Overview
The Mechanical Engineering Program Offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees with Research-based Theses
The Mechanical Engineering Department at UNL prepares graduate students for careers in mechanical engineering or allied fields, teaching them to create and disseminate knowledge through research, publication, and other scholarly activities. Upon graduation, these students are able to promote mechanical engineering as a profession by contributing to the economic wellbeing of the country as a whole.
Mechanical engineers have a very broad base of knowledge within engineering, spanning many disciplines and examining problems through technical, environmental, social, and economic lenses. Some of the areas studied in the program include energy conversion and transmission; thermodynamics; the development, design, and operation of machinery and equipment; material structure and properties; and transportation processes. The program features dedicated faculty members that give students a solid base in the physical and natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and communications. This broad foundation gives students the understanding of how best to apply their more specific engineering knowledge.
The students, thus prepared, are well equipped to enter fields of research, design, operation, production, management, or even sales. The degree covers the design and realization of mechanical and thermal systems, and is broken up into three major academic areas: thermal-fluid science engineering; systems and design engineering; and materials science engineering. Students choose one of these three areas in which to focus their study, or an elective-based focus such as aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, robotics, biomedical engineering, or computational methods.
Graduate students may enroll in a programs leading to the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in most cases is a thesis-based program. Students take a series of core mechanical engineering courses, including Advanced Analysis of Mechanical Engineering Systems, as well as various non-core courses to increase interdisciplinary knowledge. In special cases, some students may receive permission to bypass the thesis in exchange for taking addition courses and a comprehensive exam. The master's degree in mechanical engineering is offered with a specialization in materials science engineering or metallurgical engineering that can be obtained by taking a certain set of courses specified by the department chair.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is offered in either mechanical engineering or chemical and materials engineering. The doctoral degree requires many additional credit hours after the master's degree, as well as a written comprehensive exam and a full written Ph.D. dissertation. The dissertation topic must be approved by a committee looking for topics that involve lots of independent research that will likely result in significant knowledge advancement. The final task in the Ph.D. program is an oral presentation and defense of the dissertation.
Mechanical Engineering Students Receive Research Assistantships and Fellowships, and Are in High Demand After Graduation
Nearly 75 percent of graduate students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering are supported by research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or fellowships. The mechanical engineering program also prepares students for lifelong learning and successful careers in mechanical engineering or allied fields. Due to their broad skills-based training, mechanical engineers are in demand in practically every type of manufacturing operation as well as in numerous research-based, academic, and governmental organizations.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Is a Research University Where Students Enjoy the Benefits of the Lincoln Community
Mechanical engineering graduates are well equipped to solve current problems in research and development, systems design, production supervision, and plant engineering, as well as future problems in areas such as energy storage, alternative fuels, waste disposal and management, environmental control, energy conversion methods, and biomedical engineering.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is a doctoral/research university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The University of Nebraska established the world's first undergraduate psychology laboratory, and remains one of the nation's leading teaching and research institutions, with over $100 million in research funding in 2008. More than two thirds of that funding came from federal government sources, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, and Department of Education.
Researchers at UNL collaborate with various organizations, such as the U.S. Geological Survey, working together to help the region adapt to a changing climate. Major research grants are frequently awarded to UNL, making it a well-funded institution where students have all the tools and funds to do serious work. Nebraska prides itself on a diverse student body, and has special programs designed to meet the needs of first generation, low-income, minority, and GLBT students.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is located in the middle of Lincoln, which offers students all the advantages of a major college city¿movies, stores, shows, restaurants and coffee shops¿without the overcrowding that comes in other major cities. Lincoln remains one of the safest cities in the country for its size, and has been named one of America's top cities for quality of life. This may account for UNL's vital school spirit, rooting for the Huskies, and the deep commitment to community involvement, from spirituality to Habitat for Humanity.
