While pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in mechanical engineering, the student wil take graduate-level courses and conduct research with a faculty advisor and observe how these studies will lead to key engineering innovations and societal impacts in the field of mechanical engineering. Equipped with complementary and state-of-the-art computational and experimental facilities, the Mechanical Engineering Department has active research programs in the following three disciplinary groups; Dynamic Systems & Control (DSC), ThermoFluids Science (TFS), and Materials Processing & Manufacturing (MPM). Faculty teach graduate-level courses and conduct research in cross-disciplinary research thrust areas that include: automotive systems, robotics and human systems, automation and mechatronic systems, energy and building efficiency, internal combustion engines, manufacturing systems, additive manufacturing, and materials processing and modeling. Graduate courses in these areas, in addition to the general core graduate courses, provide the foundation for earning a PhD degree in mechanical engineering. Additionally, the student demonstrates mastery of the selected study area through qualifying exams, the proposal of a research topic, and the defense of a research-based dissertation.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Students and faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have access to state-of-the-art computational facilities and experimental capabilities. On-campus assets include numerous commercially available computational modeling software packages. In addition, high performance computing capabilities are accessible through The University of Alabama’s Office of Information Technology. The department also has many state-of-the-art experimental facilities available for daily use by graduate students.
Many full-time PhD students seek some form of financial assistance in the form of a graduate assistantship or fellowship. Assistantships generally include a monthly stipend, tuition, and health insurance. Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) are awarded by individual professors with funded research. Applicants should communicate directly with a faculty member in the applicant’s area of study interest concerning the availability of GRA positions and a potential match. The ME Department offers Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) for students assisting faculty members with undergraduate courses and laboratories. GTA awards are determined by the ME Department Head, with preference being given to PhD students. There are a very limited number of GTA positions each semester. There are also both internal and external fellowship opportunities available to applicants including, but not limited to, Graduate Council Fellowships (GCF) and Mechanical Engineering Fellowship.
Qualified students in the Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program at The University of Alabama are eligible for early admission into the PhD program through the Accelerated Masters Program (AMP). This program allows students to double-count up to 9 hours of graduate credit toward their undergraduate degree.