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Department of Mechanical Engineering


Master of Science Degree in Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering

The Master of Science program in Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering (M.S. in AMEE) is designed to offer an opportunity to individuals for continued study toward positions of leadership in industry and academia and for continuing technical education in a more specialized area. The graduates of this program will have the fundamental knowledge and understanding of the operational complexity of enterprises, manufacturing and business process improvement/optimization, and integrated product/process/system design. In addition, they will have the cognitive skills to critically evaluate the potential benefits of alternative manufacturing strategies; to use virtual/simulated platforms to facilitate and improve business processes; and to analyze enterprise systems as systems of interacting units, components, and subsystems. The program offers a thesis option and a nonthesis option.

Program Admission Requirements. Applicants must meet University-wide graduate admission requirements as outlined in Chapter 1, Admission, of this catalog. Applicants must also comply with general University regulations as outlined in Chapter 2, General Academic Regulations, and Chapter 4, Master’s Degree Regulations, of this catalog. Admission will be based on a combination of factors: a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education or proof of equivalent education at a foreign or unaccredited institution, satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and a satisfactory undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in engineering or relevant coursework.

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the program, the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR), in consultation with the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Committee and the Department Chair, will evaluate each student’s transcript and determine any course deficiencies on a case-by-case basis. Students admitted with course deficiencies will be required to take additional courses within their Program of Study to make up the deficiencies. Courses taken to make up deficiencies may not count toward the graduate degree. Applicants who have insufficient preparation for the program, or who lack certain supporting documentation, may be admitted on a conditional basis.

Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree is 30 for the thesis option and 33 for the nonthesis option.

  1. 3 semester credit hours of a Required Mathematics Course selected from the following:

    EGR  5023   Numerical Techniques in Engineering Analysis
    EGR  5213   Topics in Systems Modeling
    MAT  5603   Numerical Analysis
    MS   5003   Quantitative Methods for Business Analysis
    STA  5093   Introduction to Statistical Inference
    STA  5103   Applied Statistics

  2. 9 semester credit hours of Required Topical Courses selected from the following:

    ME  5503   Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprises
    ME  5563   Computer Integrated Manufacturing
    ME  5603   Advanced Manufacturing Systems Engineering
    ME  5703   Advanced Enterprise Systems Engineering

  3. Degree candidates must complete the following course requirements for one of the degree options:

    Thesis Option Hours
    Required Mathematics Course 3
    Required Topical Courses 9
    Prescribed Electives 12
    ME 6983 Master’s Thesis 6
    Minimum total semester credit hours required 30
       
    Nonthesis Option Hours
    Required Mathematics Course 3
    Required Topical Courses 9
    Prescribed Electives 21
    Minimum total semester credit hours required 33

Comprehensive Examination. Degree candidates are required to pass an oral or written comprehensive examination. The examination may be administered in the form of a presentation of the thesis or research project to the student’s advisory committee, chaired by a tenured or tenure-track graduate faculty member. Students must register for 1 semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses.

Prescribed Electives

CS   5233   Artificial Intelligence
CS   5253   Expert Systems
CS   5623   Simulation Techniques
EE   5143   Linear Systems and Control
EE   5243   Topics in Systems and Control
EE   5343   Intelligent Control and Robotics
EE   5413   Principles of Microfabrication
EGR  5023  Numerical Techniques in Engineering Analysis
EGR  5213  Topics in Systems Modeling
EGR  5233  Advanced Quality Control
EGR  5613  New and Emerging Technologies
IS    5143   Information Technology
IS    6433   Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
ME   5113   Advanced Systems Dynamics and Control
ME   5143   Advanced Dynamics
ME   5503   Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprises
ME   5513   Advanced Mechanism Design
ME   5533   Advanced Machine Design
ME   5553   Advanced Design of Cams and Gears
ME   5563   Computer Integrated Manufacturing
ME   5573   Facilities Planning and Design
ME   5583   Advanced Enterprise Process Engineering
ME   5593   Advanced Topics in Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering
ME   5603   Advanced Manufacturing Systems Engineering
ME   5703   Advanced Enterprise Systems Engineering
ME   6563   Flexible Automation and Manufacturing Systems
ME   6573   Robotics Design and Analysis
ME   6953   Independent Study
MOT  5163  Management of Technology
MOT  5233  Advanced Topics in Project Management
MOT  5313  Emerging Technologies
MS   5003   Quantitative Methods for Business Analysis
MS   5023   Decision Analysis and Production Management
MS   5343   Logistics Systems Management
MS   5393   Topics in Production Operations Management
MS   5453   Management and Control of Quality
MS   5483   Operations Research Methods in Statistics
STA  5073   Methods of Statistics
STA  5093   Introduction to Statistical Inference
STA  5103   Applied Statistics
STA  5803   Process Control and Acceptance Sampling

Students in the nonthesis option are advised throughout their program by the GAR. Students in the thesis option, upon completion of the first 9 semester credit hours of their program, must select a Thesis Advisor from the program's contributing faculty members and obtain the faculty member’s consent to serve in this capacity. After this point, the student’s Thesis Advisor assumes the role of the student’s advisor.

Upon completion of 18 credit hours (typically the end of the second semester), students in the thesis option are expected to form a Thesis Committee in consultation with their Thesis Advisor. In addition to the Thesis Advisor, the Thesis Committee must include two additional faculty members who are also members of the UTSA Graduate Faculty. Thesis option students are expected to defend their research work during their last semester (i.e., completion of 30 semester credit hours).

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Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering

The Master of Science program in Mechanical Engineering is designed to offer students the opportunity to prepare for doctoral studies and/or leadership roles in government, industry, or research institutions. The program offers thesis and nonthesis options.

Program Admission Requirements. In addition to satisfying the University-wide graduate admission requirements, admission will be based on a combination of factors: a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education or proof of equivalent education at a foreign or unaccredited institution, satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and satisfactory undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in engineering or relevant coursework.

Applicants may be admitted on a conditional basis as determined by the Graduate Committee of the Department. Applicants with a degree in a discipline other than mechanical engineering may be required to make up the deficiencies in the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. Undergraduate courses listed as deficiencies do not count toward the graduate degree. Other applicants who wish to continue their education in an area of Mechanical Engineering but do not intend to pursue a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering may seek admission as special graduate students.

Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree is 30 for the thesis option and 33 for the nonthesis option.

  1. 3 semester credit hours of a required mathematics course:

    EGR  6013  Analytic Techniques in Engineering Analysis

  2. Degree candidates must complete two core courses selected from the following list:

    ME 5113   Advanced Systems Dynamics and Control
    ME 5243   Advanced Thermodynamics
    ME 5413   Elasticity
    ME 5613   Advanced Fluid Mechanics

  3. Degree candidates must complete the following course requirements for one of the degree options:

    Thesis Option Hours
    Required mathematics course 3
    Core courses 6
    Designated electives (with approval of the student’s committee chair) 15
    ME 6983 Master’s Thesis 6
    Minimum total semester credit hours required 30
       
    Nonthesis Option Hours
    Required mathematics course 3
    Core courses 6
    Designated electives (with approval of the Graduate Advisor of Record) 24
    Minimum total semester credit hours required 33

Comprehensive Examination. Degree candidates are required to pass an oral or written comprehensive examination. The examination may be administered in the form of a presentation of the thesis or research project to the student’s advisory committee, chaired by a tenured or tenure-track graduate faculty member. Students must register for 1 semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses.

Students in the thesis option must select a Thesis Advisor within the first 9 semester credit hours of coursework and form a Thesis Committee with a minimum of three faculty members within the first 18 semester credit hours of coursework. Within the first 9 hours of coursework, students in this option must meet with the Thesis Advisor to develop their program of study. New students who have not selected a Thesis Advisor will be advised by the Graduate Advisor of Record.

In addition to the coursework and other University requirements for the Master’s degree, candidates in the thesis option must pass a thesis defense administered by the student’s advisory committee and chaired by a full-time graduate faculty member. A successful thesis defense satisfies the University’s comprehensive examination requirement.

Students seeking the nonthesis option must develop their program of study in consultation with the Graduate Advisor of Record within the first 9 semester credit hours of coursework.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers advanced coursework integrated with research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering. The program has three concentrations: Thermal and Fluid Systems, Design and Manufacturing Systems, and Mechanics and Materials. The Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering will be awarded to candidates who have displayed an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and demonstrated the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge in their field of specialty.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering resides within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and is administered by the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Program Committee is responsible for providing input to the Chair and the faculty for curriculum enhancement, program development and promotion, student recruitment, admission and advising, and on-going program review. The Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) is responsible for routine administrative duties, maintaining records, admissions, and representing the Department in matters related to the program. Questions about degree requirements and academic policies are directed to the Graduate Advisor of Record.

The regulations for this degree comply with the general University regulations (refer to Chapter 2, General Academic Regulations, and Chapter 5, Doctoral Degree Regulations).

Admission Requirements. The minimum requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering degree program are as follows:

  • Must meet the University admission requirements as outlined in the graduate catalog.

  • Students whose native language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 550 on Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, 79 on the TOEFL iBT or 6.5 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

  • Satisfactory Graduate Record Examination (GRE®) scores, as evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, are required in combination with other criteria for admission to the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering program.

  • Normally, a student must hold a master’s degree in mechanical engineering or in a related field with a grade point average of 3.2 or better in both his/her undergraduate and graduate studies for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering degree program. Such applicants may apply a maximum of 30 semester credit hours of previously earned graduate credit toward their doctoral degree. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours credit may be awarded for a master’s thesis (such as ME 6983). Each student’s transcript will be evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee and the transfer credit will be approved on a course-by-course basis to satisfy the formal coursework requirements of the degree.

  • Outstanding students who do not hold a master’s degree may enter the Doctor of Philosophy program on provisional status directly upon receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related field, with the approval of the Graduate Program Committee. Such applicants must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate coursework in mechanical engineering or a closely related field. A student with provisional status must satisfy the provisional requirements within the first two (2) years of study in order to proceed toward their Ph.D. degree.

The Graduate Program Committee will evaluate each applicant, approve the necessary requirements, and recommend corrective actions and admission on a case-by-case basis.

Degree Requirements. The degree requires 90 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree or 60 semester credit hours beyond the master’s degree, passing the Qualifying Examination, Dissertation Prospectus, and Dissertation Defense and acceptance of the Ph.D. dissertation.

Program of Study (60 semester credit hours)

  1. Common Core Courses (9 semester credit hours):

    EGR  6013   Analytic Techniques in Engineering Analysis
    ME   6113   Experimental Techniques in Engineering
    ME   6973   Special Problems: Advanced Mathematics in Engineering

  2. Technical Core Courses (6 semester credit hours). Students are required to take at least two courses from the following list corresponding to their major area of study:

    Thermal and Fluid Systems
    ME   5243   Advanced Thermodynamics
    ME   5613   Advanced Fluid Mechanics

    Design and Manufacturing Systems
    ME   5113   Advanced Systems Dynamics and Controls
    ME   5503   Lean Manufacturing and Lean Enterprises

    Mechanics and Materials
    ME   5413   Elasticity
    ME   5713   Mechanical Behavior of Materials

  3. Technical Elective Courses (9 semester credit hours):

    Students are required to take at least three elective courses in consultation with their Ph.D. advisor

  4. Seminar (3 semester credit hours):

    ME   7991   Research Seminar (taken for three semesters)

  5. Doctoral Research and Dissertation (33 semester credit hours):

    ME   7951-3   Doctoral Research (18 semester credit hours)
    ME   7981-3   Doctoral Dissertation (15 semester credit hours)

In general, undergraduate courses, general education courses, and prerequisites for graduate courses cannot be counted toward the total hours required for the degree. The entire program of study must be recommended by the student’s dissertation advisor by the end of 9 credit hours of coursework, approved by the Graduate Program Committee, and must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for final approval. The courses taken by students are intended to focus and support the individual’s mastery of his or her particular area of specialization.

Students seeking a doctoral degree must pass a qualifying examination in order to be admitted to candidacy. After passing the qualifying examination, the student becomes a Ph.D. candidate. Upon approval by their Ph.D. advisor, students wishing to take the examination must submit their request in writing to the Graduate Advisor of Record before March 31. Students who fail their first attempt at the qualifying examination are allowed to make a second attempt. No more than two attempts to pass the qualifying examination are permitted.

After admission to candidacy, the next step is writing a dissertation proposal that consists of concrete objectives, literature survey, methodology, preliminary work, deliverables, and expected contribution. Normally, the dissertation proposal is presented to the student’s Ph.D. Dissertation Committee and the committee may recommend changes before approving the dissertation proposal.

After the approval of the dissertation proposal, the next steps are writing the dissertation and passing the final oral defense. The final oral defense is administered and evaluated by the student’s PhD Dissertation Committee and covers the dissertation and the general field of the dissertation. The final oral defense consists of a public presentation of the dissertation material, followed by a closed session with the members of the Dissertation Committee. It is expected that the material of the dissertation will be of archival quality and will be published in a Journal. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously approve the dissertation.

For more information on policies and procedures, please see the Ph.D./ME Handbook online at: http://engineering.utsa.edu/~mechanical/curriculum.html.

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