance.Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) are awarded by individual professors withfunded research. Applicants should communicate directly with a faculty member in theapplicant’s area of study interest concerning the availability of GRA positions and apotential match. See Appendix C for information on faculty research areas.The ME Department offers Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) for studentsassisting faculty members with undergraduate courses and laboratories. GTA awards are4
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Alabamadetermined by the ME Department Head. A university-wide requirement for all GTAs isthat they should either have English as their native language or have successfullycompleted an English language proficiency course and passed an English languageproficiency exam administered by UA's English Language Institute(http://www.eli.ua.edu/). The English language proficiency exam and course processtypically required at least one semester. There are a very limited number of GTApositions each semester.MSME students supported by assistantships are expected to follow the Plan I ThesisOption, as described in the Graduate Catalog (https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/ ).Half-time assistants must register for at least six credit hours of graduate credit during thesemester. In addition, assistants are expected to perform 20 hours of work per week aspart of their position. Accepting an assistantship implies an obligation on the part of thestudent. Students supported by an assistantship are expected to fulfill their roles asstudents, meeting all academic requirements, as well as carrying out teaching and/orresearch assignments. Students who do not maintain good academic standing, as definedin the UA Graduate School, are not eligible for assistantships. Assistantships may also beterminated for unsatisfactory performance of the assigned research and/or teachingduties.Domestic students may be eligible for student loans and other financial aid and shouldvisit the UA Financial Aid Office website (http://financialaid.ua.edu/) to learn more aboutthese options.Additional support is available in the form of fellowships, available from the Universityand other funding agencies. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Graduate School andMechanical Engineering websites to learn more about these opportunities, applicationrequirements and deadlines. Some professional societies also offer assistance to newgraduate students. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply for fellowships like theNSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the DoD SMART Fellowship, the Alabama SpaceGrant Consortium Fellowship, and UA’s Graduate Council Fellowship. Note that mostof these have early application deadlines and some require interaction with a nominatingfaculty member.D. Graduate CoursesGraduate courses are those with numbers in the 500-level and 600-level. 500-levelcourses are intermediate-level courses and are often associated with MSME-level work.600-level courses are advanced-level courses and are often associated with PhD-levelwork. However, both MSME and PhD plans of study can contain both 500- and 600level courses. Graduate courses are listed in the Graduate g/mechanical/).5
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaCourses taken for graduate credit generally cannot be repeated. This includes auditedcourses. Required courses can be repeated for credit if the student makes a D or F gradewith the recommendation of the Department Head and the Dean of the Graduate School.Note that 400-level courses are generally not acceptable for graduate degreerequirements. However, there are strict exceptions to this rule as described in Section Fbelow.Undergraduate students enrolled in the Accelerated Masters Program may double count alimited number of graduate course hours as undergraduate electives. More informationabout his program is available on the Graduate School web site.E. Academic MisconductIt is important that students have a clear understanding of what level of group activity isallowable for each assignment. Students should be careful to cite references properlywhenever the literature, web, or any work of others is used. Penalties for academicmisconduct can range from a grade of zero on the particular assignment to expulsionfrom the University.The UA Undergraduate Catalog makes the following statement on academic misconduct.“Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academic or relatedmatter and any knowing or intentional help, attempt to help, or conspiracy to help,another student commit an act of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonestyincludes, but is not limited to, the following acts, when performed in any type ofacademic or academically related matter, exercise, or activity: Cheating: using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information,study aids, or computer-related informationPlagiarism: representing the words, data, works, ideas, computer programs oroutput, or anything not generated in an authorized fashion, as one's ownFabrication: presenting as genuine any invented or falsified citation ormaterialMisrepresentation: falsifying, altering, or misstating the contents ofdocuments or other materials related to academic matters, includingschedules, prerequisites, and transcripts”6
Graduate Student Handbook - Fall 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of AlabamaF. Grades and Academic StandingGrades in graduate courses are assigned on the A, B, C, D, F system. Plus and minusgrades are not used for graduate courses. A weighted grade point average (GPA) iscomputed using 4 points for A’s, 3 for B’s, 2 for C’s, 1 for D’s and 0 for F’s. In order tobe in good academic standing and to graduate, a student must maintain at least a Baverage (GPA 3.0). Graduate students with 12 or more credit hours and a GPA 3.0will be placed on academic warning and may not hold a graduate assistantship. Toremain in the program, students on academic warning must raise their GPA to 3.0 orbetter by the end of the semester f
graduate courses, provide the foundation for earning a Master of Science (MSME) or Doctoral (PhD) degree in mechanical engineering. In addition to offering a thesis and non-thesis master’s degree for the traditional on-campus student, the non-thesis master’s degree is available as a distance degree through Bama By Distance. Individual faculty
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers eight graduate degree programs: Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and Aerospace Engineering; Master of Engineering (M.E.—non-thesis) in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and
University of Northern Iowa Graduate Student Handbook Page 2 of 20. Dear Graduate Student, Unlock your Potential. Start your Future. Our Graduate Student Handbook is designed for you, our newest members of the UNI graduate community. You will find resources to help you start achieving before you even step on campus. The handbook will unlock some
Graduate Student Profile must be submitted by the end of a student's second week on campus to the Graduate Student Coordinator, who maintains profiles of MAE graduate students. This ensures the department has current contact information. An updated Graduate Student Profile form should be submitted to the Graduate Student Coordinator
UCF Graduate Program Handbooks 2016 2017 Last Updated 2011 05 31 Aerospace Engineering MSAE Together, the Graduate Student Handbook and your graduate program handbook should serve as your main guide throughout your graduate career. The Graduate Student Handbook includes university information, policies, requirements and guidance for all .
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN GRADUATE HANDBOOK Draft Updated: August 2014 Page 3 OVERVIEW OF GRADUATE HANDBOOK In accord with established Graduate School Policies (See UTK Graduate Catalog), The College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) Graduate Handbook describes specific how these policies are carried out in the CoAD Graduate Programs of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
Mechanical Engineering Department Graduate Student Survival Guide Graduate Advisor: Dr. R. B. Agarwal email address: raghu.agarwal@sjsu.edu Introduction The purpose of this guide is to provide information to graduate students in the Mechanical Engineering program on the various
Applied Sociology MA Program Handbook 1 Applied Sociology MA Together, the Graduate Student Handbook and your graduate program handbook should serve as your main guide throughout your graduate career. The Graduate Student Handbook includes university information, polic
University of Maryland, Baltimore County Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, Maryland 21250 (410) 455-2491 I have read and acknowledge acceptance of this Graduate Student Handbook. Signatures _ Graduate Student Graduate Program Director Date GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK
