Accelerated Master’s Program

Fall Start: Submit application materials by the 2nd Friday in April.
Spring Start: Submit application materials by the 1st Friday in December.

Students in the program must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Completion of at least 75 undergraduate credits applicable to the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program at the time of application.
2. Overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.
3. Completion of ME 321, ME 301, ME 323, ME 360, and ME 303 with a GPA computed for these 6 courses of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale at the end of semester during which the application is made. Students may submit their application while taking ME323, ME360 and ME303.

Meeting these eligibility requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the accelerated master’s degree programs and the Dean of the Graduate College will make the final decision on whether an undergraduate student is accepted into this program. When students in the accelerated program complete their undergraduate degree requirements, they will receive their bachelor’s degree and will then be classified as graduate students to continue their studies in the master’s program. At which time they are eligible to receive financial support with a Graduate Assistantship. To be considered for these competitive Graduate Assistantship positions, students should apply in the senior year of their bachelor’s degree. Students are subject to all academic performance requirements of the Graduate College, including semester GPA, program GPA, and individual course grade requirements. These requirements include maintaining a 3.0 GPA in the graduate level courses taken during their bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate students at other colleges and universities are not eligible to participate in this program.

Undergraduate mechanical engineering students interested in pursuing an accelerated master’s degree will apply during the 2nd semester of their junior year in order to start the 1st semester of their senior year. Interested students need to submit the following application materials:

1. Application Form: Verify eligibility and graduate courses to be taken during senior year (not to exceed nine credits).
2. Statement of Purpose: Articulate career goals and academic preparation, 1-2 pages (if MS applicant, must include discussion of possible thesis topics and name of prospective thesis advisor).
3. Two Letters of Recommendation (if MS applicant, one letter must be from prospective thesis advisor).
4. Copy of Unofficial transcript

Apply for the Accelerated Masters Program

Please submit the application materials via the online form by the deadline stated above, during the semester when the required classes will be completed. At the end of the semester, after final grades have been posted, the graduate committee will evaluate applications. Applicants will then be notified by Friday of the second week in June (for Spring applications) or by the end of the holiday break (for December applicants) whether or not they are being recommended for the accelerated program.

Once notified of acceptance into the program, students must immediately take the following steps:

1. Submit a graduate application and application fee to Graduate Admission and Degree Services (GADS).
2. Consult with either the graduate program coordinator or your prospective graduate advisor (if already identified) to choose the graduate courses you wish to take.
3. Complete the “Permit for Seniors to Take Graduate Courses” form (available at the registrar’s web site) for each graduate course you are taking. Be sure to choose Option III on that form and designate either “MS in Mechanical Engineering” or “MEng in Mechanical Engineering” for your program.
4. Obtain the instructor’s signature on the form and return it to the MBE office for processing. We’ll take it from there.
5. The Registrar’s Office will handle the enrollment for you. Do not try to enroll in these graduate courses yourself.

• Please be aware that you will be charged graduate tuition and fees for those graduate classes in which you enroll.
• ME 301 and other courses may have approved equivalent courses
• By university policy, only the graduate dean can actually admit students to graduate programs. Official acceptance will come from the graduate college and be conditional on completion of the BS degree.
• The Permit for Seniors to Take Graduate Courses can be found at Permit for Seniors to Take Graduate Courses

“The biggest draw was the ability to complete my master’s 1 year after graduating with my bachelors, additionally, I was involved in research and because of that, it was a smooth transition into graduate school. Being able to ‘try out’ graduate school before committing to it is another advantage I saw.”

“I chose to do the Accelerated Masters program because it gave me the ability to advance my career aspirations while saving me a year of school. Another factor in choosing to do the Accelerated Masters was that I would not have to take the GRE.”