Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Mechanical Engineering .

The components of the doctoral program in Mechanical Engineering involve the student first finding an advisor and forming a committee. Subsequently, the components of the doctoral degree programs consist of a qualifying exam, a comprehensive exam, prescribed course work, research, the dissertation, and a final oral defense and examination.

• Program overview (Office of Registrar)
• Course descriptions (Office of Registrar)

Next steps

Application process

Applications from students are due by the following dates and will be reviewed beginning:

• December 15 for Fall enrollment
• September 15 for Spring enrollment (Only a very small number of financial aid offers are available to Spring applicants.)

Applications are all considered for financial aid and assistantships. Applications received by the above dates will receive the maximum consideration for this financial aid and assistantships.

• Applicants to M.S. programs should have earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, or a closely related field prior to the term for which they are applying.
• Applicants can enter directly into a Ph.D. program after earning their B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, or a closely related field prior to the term for which they are applying - this is called the Direct Admit Ph.D. program.
• Applicants who have earned a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, or a closely related field prior to the term for which they are applying can also enter the Ph.D. program.

Applicants must complete the following:

• Complete the Graduate Application
  • Upload electronically with your Michigan State University application
  • An official copy of your TOEFL Scores for applicants from countries where the official language is not English. Applicants should have all test scores sent from the testing agency directly to Michigan State University; Office of Admissions; Hannah Administration Building; 426 Auditorium Road, Room 250; East Lansing, Michigan 48824-2604. The Mechanical Engineering department code for the TOEFL is 68. Click here for the English Language Proficiency Minimum Requirements
  • A "Statement of Financial Proof and Affidavit of Support" if you are an international student and can provide for your own support as a graduate student. Visit the International Applicants page for information.
  • A copy of your resume
  • A written personal statement describing how your background and life experiences - including social, economic, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges - motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Your Personal Statement should be concise, and no more than 2 pages when formatted in Times New Roman 12-point font with 1-inch margins and single line spacing.
  • A written academic statement explaining your reasons for seeking a graduate program degree. The following statement must be included: "My intended area of specialization in the graduate program in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University will be in ___________________________." Your Academic Statement should be concise, and no more than 2 pages when formatted in Times New Roman 12-point font with 1-inch margins and single line spacing.
  • Biomechanics Engineering Group
  • Dynamic Systems and Controls Group
  • Fluid-Thermal Science and Engineering Group
  • Solid Mechanics, Design, and Manufacturing Group

  Completion requires an application fee. Requirements and fees are not waived.

  The graduate application fee is $65 for domestic students and $75 for international students.

  Upload/enter additional application materials/information and request letters of recommendations using the graduate student education portal which you access with your MSU applicant ID and password. The portal also allows you to check the status of your application and send e-messages to the department.

  • Additionally, submit the following required document to the university
    • Three (3) letters of recommendation are requested through the graduate student education portal.
      3.
    • Official academic record from all previous universities attended. The applicant's record should exhibit outstanding achievement as indicated both by grade point average (GPA) and the quality of courses over his or her entire academic career. Competitive applicants for financial aid and assistantships are in the top 10% of their BS class and have at least a 3.5 GPA on a scale of 4.0.

    IMPORTANT:
    You must make sure that all the above documents: application, exam scores, financial proof, and recommendations use exactly the same first and last names. One of the largest single causes for incomplete applications is an applicant's use of multiple forms their name including reversal of last (family) name and first (personal) name on application documents. Admissions cannot correctly process documents if different forms of your name are used on documents submitted. Be consistent.
    The Mechanical Engineering Department's address is:

    Graduate Program
    Department of Mechanical Engineering
    428 S. Shaw Lane, Rm. 2555
    East Lansing, MI 48824-1226
    USA

    For more information, please email the Mechanical Engineering Graduate program at megradad@egr.msu.edu or Dr. Lik Chaun Lee at lclee@msu.edu

    For more information regarding International Admissions, visit The Graduate School Website

    Annual cost information and a budgeting tool is available at the MSU Tuition Calculator