The School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Graduate Studies - Requirements

Interdisciplinary Excellence Built On World-Class Knowledge

Generally, the MS program takes two years to complete and the PhD program takes four years to complete. The School of MME Graduate Student Handbook gives detailed information about all aspects of a student’s graduate study. Listed below is a summary of the program requirements for each degree.

Master of Science Mechanical Engineering (Thesis Option)

School of MME

Graduate School

In order to satisfy MME requirements, the program must contain:

  1. A minimum of 21 cr hrs of the following graded coursework:
    • 3 cr hrs of Math 540
    • 12 cr hrs of 500-level Mechanical Engineering courses
    • 6 cr hrs of additional courses approved by the student’s advisor
  2. A minimum of 4 cr hrs of ME 700
  • In addition, the student is required to take 3 cr hrs of seminar, ME 598 (Pullman students only).
  • All programs must satisfy both MME and Graduate School mini-mum requirements, including the minimum total credits of 30.

In order to satisfy Graduate School requirements, the program must contain:

  1. A minimum of 21 cr hrs of graded coursework of which:
    • A minimum of 15 cr hrs must be graded coursework at the 500-level
    • A maximum of 6 cr hrs can be non-graduate graded coursework at the 300- and 400-level
  2. A minimum of 4 cr hrs of Master’s Research
  • All programs must have a minimum total credits of 30.

Master of Science Mechanical Engineering (Non-Thesis Option)

School of MME

Graduate School

Minimum total credits: 31

Minimum total credits: 30

The program must contain:

  1. 27 credit hours of the following graded coursework:
    • 3 cr hrs of Math 540
    • 12 cr hrs of 500-level Mechanical Engineering courses
    • 12 cr hrs at of additional courses approved by the student's advisor
  2. A minimum of 4 cr hrs of ME 702
In addition, the student is required to take 3 cr hrs of seminar, ME 598 (Pullman students only).
All programs must satisfy both the MME minimum total credits requirement of 31 and the Graduate School minimum total credits requirement of 30.

The program must contain:

  1. 26 credit hours of graded coursework (minimum):
    • 17 cr hrs must be graded 500-level
    • A maximum of 9 cr hrs can be non-graduate graded coursework at the 300- and 400-level
  2. A minimum of 4 cr hrs of Master’s Research (702)

Master of Science Materials Science and Engineering (Thesis Option)

School of MME

Graduate School

Minimum total credits: 30

Minimum total credits: 30

The program must contain:

  1. 21 credit hours of graded coursework (minimum):
    • 3 cr hrs of Math 440* or Math 540
    • 6 cr hrs at the 400-* or 500-level (MME or non-MME)
    • 12 cr hrs at the 500-level (MME only) (minimum) (at least 9 of these must be MSE courses)
  2. 2 cr hrs of MSE 520 or MatS 593 (minimum) (Pullman students only)
  3. 4 cr hrs of MSE 700 (minimum)
  4. Enough 500-level credits to satisfy the Graduate School requirements

*For the MS, no more than 6 cr hrs may be at the 400-level.

The program must contain:

  1. 21 credit hours of graded coursework (minimum):
    • 15 cr hrs must be approved 500-level
    • 6 cr hrs at the 400- or 500-level
  3. 4 cr hrs of Master’s Research (i.e., MSE 700) (minimum)

Master of Science Materials Science and Engineering (Non-Thesis Option)

School of MME

Graduate School

Minimum total credits: 30

Minimum total credits: 30

The program must contain:

  1. 26 credit hours of graded coursework (minimum):
    • 3 cr hrs of Math 440* or Math 540
    • 8 cr hrs at the 400-* or 500-level (MME or non-MME)
    • 15 cr hrs at the 500-level (MME only) (minimum)
  2. 2 cr hrs of MSE 520 or MatS 593 (minimum) (Pullman students only)
  3. 4 cr hrs of MSE 702 (minimum)
  4. Enough 500-level credits to satisfy the Graduate School requirements

*For the MS, no more than 6 cr hrs may be at the 400-level.

The program must contain:

  1. 26 credit hours of graded coursework (minimum):
    • 20 cr hrs must be approved 500-level
    • 6 cr hrs at the 400- or 500-level
  2. 4 cr hrs of Master’s Research (i.e., MSE 702) (minimum)

Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering)

School of MME

Graduate School

Minimum total credits: 72

Minimum total credits: 72

In order to satisfy MME requirements, the program must contain:

  1. A minimum of 34 cr hrs of the following graded coursework (at least 21 cr hrs must be taken at WSU):
    • 3 cr hrs of Math 540
    • 3 additional cr hrs of math
    • 24 cr hrs of 500-level ME or MSE courses.
    • 4 cr hrs of additional courses approved by the student’s advisor
  2. A minimum of 20 cr hrs of ME 800
  • In addition, the student is required to take 3 cr hrs of seminar, ME 598 (Pullman students only).
  • All programs must satisfy both MME and Graduate School minimum requirements, including the minimum total credits of 72.

In order to satisfy Graduate School requirements, the program must contain:

  1. A minimum of 34 cr hrs of graded coursework of which:
    • A minimum of 25 cr hrs must be graded coursework at the 500-level
    • A maximum of 9 cr hrs can be non-graduate graded coursework at the 300- and 400-level
  2. A minimum of 20 cr hrs of dissertation research
  • All programs must have a minimum total credits of 72.
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-2920, 509-335-8654, Contact Us