The mechanical engineering program in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering offers comprehensive graduate education in a number of areas. The principal areas include: dynamics and controls; manufacturing; materials and structures; mechanical design; and thermal and fluid systems. A wide variety of interdisciplinary programs meeting specific objectives are available. The mechanical engineering program offers the master of science, doctor of philosophy, and direct doctor of philosophy degrees. The department also offers several graduate certificate programs in both aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering.
The mechanical and aerospace engineering department has many well-equipped laboratories located on the main campus, and a subsonic-flow laboratory in an off-campus facility. Some of the specially equipped laboratories on campus include: aerospace flow laboratory; advanced machining laboratory, augmented reality laboratory, composite materials manufacturing and characterization laboratory, computational radiative transfer laboratory, convection heat transfer laboratory, electromechanical transducer development laboratory, environmental control group laboratory, fluid dynamics and combustion laboratories, internal combustion engine and spray laboratories, laboratory for industrial automation and flexible manufacturing, laser-based manufacturing laboratory, rapid prototyping laboratory, radiative heat transfer laboratory, robotics laboratory, structural health monitoring laboratory and welding laboratory.
Some examples of research areas a candidate could specialize in are: acoustics; biomechanics; combustion and I. C. engines; computational fluid dynamics; computer-aided design; design methodology; dynamics and controls; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (environmental control); heat transfer; laser-aided manufacturing; manufacturing and machining processes; materials and structures; mechanisms and robotics; mechatronics; micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS); thermal-fluid and energy systems; tribology; virtual reality and rapid prototyping.