Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Turbocharge Your Career 

Gain an edge in today’s competitive marketplace by developing your analytic and strategic skills, and learning how to apply them to the in-demand field of mechanical engineering. 

  • Clarkson is in the top 12 Best Master’s Degree Granting Programs by salary potential (Payscale Inc.)
  • One in five Clarkson alums is a CEO, owner of a company, or in a senior executive position
  • Thesis-based and non-thesis-based tracks accommodate academic and industry-focused careers
  • Prepare yourself for your next position in industry or to continue on towards your PhD
  • MBA electives and innovation courses can be used to complement the technical curriculum and satisfy degree requirements

Customize Your Degree – Online or On Campus

Clarkson offers the mechanical engineering, MS degree in two formats:

  • In-person at our Potsdam, New York campus, or
  • Online for working professionals looking to earn their degree while they work.

Regardless of whether you choose to study in-person or online, students can choose from two tracks:

The thesis pathway is best for students interested in pursuing research.

  • 18 credit hours of coursework
  • 2 credit hours of seminar
  • Thesis based on research with a faculty advisor (10 credit hours)
  • RA and TA funding is awarded on a competitive basis
  • Typically limited to in-person students

The non-thesis pathway is best-suited for students interested in developing skills to use in industry.

  • 24 credit hours of coursework
  • 2 credit hours of seminar
  • 4 credit hour professionally oriented project
  • Typically self-funded or funded by an employer
  • 33% partial tuition fellowships are available

The more abstract problem-solving processes have made me a better engineer. Thinking through problems logically and applying thoughts rationally affords me more confidence when identifying paths forward for difficulties I face in my day-to-day work.

Alicia Stanton '19 MS in Mechanical Engineering, Drug Product Engineer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Curriculum

All online classes are offered both synchronously and asynchronously on the semester schedule with fall, spring, and summer course offerings. In-person and online synchronous class times are tailored according to student preference (some are during business hours and others are evening classes). Students can adjust their workload by choosing the number of classes taken each semester (0-4). The following are core course offerings:

  • Continuum Mechanics (ME554)
  • Advanced Fluid Mechanics (ME527)
  • Advanced Turbulence (ME639)
  • Fracture Mechanics (ME508)
  • Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials (ME557)
  • Current Approaches to Fatigue in Design (ME509)
  • Finite Element Methods (ME515)
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (ME531)
  • Advanced CAD (ME544)
  • Advanced Optimal Design (ME543)
  • Advanced Mechanical Vibrations (ME555)
  • Advanced Welding Metallurgy (ME590)
  • Elastic Waves in Solids (ME654)
  • Particle Transport (ME637)
  • Stochastic Processes in Engineering (ME529)
  • Engineering Analysis (ME502, CH561, CE556)
  • Initial and Boundary Value Problems (MA531)
  • Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations (MA550)
  • Numerical Methods (MA577)
  • Probability (MA581)
  • Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making (AC604)
  • Applied Economics (EC604)
  • Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (SB613)
  • Advanced Topics in Supply Chain Management: Simul. & Analysis (SB641)

Start Your Application

The application can be completed online using the Online Application Form. A complete application consists of the following:

  • Resume
  • Statement of Purpose
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Transcripts
  • For international applicants, an English proficiency test is required.
    • Minimum test score requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) or Duolingo English Test (115).
    • English testing is waived if an applicant has a degree from a country where English is the native language. Click here to see the list of these countries.
  • GRE scores are required for the thesis-based MS only.

Apply Now
 

Career Possibilities

Jobs for mechanical engineers exist in many sectors, ranging from aviation to manufacturing.

On average, engineers holding a master’s degree in engineering make thousands more upon hire compared to engineers with only a bachelor’s. According to Payscale.com, engineers with a four-year degree make an average starting salary of about $80,000, while engineers with a graduate degree earn an average starting salary of about $96,000 — an increase of 20 percent. 

Graduates of the MS in Mechanical Engineering program have found advanced positions through:

  • Amazon
  • Applied Materials
  • APTIM
  • Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc.
  • Constellation Energy
  • Fluor Corporation
  • GE Global Research
  • General Dynamics Electric Boat
  • GlobalFoundries
  • Glumac, A Tetra Tech Company
  • Goulds Pumps
  • JBT Automated Systems
  • LC Drives
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Mission Technologies
  • Naval Nuclear Laboratory
  • Pratt & Whitney
  • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Rock Shox
  • TK Elevator
  • Underwriters Laboratories
  • United States Air Force

Welding Experts

When Professor Daryush Aidun and Fatemeh Hejripour ’19, PhD, wrote a paper that was published in the Welding Journal, they did not imagine that they would receive an award from the American Welding Society.

Learn More about Prof. Aidun's Expertise

  • STEM OPT Eligible

  • Online or In-Person Delivery

  • Research or Project-Based Pathway


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Contact Us

Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@clarkson.edu
Phone: 518-631-9831

Find out more about the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

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100% Graduate Placement Rate - Program Specific

Advance Your Career

Sharpen your technical skills and establish yourself as an expert in a growing field with an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson.