Program in Engineering Physics School of Engineering Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering

The School of Engineering is the largest of 5 schools at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, offering 20 graduate degrees and turning out over 45 percent of the total graduate population. Housed within the School of Engineering, the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE) offers students industry-level engineering opportunities and state-of-the-art education facilities.

Ranked among the top 20 departments of its kind nationwide, the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers undergraduates and graduate students alike the opportunity to conduct groundbreaking research for prestigious national clients.

Well-funded Research Opportunities

RPI remains committed to the principle of innovative research on which it was founded. That commitment has in turn been well recognized by national funding sources. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy recently gave more than $2 million in funding to Rensselaer's nuclear engineering program, including $1.3 million for research alone. The MANE Department at RPI offers many additional computational, experimental, and theoretical opportunities for innovative research. Core areas of research include aeronautics, applied mechanics, energy systems, environmental health physics and radiation dosimetry, manufacturing/design, nuclear science and technology, and space technology.

In addition to departmental research opportunities, students can also conduct research through platforms at 6 research centers, including the Flexible Manufacturing Center, Center for Multiphase Research, and Multiscale Science and Engineering Center.

Doctoral Degree Available from MANE

The MANE department at RPI offers a Ph.D. in Engineering. Doctoral students conduct advanced study and research under the guidance of a thesis adviser and the doctoral committee. Of the 72 credit hours required of the doctoral program, 48 must be past the master's level, and 48 must be completed at Rensselaer, a part of their residency requirement. Students are expected to complete a research project that culminates in a dissertation, and subsequently defend the thesis in an open presentation.

Master's Degrees Available from MANE

The MANE department offers graduate programs in 5 areas, including engineering physics. Each of the programs is flexible and interdisciplinary to best accommodate a student's career plans and interests. Students' advisers regularly assist with course decisions that will best further the student's educational goals.

MANE students can receive one of 2 master's degrees: the Master of Science (M.S.) and the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.). The Master of Science is considered more scholarly or fundamental, and requires students to complete a thesis. The Master of Engineering program is considered more practically oriented, and gives students the option of completing a project as part of their culminating experience instead of a written thesis. Both 30-credit-hour programs require full-time students to attend a graduate seminar within the department every semester.

A sampling of courses offered by the engineering physics program includes: Physics of Radiology, Physics and Nuclear Reactors, and Radiological Engineering.

Successful Faculty is an Ongoing Tradition

The nearly 50 faculty members in MANE department may come from different backgrounds and educational institutions, but are all committed to using research and technology as means of improving global scientific knowledge and application.

For example, Professor Nikhil Koratkar recently published 3 papers on the mechanical properties of graphene and its superior performance to carbon nanotubes and other nanoparticles in boosting the strength and mechanical performance of epoxy composites. In addition to his many publications, Dr. Koratkar has been awarded the U.S. National Science Foundation's faculty CAREER development award and RPI's Early Career Award.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- the Nation's Oldest Technological University

Founded in 1824 by American statesman Stephen Van Rensselaer, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the nation's oldest technological university. The university offers more than 145 rigorous programs from 5 schools -- including interdisciplinary programs from the School of Engineering -- to undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals from around the world. Maintaining its traditional standards for excellence, Rensselaer has ranked among the top 50 universities in the nation by ''U.S. News and World Report'' 10 years in a row.

Rensselaer graduates are responsible for constructing many of the canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and infrastructure that make up our nation today. Recent graduates have found employment in some of the nation's largest technical and research industries, including for employers like GE Energy, Boeing, IBM, and Northrop Grumman.

Financial Aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer has been ranked 30th on the ''U.S. News and World Report's'' list of ''Great Schools, Great Prices.'' Even so, the university offers a wide range of financial aid opportunities, including the Rensselaer Grant, Rensselaer Leadership Award, and Rensselaer Merit Scholarship.

Since 1916, Rensselaer has also awarded the Rensselaer Medal to promising high school juniors. The Medal includes a $15,000 per year merit scholarship guaranteed for 4 years. It is awarded to students who have distinguished themselves in mathematics and science in order both to recognize their achievement and to motivate students toward careers in science, engineering, and technology.

Students who earn multiple Rensselaer merit scholarships will be awarded the highest amount, but are not able to receive the combined awards.

A Historical Town Located in the Heart of New England

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, New York, just minutes from New York's capital city, Albany, and nearly equidistant from New York City, Boston, and Lake Placid. Troy was once a leading center for iron and steel production, and today retains much of its nineteenth century history and architecture. The Troy Saving Bank Music Hall, only a short walk from campus, is considered by many experts to have the finest acoustics in the country.

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• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees 1
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required for some
• Doctoral Degrees Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied8
• Accepted3
• Acceptance Rate37%
• Enrolled1
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $75
• Application Fee - International $75
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline January 15th January 15th Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline October 15th January 15th Yes
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 600 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$39,600
• Out-of-state tuition *$39,600
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$1,896.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students1
• Female Percentage0%
• Male Percentage100%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students1
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino0%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian100%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown0%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty1
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Female Percentage0%
• Male Percentage100%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchNuclear data management, multiphase flow and heat transfer, environmental and operational health physics, fusion reactor engineering and safety, radiation destruction of hazardous chemicals
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported