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Home > Graduate Program > MSE > Guidelines Guidelines for Graduate Study in the MSE Program
Introduction Advances in technology have increased the need for mechanical engineers with more complete knowledge and diverse skills than a typical undergraduate program can provide. As a result, graduates with an M.S.E. degree can look forward to greater job opportunities, more rewarding positions, and higher levels of responsibility than engineers with just a Bachelor’s degree. Mechanical Engineering, which is one of the broadest engineering disciplines, provides an excellent background for individuals interested in occupations ranging from product research and design to technological management. The Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Department (MEAM) at the University of Pennsylvania has designed a flexible M.S.E. Program to prepare students for professional careers and leadership roles in industry while also providing them with the opportunity to strengthen their fundamental knowledge and obtain an exposure to research. In recognition of the interdisciplinary nature of the modern workplace, students who enroll in our M.S.E. program are encouraged to take courses in other departments in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School of Business. The information presented here is not exhaustive; students should also obtain information from copies of the following publications (can be obtained from 111 Towne Building; when in print):
More information, updated from time to time, on the M.S.E. program is also available on the department website, http://www.me.upenn.edu/graduate/mse.html. Reading all of the rules and procedures is essential in order to be familiar with various degree requirements and the plentiful opportunities that are available. These guidelines together with the above publications will answer most of your questions. Advice and answers to special questions may be obtained from your advisor or the Graduate Group Chairman , as well as the Graduate Program Coordinator , who will assist you in any reasonable manner possible. The Graduate Group in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics administers the graduate program in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. The Graduate Group is comprised of the primary faculty members of MEAM as well as faculty from other departments and schools throughout the University. This unique composition gives students the opportunity to work in emerging and interdisciplinary areas that are relevant to mechanical engineering. The current members of the MEAM graduate group and their research areas are listed in Appendix D. Additional information can be obtained from the department website. All graduate programs in SEAS are administratively under the auspices of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs , whose activities with respect to graduate studies in MEAM are in conjunction with the recommendations of the MEAM Graduate Group Chair. The first person with whom a new student has contact is an assigned academic advisor. A program of study is developed with the academic advisor. Later on, if necessary, the student may request a change of advisor, which will be considered and approved by the Graduate Group Chair as appropriate. The academic advisor is responsible for monitoring the student's academic plan and thesis work. To earn an M.S.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), a student must complete 10 graduate level courses. Of the 10 courses, at least five must be MEAM courses, and three of the five must be in the area of major interest to the student. Up to two courses may be transferred from other institutions upon the approval of the Graduate Group Chair. The M.S.E. degree can be completed in one year of full-time study. A Master’s thesis can be substituted for up to three courses. Students who do not choose to write a thesis may take up to two independent study courses. The independent study course (MEAM 899) must follow the guidelines detailed in section 6 of this manual. The Independent study courses (MEAM 899) may not be counted as part of the required five MEAM course without prior approval from the Graduate Group Chair. M.S.E. students in excellent academic standing (GPA of 3.5 or better) may take up to five courses each semester. All M.S.E. students are required to take two mathematics (ENM) courses. The remaining courses may be chosen from a pre-approved list (see Appendix A), in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. Summary of M.S.E. degree Course requirements The program is flexible, crosses disciplinary boundaries, and takes advantage of the opportunities a unique university like Penn has to offer. M.S.E. candidates will choose to concentrate in one of the following areas:
Registration: All students enrolled in a degree program are required to be continuously registered. Four courses per semester (including thesis research, such as MEAM 999 and independent studies) is considered to be a normal full-time load for all students except those designated as Teaching Fellows. Students in the M.S.E. program may take up to five courses in a semester if they are in excellent academic standing (with a G.P.A. of 3.5 or better). Approval from the graduate group chair or academic advisor is necessary if the student wants to take more than four courses in their first semester. Students must always consult with the Graduate Group Chair if a deviation from the normal load is being contemplated or desired. Part-time students usually take one or, at most, two courses per semester. MEAM 999 is the course assigned to thesis/dissertation research. One, two or three units of this course of independent research may be undertaken simultaneously. The grading of MEAM 999 is done by the student's thesis advisor. Only grades of "S" (satisfactory), "U" (unsatisfactory) or "I" (incomplete) can be earned in this course. First year students must complete an advisor’s sign-off form. This form may be found in Appendix F and should be submitted prior to registering for courses. Leaves of Absence: Obsoleteness: Changes in Course Program: Grades, Credits, and Academic Standing: An incomplete (I) or a no report (NR) are temporary
notations and students are allowed a period of one semester to
clear. Failure to clear an "incomplete" or "no
report" within the allotted time will result in an automatic
grade of F. Grades of S (Satisfactory) and U (Unsatisfactory)
are given for MEAM 999. No students will be permitted to graduate
if there are any Incomplete, Unsatisfactory, or No Report notations
on their records. Independent study courses are important vehicles to accommodate special interests of the students, which are not served through the regular courses. They create opportunities for mini-projects and a mentoring relationship between the student and the faculty. Independent study also can serve as a means for the student and advisor to appreciate each other’s interests and get started on dissertation work prior to making a long-term commitment. The student should identify the topic and scope of the independent study in the semester prior to the one in which s/he intends to take on the independent study. Since independent studies are less structured than regular courses and typically do not come with strict deadlines, occasionally students tend to fall behind in their work. There is also the possibility of miscommunication between the student and the faculty on the objectives, extent, scope, and the grading method for the independent study. The purpose of this policy is to set the rules for an independent study with the objectives of maintaining academic rigor and minimizing any potential for a miscommunication.
Policy on Transfer of Credit Units Earned in Other Institutions M.S.E. students may obtain credit for up to two courses taken at another institution. These courses are referred to as transfer courses. Transfer courses must be graduate level courses in which at least a B grade has been earned. Transfer credit will only be considered for courses taken prior to matriculation in the graduate program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. To obtain credit for courses taken at other institutions, the following procedure must be followed:·
The M.S.E. thesis is optional and it may substitute for up to three courses. Students who elect to write a thesis cannot count independent study course units as a part of their 10 course units requirement. A full time M.S.E. student who chooses to write a thesis must choose an advisor and a suitable thesis topic by the end of his/her first semester of graduate studies. The advisor must be a faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Graduate Group (see Appendix D). The Chair of the Graduate Group, in response to recommendations by the student and the student's advisor, will then appoint, at the latest by the end of the student's first semester, a Thesis Committee consisting of at least two faculty members, one of whom shall serve as the Thesis Committee Chair. The thesis advisor may not serve as the Thesis Committee Chair. Examples of a typical objective of an M.S.E. thesis are:
The graduate student must submit a written thesis proposal and present it to the Thesis Committee at the latest during the second semester of study. The proposal should typically contain a statement of the objective of the work, a pertinent state-of-the-art review, the scope of the studies, and an outline of the proposed final document. The Thesis Committee will evaluate the proposal and make recommendations on how it can be improved. The Chair of the Thesis Committee will then inform the Graduate Group Chair, in writing, about the Committee's evaluation of the proposal. The student must obtain the Thesis Committee's approval of the thesis proposal by the end of the student's second semester. The thesis must be prepared and submitted following the general SEAS and University of Pennsylvania instructions for this purpose. Instructions for preparation of the thesis can be obtained from the Academic Programs Office, 111 Towne Building. When the thesis has been approved by the student's thesis advisor, a copy of the thesis must be given to each member of the Thesis Committee, who will then review it. The student must allow sufficient time for the review (at least two weeks). A public presentation of the work is then made; after this presentation, the Thesis Committee will give final approval or disapproval. The announcement of the presentation to the public must be submitted to the Graduate Group Chair for posting at least one week prior to the presentation. All of the requirements of the Thesis must be satisfied and approved before the thesis submission date specified by the Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research. When final approval of the thesis is obtained, an original and a photocopy of the thesis must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, 111 Towne Building prior to commencement, by the date specified. Both copies must be unbound and they must have original signatures. Additionally, a hardbound copy of the thesis (prepared according to instructions in Appendix C) must also be submitted both the Graduate Group Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics and to the thesis advisor. Failure to follow the above schedule and requirements will result in a delay in awarding the degree. Transition To The Ph.D. Program The M.S.E. students who are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. after the completion of their program should inform the Graduate Group Chair of this intention. Students who aspire to continue for the Ph.D. degree must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above, and take and pass an exam, which serves as an important component of determining their ability to independently conduct research of high quality. Complete details are available in the Ph.D. Guidelines.
The attendance of all full-time graduate students at departmental seminars is mandatory. There are many good reasons why students should attend departmental seminars even when the seminars are not directly linked to their areas of research. For example:
Seminar Course Outstanding undergraduate students at the university may submatriculate in the M.S.E. degree program and take graduate-level courses as electives during their junior and senior years. After fulfilling the requirements of both programs, the student will receive a B.S.E. and a M.S.E. degree. Undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania may double-count up to three graduate-level courses taken while enrolled as a submatriculant towards both the undergraduate and the graduate degree. The M.S.E. degree may be completed in one to two extra semesters of study. In order to complete both degrees in only four and one-half years, students can consider:
Applications to the program must be completed by the end of the junior year. Submatriculation applications are available in the Office of Graduate Admissions (111 Towne Building). Dual Degree in Two Engineering Disciplines M.B.A./M.S.E. Dual Degree Programs There are several possibilities for scholarly activities by graduate students at the University during the summer which include:
Full-time students supported by research grants are expected to be in residence for the summer and must register for one MEAM 999 unit for each summer session. Questions on summer session registration should be referred to the Graduate Group Chair. The official graduate student records are kept
in 111 Towne Building; transcripts can be viewed on Penn InTouch
at https://sentry.isc.upenn.edu/intouch. Graduate students are
encouraged to periodically check the accuracy of their records
and to bring any discrepancies to the attention of the Graduate
Group Chair. The spirit and size of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics fosters a close interaction between the graduate students and the entire faculty. This enhances the quality of student-faculty communications and enriches the academic environment to benefit both learning and discovery. Apart from offering advising, seminars and meetings to introduce incoming students to faculty research, and informal meetings with the Department Chair and Graduate Group Chair to solicit student input and exchange information, the Department strongly supports the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association (MEGA). MEGA is a student-run association that represents the entire graduate student community in MEAM, and organizes both social and technical events. A chosen representative of MEGA becomes a member of the Graduate Group of the department, with voting rights, and serves as a communication channel for information between the Graduate Group and students. Every effort is made to create an environment of scholarship, creativity and learning, which is the very essence of graduate study. |
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