For questions and answers specific to the School of MME, please review the information below. For questions and answers specific to the University, please review the Graduate School’s FAQ page.
- 1. Can I have my application evaluated without paying the fee?
- No. It is department policy that before an application can be evaluated, the student has to apply, pay the application fee, and submit all required application material. It is the University’s policy that the application fee can not be waived for any reason.
- 2. Is there a deadline for receipt of my application?
- Yes. Our department adheres to the University priority deadlines (January 10 for the fall semester and July 1 for the spring semester). If you wish to apply after the priority deadline, please check with us first to determine whether we are still accepting applications.
- 3. Is it okay if I apply to more than one degree program?
- The online application allows you to apply to up to two degree programs. Even though you list one program as choice 1 and another program as choice 2, we consider the programs as being equally applied to.
- 4. Is the Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering offered at all campuses?
- There are two separate MS ME programs. One program is offered at the Pullman and Tri-Cities campuses, and the other program is offered at the Vancouver campus (there is no MS ME program offered at the Spokane campus). When you apply online, you need to choose which program you want.
- 1. If you want the Pullman and/or Tri-Cities one, choose Degree Plan “Mechanical Engineering (MSME)” plus choose Location Pullman and/or Tri-Cities (Tri-Cities applications are processed through the main campus, Pullman).
- 2. If you want the Vancouver one, choose Degree Plan “Mechanical Engineering-Vancouver (MSMECH)” plus choose Location Vancouver.
- 3. If you want to apply to both programs (Pullman/Tri-Cities and Vancouver), choose both Degree Plans and the appropriate Locations.
- 5. What GPA should I list in the online application?
- There are two times when your GPA is calculated. The first time is considered unofficial, and is when you are asked to self-report your GPA in the online application (click here to calculate your GPA.). The second time is considered official, and is when the Graduate School determines it when the review process is nearing completion.
- 6. I am an international student. How do I convert my GPA?
- Click here to calculate your GPA.
- 7. My GPA is below the required minimum. Can I still be admitted?
- We adhere to the University’s requirement of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 for the MS. Our department requires a minimum GPA of 3.40 for the PhD program. Exceptions to this are made on a case-by-case basis.
- 8. Does the department require GRE/GMAT scores?
- Our department requires GRE scores for all applicants, even those getting their BS from WSU. We have no minimum score requirement but, since scores are considered in the admission decision, a student should put forth their best effort in getting a good score. Scores should be sent to university code 4705. We reserve the right to deny an application if GRE scores are not received.
- 9. Does the department require TOEFL scores?
- We require the same minimum TOEFL scores as the University (550 paper or 213 computer or 80 internet). Scores should be sent to university code 4705.
- 10. Do you have letter of recommendation templates?
- We prefer that all recommendations be made using the online application automatic process. However, if your references want to send a hard copy of their reference letter rather than using the online form, they are allowed to do that and the letters should be sent to the Graduate School. We do not have a template that can be used for hard copies of reference letters.
- 11. What should I include in my Statement of Purpose?
- The statement should include your engineering experience, your reason for applying to graduate school, your research interests, what research you want to work on while here (if known), and your long-term goals. If you are sending a hard copy of the statement, please limit it to one page.
- 12. What counts most when the School of MME evaluates applications?
- There is not one specific thing that counts the most. The University and our department require certain material in order to get a complete picture of you. Without every piece, we are not able to do that. This is why your application must be complete before an admission decision can be made.
- 13. I participated in the School of MME's BS-MS Program. Do I still need to apply to graduate school, and am I automatically given an assistantship?
- You must apply to graduate school just like a regular applicant and complete your application before an admission decision can be made. Admission can be denied if your application is not completed. There is no guarantee of financial support for BS-MS Program students, although every effort is made to find funding.
- 14. I already started a graduate degree program at another university but want to transfer to WSU. Is this possible?
- Like most universities in the U.S., our department has a policy of not accepting students who have already started a graduate degree program at another university unless the student can provide a letter of release. This letter should come from and be signed by the Dean of the Graduate School of the student’s university or, if the Graduate School does not do these types of letters, by the Chair of the student’s department (or the Chair of their Graduate Studies Committee). The letter should indicate that the student is free to leave the program, and verify that the student is leaving under good circumstances and is in good academic standing, i.e., making acceptable progress towards their degree and that their research was progressing. If the student can provide such a letter, our department would also need a written response from the student indicating why they wish to leave the program. These are then reviewed along with the other required application material.
- 15. I want to have financial support. What is available and how can I apply for it?
- We have two kinds of financial support available for domestic and international students: a Research Assistantship (RA) and a Teaching Assistantship (TA). While all applicants are automatically considered, applicants to the PhD program are given priority. Most of our assistantships are only available at the main Pullman campus for fulltime students starting in the fall semester. Few assistantships are available for students starting in the spring semester. Most of our assistantships are of the RA type, awarded by individual faculty who have grant and/or contract funding. The number of openings varies from semester to semester and depends on the availability of funding. Competition for such support is very high. The students get an RA by directly contacting the faculty by email after their application file is complete. Our TA positions are awarded to entering or continuing students. There is no formal application process for a TA position, so if you are interested in one please let us know (some students want the teaching experience as part of their career goals). For a student to be considered for an RA or TA, all application material should be submitted by December/early January for the summer or fall semester, or July or early August for the spring semester.
- 16. What exactly is an assistantship?
- An assistantship is a job (a half-time appointment) that requires approximately twenty hours work per week during the appointment period. The student (employee) is paid a monthly salary (also called a stipend) in return for performing certain specified services to the School of MME (employer). As part of the assistantship package the student also receives a waiver of tuition (except for a small amount called the residual fee) and health insurance in the form of the Graduate Student Assistant Medical & Dental Insurance Plan.
- 17. I want a scholarship. What is available and how can I apply for it?
- Some scholarships are available for domestic students, but they can not be applied for directly; all domestic applicants are considered for them. Scholarship decisions (for students applying for the fall semester) are made very early in the spring semester. We rarely have scholarships available for students applying for the spring semester.
- Unfortunately we do not have any scholarships available to offer to international students.
- 18. I was offered admission but not an assistantship. If I come using my own funding, can I expect to get an RA or TA later?
- We cannot guarantee future funding, but you will certainly have a chance. All assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis, and the availability of positions varies each semester.
- 19. I am an international student and have been offered a TA. Do I need to do anything special?
- Yes. All international graduate students whose native language is not English and who have not previously had a TA at WSU are required to take an English Proficiency Examination (also called an ITA evaluation). The exam should be scheduled just after you arrive at WSU. Information about it can be found here.
- 20. Can I have a friend or family member check on the status of my application for me?
- No. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. This law prohibits WSU from revealing any information about a student's records to anyone other than the student. Our department is always happy to provide you with your status, you just need to ask.
- 21. When will I know if I have been admitted or denied?
- There is no deadline for notification. The MME Graduate Studies Committee will only review your application once it is complete both with the Graduate School office and our department. Because of the large number of applications we receive, the review process can take several months. Applications for the fall are usually reviewed from December to April, and for the spring from July to October. Once our Graduate Studies Committee has made an admission decision, we will notify you by e-mail as to whether we are recommending to the Graduate School that you be admitted or denied. The Graduate School will then send you an official letter with the final decision.
- 22. I haven't been informed of an admission decision yet, but have determined that I'm not able to attend the semester that I applied for. What can I do?
- You are allowed to update your application to the following academic semester without having to reapply, but only if you make a written request to our department that it be updated before the semester begins that you applied for. If you miss the deadline, you must reapply for admission and pay the application fee again. You are allowed to update your application a total of two times.
- 23. I have been admitted but have determined that I'm not able to attend the semester that I applied for. What can I do?
- See the answer above. If you have been offered an assistantship, be aware that the assistantship offer is only valid for the semester it has been offered for. When an application is updated, it is given a new chance for admission or denial, and a new chance for an assistantship offer.
- 24. I have been denied admission. Can I reapply?
- Yes. If you were denied admission, you are allowed to reapply for admission and you will have to pay the application fee again. Some reasons for denial can include 1) you did not meet one or more of the minimum requirements, 2) you met the minimum requirements but our department was not able to match you with a faculty member who had similar research interests and who was able to take on a new student at this time, or 3) you met the minimum requirements but your qualifications did not make the best fit with our programs and research direction as those of other applicants. An excellent student can still be denied admission.
- 25. I have just been told that my application was incomplete by the deadline. Why wasn't I told that items were missing to complete it?
- Our department makes every effort to remind you of missing items, but ultimately it is the student's responsibility to ensure that their application file is complete both with the Graduate School office and our department.
W. M. Keck Bio-Medical Materials Research Laboratory
Objectives: To establish a Bio-medical Materials Research Laboratory (BMRL) to focus on revolutionary approaches to design and manufacture of structures for skeletal disorders and implants.
Uniqueness & Innovation: Direct Laser processing and induction plasma spray processing facilities are being developed for fabrication of nanoscale powders to coatings to bulk structures of metallic and ceramic materials for biomedical applications. Innovation stems from design and fabrication of novel materials for a variety of applications with special emphasis on biomedical needs.
Principal Investigators: Amit Bandyopadhyay, Susmita Bose, Howard Hosick
Partners: WSU School of Biological Sciences Professor, Howard Hosick
Funding Agency: W. M. Keck Foundation