Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering


Department: Mechanical Engineering
Transcript Designation: Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Program Advisor: Academic Questions: e-mail advisor@cvn.columbia.edu
Administrative Questions: e-mail cvn@cvn.columbia.edu

About the MS Program in Mechanical Engineering:

Mechanical engineering is a diverse subject that derives its breadth from the need to design and manufacture everything from small individual parts and devices (e.g. microscale sensors and inkjet printer nozzles) to large systems (e.g. spacecraft and machine tools). The role of a mechanical engineer is to take a product from an idea to the marketplace. In order to accomplish this, a broad range of skills are needed. The mechanical engineer needs to acquire particular skills and knowledge. He/she needs to understand the forces and the thermal environment that a product, its parts, or its subsystems will encounter; to design them for functionality, aesthetics, and the ability to withstand the forces and the thermal environment they will be subjected to; and to determine the best way to manufacture them and ensure they will operate without failure. Perhaps the one skill that is the mechanical engineer’s exclusive domain is the ability to analyze and design objects and systems with motion.

The Mechanical Engineering Department at Columbia was established in 1897. It has enjoyed a national and international reputation for much of its history. Between 1950 and 1980, professors Dudley D. Fuller, Harold G. Elrod, and Vittorio Castelli were the foremost leaders in the field of lubrication theory and practice. In the 1960s, Professor Ferdinand Freudenstein (known as the "Father of Modern Kinematics"), revolutionized the field of mechanical design by ushering in the computer age in kinematics synthesis and the design of mechanism. In more recent times, the department has been known for its research contributions in the fields of control theory, manufacturing, thermofluids, and biomechanics. Faculty members have given keynote lectures in national and international conferences and received best-paper awards and professional-society awards. All faculty members are active in research with many serving as editors and associate editors of professional journals and as leaders in professional societies.

Now, students located anywhere in the world can complete the MS in Mechanical Engineering fully remotely via Columbia Video Network’s distance learning program.


Admission Requirements:

Degree required for admission: Students admitted to the program must possess a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or other related field (subject to the approval of the Mechanical Engineering Program) from an accredited academic institution. Applicants should have a strong undergraduate record to be competitive for admission.

GPA required: Minimum of 3.0

GRE requirements: General test required

Other application requirements: Two recommendation letters, transcripts, resume, and a personal-professional statement are required. TOEFL test scores are required of all students who received their bachelor's degree in a country where English is not the official and spoken language. All application requirements in the Graduate Application must be completed as specified in the application.


Degree Requirements:

The program leading to the Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering requires completion of a minimum of 30 points of approved course work consisting of no fewer than ten courses. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 is required for graduation. All degree requirements must be completed within 5 years of the beginning of the first course credited toward the degree. This includes courses taken in the non-degree program.

The student's program of study is developed in consultation with a program adviser to reflect the student's special interests. Typical choices include such subjects as mechanics of solids and fluids, thermodynamics, heat transfer, manufacturing engineering, robotics, kinematics, dynamics and vibrations, controls, and power generation. Nevertheless, the following guidelines must be adhered to:

1. The sequence of courses selected must not be haphazard, but rather show a clearly discernible specialty.

2. All courses must be at the graduate level, i.e., numbered 4000 or higher, with at least a 6000-level course included.

3. Every program must contain at least one course in mathematics (APMA or MATH designators), statistics (SIEO, STAT, or IEOR designator) or their equivalent, covering material beyond what the student has taken previously. It should appear early in the sequence in order to serve as a basis for the technical course work. Examples of such courses offered by CVN are APMA E4001: Principles of Applied Mathematics, APMA E4200: Partial Differential Equations I, APMA E4204: Functions of a Complex Variable, and SIEO W4150: Introduction to Probability and Statistics.

4. Out-of-department study is encouraged, but at least five courses should be in mechanical engineering. Only courses with a designation of MECE, IEME, EEME, or MEBM are considered mechanical engineering courses. Courses with any other designation (e.g. ENME) are not mechanical engineering courses, but may be taken as electives. Many courses offered by CVN fit well into this program. Please consult with a program advisor first.

Transfer of credit:

Up to 6 credit hours (points) of acceptable graduate-level academic work from an accredited academic institution earned prior to enrolling at Columbia may be transferred to Columbia, subject to departmental approval. Students must request the transfer of credit while applying to the MS program. Credit will only be considered for transfer if the grades earned were at least 3.0 on the 4.0 scale. An official college transcript and copy of the class syllabus and/or course description from the school's bulletin must accompany the "Transfer of Credit Request" form. Please note that courses already used towards completion of another degree program can not be re-used for transfer credit.


Note: The concentrated program (Manufacturing Engineering leading to a Master of Science degree) will no longer be available as of Fall 2004. Students currently enrolled in this concentrated program should consult Prof. Larry Yao at (212) 854-2887 or email yly1@columbia.edu regarding any matters related to the concentrated program.