Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering offers a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering degree. The Ph.D. program admits students with a B.S. degree and also students with a M.S. degree. The degree requirements for this program are given for both groups of applicants:
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering for applicants without a M.S. degree – For students who do not have a M.S. degree prior to starting the program a total of 84 credit hours beyond the BS degree is required. The specifics of the degree requirements are as follows:
- Each student must complete at least 84 standard credit hours (SCH) beyond the Bachelor's degree.
- Of these 84 SCH, 54 SCH are formal course work, 24 SCH are doctoral research and 6 SCH are for doctoral dissertation (MECH 6398, and MECH 6399).
- Of the 54 SCH, 36 SCH must come from approved mechanical engineering graduate classes of which MECH 5301: Mathematical Methods for Mechanical Engineers is required.
- The remaining 18 SCH of the required 54 SCH of organized course work will be fulfilled by a selection of elective courses.
- Of the 54 SCH of course work (not including doctoral research and dissertation), a minimum of 18 SCH must be 6000 level.
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering for applicants with a M.S. degree – For students who have a M.S. degree prior to starting the program a total of 60 credit hours beyond the BS degree is required. The specifics of the degree requirements are as follows:
- Each student must complete at least 60 standard credit hours (SCH) beyond the Master's degree.
- Of these 60 SCH, 30 SCH are formal course work, 24 SCH are doctoral research and 6 SCH are for doctoral dissertation (MECH 6398, and MECH 6399).
- Of the 30 SCH, 15 SCH must come from approved mechanical engineering graduate classes of which MECH 5301: Mathematical Methods for Mechanical Engineers is required.
- The remaining 12 SCH of the required 54 SCH of organized course work will be fulfilled by a selection of elective courses
- Of the 30 SCH of course work (not including doctoral research and dissertation), a minimum of 18 SCH must be 6000 level.
For all students the Ph.D. degree involves the completion of a written dissertation as well as a public defense of the dissertation.
- Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering guidelines
- Graduate Program Information (Fall 2021)
Application Requirements
Students entering the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering program must have at a minimum:
- A Bachelor of Science degree, or equivalent, in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or related engineering field.
- Demonstration of superior academic achievement and potential as indicated by the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and upper-level undergraduate and/or graduate course work.
- A TOEFL score of 550/213 or higher for international applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed a degree at a university in the U.S. or another English- speaking country. Students requesting financial assistance will be encouraged to submit Test of Spoken English (TSE) score (minimum acceptable score is 50)
- A statement of the applicant's academic and professional interests and goals.
- At least three letters of reference from individuals qualified to judge their capability to do doctoral-level work.
Students who do not meet the above requirements may also apply, but with additional justifications.
How to Apply
The Â鶹¹ÙÍø Graduate School accepts applications year round, and the deadlines depend on the semester in which applicants wish to begin their coursework. The asks for detailed information the candidate's academic background. Before scrolling down to start the application process candidates should have the necessary documents to complete the application process. For more information, visit the Graduate School at .
Application Deadlines
Domestic Applicants
- Fall Semester: August 1st (Mexican Nationals: July 1st)
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: May 1st
International Applicants
- Fall Semester: May 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
Financial Aid
A major source of Financial Aid is through Research Assistantships (RA). These are competitive positions that are funded by research based grants and contracts. A limited number of Teaching Assistantships (TA) is also available. All Ph.D. applicants will be considered for RA and TA funding opportunities without any additional information. To maximize consideration for these funding opportunities it is best to have your application completed by March 1st for fall admission and September 1st for spring admission. This is for all applicants, domestic or international. In addition, it is highly recommended that applicants directly contact mechanical engineering faculty whose research is of interest, to see about possible RA funding opportunities.
Additional financial support opportunities include:
- Scholarships, training stipends, and fellowships
- Need-based assistance of Texas residents or U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Employment opportunities through the Cooperative Education Program
- On-campus and off-campus positions for some students
- Resident tuition to citizens of Mexico demonstrating financial need