Prospective Students - Graduate

Mechanical Engineering

The department of Mechanical Engineering prepares students for careers involving technical innovation and leadership. Our graduate programs provide a solid foundation for careers in industry, research labs, and academia. The department tradition of interdisciplinary research provides students with exciting new opportunities in the broad areas of:

• Air Quality
• Applied Mechanics
• Bioengineering
• Design
• Energy & Environment
• Foundation
• Materials Science
• Microsystems
• Simulation Based Mechanical Engineering Sciences

Areas of Study and Research

Research efforts in micro/nano scale systems include: design and reliability of Micro- and Nano- ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS and NEMS), nanosystems, mechanical properties of nanotubes and nanowires, nanomaterial processing, nanocomposites, disk drive shock analysis, microporous membranes, polymer derived ceramics, active materials and structures, multi- scale computational fluids modeling, and MEMS/NEMS /electronics packaging.

Research efforts energy/environment include: air pollutant sources and their relation to human exposure and health, development and evaluation of air pollution control measures, indoor air quality, air quality modeling, atmospheric chemistry, environmental policy, and improved analytical chemistry methods for organic contaminants.

Research efforts in bioengineering include: optical biopsy of prostate cancer, shape memory polymers/alloys, cardiovascular fluid/ bio mechanics, patient-specific cardiovascular modeling, vascular tissue engineering, nanomechanics of hard and soft tissues, MEMS-based biosensing, ultrasound imaging, device design, nano particle synthesis for molecular diagnostics and imaging, and metallic/polymer biomaterials. These efforts are facilitated by collaborations with the University of Colorado Health Sciences center, the Children's Hospital, and the Colorado State University Veterinary School.

Department research activities are supported by a wide range of industrial and federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and Defense Agency Research Project Association (DARPA). Some research activities are carried out through interdisciplinary department research centers including the Joint Center for Combustion and Environmental Research (JCCER), and Membrane Applied Science and Technology (MAST) Center.

Degree Programs

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Engineering (ME), Master of Science (MS) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. These programs can involve both research and course work. Graduate students work closely with faculty members to arrange their study and tailor research to their individual preferences. Many PhD students in the Mechanical Engineering department receive financial support for the duration of their studies. This support may take the form of a fellowship, a teaching assistantship, a research assistantship, or a combination of these options.

Graduate School Minimum Admissions Standards
Individual graduate departments may have additional or more restrictive standards by which they evaluate graduate applicants. However, the Graduate School at CU-Boulder has established minimum standards for graduate admission. Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
   
2. Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student’s scholastic record.
   
3. Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
   
4. Have at least a 3.00 (3.00=B) undergraduate grade point average. Note: Applicants who cannot meet this undergraduate standard may still secure regular admission if they have completed 9 semester hours of relevant graduate course work with at least a 3.25 average.

Mechanical Engineering Admission Requirements
Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.
2. Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student’s scholastic record.
3. Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
4. Have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00.
5. Provide three letters of recommendation.
6. Provide a personal statement of academic and research interests.
7. Fill in subspecialty field on application.

Minimum Standards for Applicants
Ph.D. applicants must provide GRE scores. Masters applicants are encouraged to submit GRE scores although not required. For applicants whose undergraduate language of instruction was not English, a TOEFL score of 213 CBT/550 PBT/79IBT required for masters applicants and a TOEFL score of 250 CBT/600 PBT/100IBT required for PhD applicants. Preferred minimum GRE scores are 500 Verbal, 760 Quantitive, and 4.5 Analytical.

Financial Support Available
Financial support and tuition waivers are offered to PhD students in the form of teaching or research assistantships. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for national fellowships (NSF, NIH, etc.).

Please refer to the Graduate Program area of our home website for additional information and a list of frequently asked questions.

Application Information and Deadlines   Fall admission Yes Application deadline January 15 International application deadline December 1   Spring admission Yes Application deadline October 15 International application deadline September 1   Summer admission No

Contact Information

University of Colorado at Boulder
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Coordinator
Engineering Center ME 112-B
Box 427 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0427
Phone: 303-492-7444
Fax: 303-492-3498
E-mail: megrad@colorado.edu
Website: www.colorado.edu/mechanical