Department of
Mechanical Engineering
2010-2011 Graduate
Student Handbook
i
Table of Contents
PREFACE ....................................................................................................... ii
I. DIRECTORY ............................................................................................ 1
Mechanical Engineering Department Administration ............................... 1
Mechanical Engineering Department Divisional Offi ces ............................ 1
Mechanical Engineering Department Graduate Faculty ............................ 2
II. REGISTRATION .................................................................................... 3
III. DEGREE PROGRAMS ...................................................................... 6
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Plan A ............................... 7
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Plan B ............................... 8
Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering ........................................ 9
IV. GRADUATE FACULTY ADVISER ................................................... 10
V. FINANCIAL SUPPORT ...................................................................... 11
VI. APPROVAL PROCESS STEPS IN DEGREE STUDY ................. 15
Master of Science Degree: Plan A ............................................................... 16
Master of Science Degree: Plan B ............................................................... 19
Doctor of Philosophy Degree ........................................................................ 21
VII. PROGRAM OF STUDY .................................................................. 25
VIII. CORE PROGRAM CRITERIA ....................................................... 28
IX. THESIS CREDIT REGISTRATION .............................................. 29
X. MASTER’S FINAL EXAMINATION ................................................ 29
XI. DOCTORAL PRELIM EXAM PROCEDURES ............................. 30
XII. CHANGE OF STATUS ..................................................................... 40
XIII. ANNUAL REVIEWS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS ....................... 41
XIV. MAIL, MAILBOXES, BUILDING KEYS ...................................... 41
XV. STUDENT SHOP ................................................................................ 41
XVI. COMPUTING FACILITIES ............................................................ 42
Appendix A: Thesis Binding Information ................................................................ 43
Appendix B: Mathematics / Numerical Methods Course List ............................... 44
Sample Degree Program Form ................................................................................. 46
ii
PREFACE Graduate study in Mechanical / Industrial Engineering at the University of Minnesota is a
stimulating and professionally rewarding experience. This publication supplements information provided
in both the University of Minnesota-Graduate School Catalog (available at the Graduate School in 309
Johnston Hall, or online at: http://www.grad.umn.edu/catalog/index.html). You are responsible for
all information contained here and in the catalog that is pertinent to your graduate study and to your
specifi c fi eld.
When appropriate, the Student Information and Advising Offi ce (1120 Mech Eng) will send
information to you at your email address, your campus mailbox, if you have one, or your home address.
Therefore, it is important that you notify the payroll staff in 101ME of any address changes as soon as
possible.
Faculty and staff of the Mechanical Engineering Department wish you a rewarding experience
in your graduate study, and we look forward to working with you during your enrollment here. For
additional assistance, consult any of the following:
Mr. John K. Gardner Dr. Allison Hubel
Student Advising and Information Offi ce Director of Graduate Studies
Mechanical Engineering Department Mechanical Engineering Department
1120 Mech Eng 207 Mech Eng
University of Minnesota University of Minnesota
111 Church St. S.E. 111 Church St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612)625-2009 (612) 626-4451
[email protected] [email protected]
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access
to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin,
sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
In adhering to this policy, the University abides by the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minnesota
Statute Ch. 363; by the Federal Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 2000e; by the requirements of Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972; by Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; by the
Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; by Executive Order 11246, as amended; by 38 U.S.C. 20221,
the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1972, as amended; and by other applicable
statutes and regulations relating to equality of opportunity.
Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to:
Deborah S. Petersen-Perlman, Director
UMD Offi ce of Equal Opportunity
255 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812-2496
(218) 726-6849
iii
MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES POLICYMutual Responsibilities in Graduate Education at the University of Minnesota
Approved by the Graduate School Executive Committee 5/28/97
Preamble
A major purpose of graduate education at the University of Minnesota is to instill in each student
an understanding of and capacity for scholarship, independent judgment, academic rigor, and intellectual
honesty. Graduate education is an opportunity for the student to develop into a professional scholar.
Graduate research and teaching assistantships offer an “apprenticeship” experience in the academic
profession as well as fi nancial support. It is the joint responsibility of faculty and graduate students to
work together to foster these ends through relationships that encourage freedom of inquiry, demonstrate
personal and professional integrity, and foster mutual respect. This shared responsibility with faculty
extends to all of the endeavors of graduate students, as students, employees, and members of the larger
academic community.
High quality graduate education depends on the professional and ethical conduct of the
participants. Faculty and graduate students have complementary responsibilities in the maintenance
of academic standards and the creation of high quality graduate programs. Excellence in graduate
education is achieved when both faculty and students are highly motivated, possess the academic and
professional backgrounds necessary to perform at the highest level, and are sincere in their desire to
see each other succeed.
The following principles illustrate what students should expect from their programs and what
programs should expect from their students, to help achieve this excellence.
Principle 1: INFORMATION ABOUT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
The Graduate School and graduate programs are responsible for providing students and
prospective students with access to information about their graduate program, areas of specialization,
degree requirements, and average time to completion of degrees. Graduate programs are responsible
for providing access to information about graduate student fi nancial support in the program, such as
the prospects for fellowships, assistantships or other fi nancial support and the proportion of students
receiving fi nancial support. In addition, graduate programs should provide students and applicants
with information about career experiences of graduates of the program. All such information should be
presented in a format that does not violate the privacy of individual students. Programs are encouraged
to provide relevant information in their handbooks, websites or other readily accessible formats.
Students are responsible for keeping themselves informed about current policies of their program
and the Graduate School that affect graduate students. Students and alumni also have a responsibility
to respond to program inquiries about their career development.
Principle 2: COMMUNICATION ABOUT ACADEMIC STATUS.
The Graduate School and graduate programs are responsible for providing students with
information about their individual academic status: who in the Graduate School and in their graduate
program is responsible for communicating to them about admission issues and progress through the
degree program, how the communication will take place, and the possibility for appeal to a third party
for assistance in resolving disputed issues.
iv
Students are responsible for communicating with the Graduate School and their graduate program about
changes in their circumstances that affect their status and progress toward the degree.
Principle 3: RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS.
Individual faculty as research directors are responsible for providing students with appropriate
recognition for their contributions at conferences, in professional publications, or in applications for
patents. It is the faculty member’s responsibility to clarify the principles for determining authorship and
recognition at the beginning of any project.
Students are responsible for discussing their expectations regarding acknowledgment of research
contributions or intellectual property rights with the appropriate person(s) in the research team, preferably
early in the project.
Principle 4: UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE.
Departments and graduate programs are responsible for defi ning specifi c opportunities for
student participation on committees as they deem appropriate. The University recognizes that graduate
students make important contributions to governance and decision making at the program, department,
college, Graduate School and University level; specifi c roles for participation are defi ned at each level
by the relevant governing bodies. For example, University Senate policy requires student membership
on faculty search committees.
Students are responsible for participating in University governance and decision making that
enrich the campus community.
Principle 5: RESPECTFUL EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS.
University faculty and staff are responsible for assuring that graduate students are able to conduct
their work, as students or students/employees, in a manner consistent with professional conduct and
integrity, free of intimidation or coercion. Students who are employees also have the protection of
all University employment policies and laws. Graduate programs are responsible for providing clear
communication to students about the possibility for appeal to a third party for assistance in resolving
disputed issues.
Students are responsible for reporting unprofessional conduct to the appropriate body or person,
as defi ned in the academic or employment grievance policy; they should be able to do so without fear
of reprisal. Students are responsible for acting in a respectful and fair manner toward other students,
faculty, or staff in the conduct of their academic work or work they may do in connection with an
assistantship.
Principle 6: CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.
The University (through its departments, research projects or other employing units) is responsible
for providing to prospective graduate assistants a written offer of fi nancial support before a response
to the offer is required. Such communication must indicate their salary and the terms and conditions
of their appointment, including the general nature of the work they will be performing, duration of
v
employment, and whether and how this employment is tied to their academic progress. The details of
specifi c teaching or research assignments may need to await later written clarifi cation.
Students are responsible for accepting the conditions of employment only if they believe they
are qualifi ed and able to complete the tasks assigned. Students have a responsibility for communicating
in writing any changes in their circumstances that affect their ability to fulfi ll the terms and conditions
of their employment.
Principle 7: SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
Supervisors are responsible for providing a safe working environment for graduate students,
and for developing and publicizing safety policies and training programs to achieve that goal.
Graduate students are responsible for helping to maintain a safe working environment, for
adhering to safety policies, for participating in training programs and for reporting safety violations to
the proper authority.
OTHER UNIVERSITY DOCUMENTS may provide information and guidance relevant to the graduate
education experience.
• Board of Regents, Code of Conduct, adopted 7/12/96.
[www.regents.umn.edu/policies/academic/Conduct.pdf]
• Board of Regents, Academic Freedom and Responsibility, adopted 9/8/95
[www.regents.umn.edu/policies/academic/AcademicFreedom.pdf]
• Graduate Assistant Offi ce, Handbook for Graduate Assistants
[www.umn.edu/OHR/GAO/]
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
Graduate School Commitment to Diversity
The Graduate School embraces the University of Minnesota’s position that promoting and
supporting diversity among the student body is central to the academic mission of the University. We
defi ne diversity to encompass many characteristics including economic disadvantage, special talents,
evidence of leadership qualities, race or ethnicity, a strong work record, and disability. A diverse student
body enriches graduate education by providing a multiplicity of views and perspectives that enhance
research, teaching, and the development of new knowledge. A diverse mix of students promotes respect
for, and opportunities to learn from, others with the broad range of backgrounds and experiences that
constitute modern society. Higher education trains the next generation of leaders of academia and
society in general, and such opportunities for leadership should be accessible to all members of society.
1
I. DIRECTORY
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION
Department Head Executive Assistant
Dr. Uwe Kortshagen Ms. Karon Mooney
1100 C Mech Eng 1100 D Mech Eng
624-2817 626-2289
Director of Graduate Studies Coordinator
Dr. Jane Davidson Mr. John K. Gardner
3101E Mech Eng 1120 Mech Eng
626-9850 625-2009
Department Associate Head
Dr. Susan Mantell
1100 A Mech Eng
625-1324
Student Support Services Associate Department Administrative Director
Ms. Jeanne Sitzmann Ms. Pamela Wilson
1120 Mech Eng 1100 B Mech Eng
625-5842 625-9315
Accountant
Ms. Carrie Romuald
1100 D Mech Eng
624-3498
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DIVISIONAL OFFICES
Division Secretary (second fl oor)
Tori Piorek
2101 Mech Eng
625-6808
Division Secretary (third fl oor)
Ms. Jennifer Dahal
3101 Mech Eng
626-6811
2
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE FACULTY
Professors Offi ce Telephone Email
Aksan, Alptekin ....................... 241 .................... 626-6618 .................................................. [email protected]
Alexander, Jennifer*................... 325D ...................... 626-7309 .................................................. [email protected]
Arndt,Roger* ............................ 376A SAFL................ 627-4584 .................................................. [email protected]
Ballarini, Roberto* .................... 142 Civil Eng ............ n/a .................................................. [email protected]
Barocas,Victor* ................... 7-106 BSBE ............... 626-5572 .................................................. [email protected]
Bechtold, Joan E.* . Hennepin County Medical Center ........ n/a .................................................. [email protected]
Benjaafar, Saifallah ................... 2104 .................. 626-7239 .................................................. [email protected]
Bhattacharya, Mrinal* ............... 202 BioAgEng ...... 625-5234 .................................................. [email protected]
Bischof, John C. ....................... 200 .................. 625-5513 .................................................. [email protected]
Blackshear Jr,P. L.* ................... 455 B .................... 651-426-2672 ................................................. [email protected]
Chase, Thomas R. .................... 305 .................. 625-0308 .................................................. [email protected]
Cui, Tianhong ........................ 303 ................... 626-1636 .................................................. [email protected]
Davidson, Jane H. .................... 3101 E ................ ... 626-9850 .................................................. [email protected]
Divani,Afshin*........................... Neurology ................ n/a .................................................. [email protected]
Donath, Max ............................ 211 .................. 625-2304 .................................................. [email protected]
Dumitrica, Traian .................... 244 ..................... 625-3797 .................................................. [email protected]
Durfee, William K. .................... 2101 B .................... 625-0099 .................................................. [email protected]
Erdman, Arthur G. ..................... 315 .................. 625-8580 .................................................. [email protected]
Fletcher, Edward A.* ............... 465 ....................... 625-0532 .................................................. fl [email protected]
Garrick, Sean C. ....................... 245 .................. 624-5741 .................................................. [email protected]
Girshick, Steven L. .................... 2101 E .................... 625-5315 .................................................. [email protected]
Goldstein, Richard J. ................. 232 .................. 625-5552 .................................................. [email protected]
Hayes, Caroline C. .................... 2110 .................. 626-8391 .................................................. [email protected]
Heberlein, Joachim ................... 2101 F .................... 625-4538 .................................................. [email protected]
Hogan, Chris ............................. 103 .......................... 626-8312 .................................................. [email protected]
Hubel, Allison ........................... 209 .................... 626-4451 .................................................. [email protected]
Iaizzo, Paul* .............................. MMC 107 Mayo ...... 624-7912 .................................................. [email protected]
Ibele, Warren E.* .......... 229 ...................... 625-7527 .................................................. [email protected]
Jacobs, Heinrich-Otto* ............... 4-174 EE/CS ............ n/a .................................................. [email protected]
Kittelson, David B. .................... 455 A .................. 625-1808 .................................................. [email protected]
Klamecki, Barney E. ................. 325 B .................. 625-0703 .................................................. [email protected]
Kortshagen, Uwe R. ................. 2101 C ..................... 625-4028 .................................................. [email protected]
Kuehn, Thomas H. ................... 3101 C ...................... 625-4520 .................................................. [email protected]
Kulacki, Francis A. ................... 121 .................... 625-3807 .................................................. [email protected]
Lewis, Jack L.* ........................ 372 Chld. Rehab. ..... 626-5021 .................................................. [email protected]
Li, Perry H. ................................ 309 .................. 626-7815 .................................................. [email protected]
Lipinski, Wojciech ................... 111 ........................... 626-0875 .................................................. [email protected]
Liu, Benjamin Y.H.* ................ 3101 B ...................... 625-6574 .................................................. [email protected]
Manser, Michael* ..................... L105 ...................... 625-0447 .................................................. [email protected]
Mantell, Susan C. ...................... 3101 D .................. 625-1324 .................................................. [email protected]
Marple, Virgil A. ....................... 3104 .................. 625-3441 .................................................. [email protected]
Marshall, Julian ......................... 162 CE ................. 625-2397 .................................................. [email protected]
McMurry, Peter H. .................... 1100 C ...................... 624-2817 .................................................. [email protected]
Ogata, Katsuhiko ....................... 307 .................. 625-9374 .................................................. [email protected]
Pfender, Emil* .......................... 2101 D ................ 625-6012 .................................................. [email protected]
Pui, David Y.H. .......................... 3101 F ...................... 625-2537 .................................................. [email protected]
Rajamani, Rajesh ...................... 203 .................. 626-7961 .................................................. [email protected]
Ramalingam, Subbiah ............... 215 .................. 625-4017 .................................................. [email protected]
Ramaswamy, Sidharan* .......... 206 Kaufert L ........... 624-8797 .................................................. [email protected]
Ramsey, James W. ..................... 1100 A ................ 625-8390 .................................................. [email protected]
Shankwitz, Craig* ................... L-111 ...................... 625-0323 .................................................. [email protected]
Simon, Terrence W. ................... 235 ................... 625-5831 .................................................. [email protected]
Sotiropoulos, Fotis* ................. 4691 SAFL................. 624-2022 .................................................. [email protected]
Sparrow, Ephraim M. ................ 238 .................. 625-5502 .................................................. [email protected]
Starr, Patrick J. .......................... 105 .................. 625-2315 .................................................. [email protected]
Stelson, Kim A. ......................... 311 .................. 625-6528 .................................................. [email protected]
Strykowski, Paul J. .................... 237 .................. 626-2008 .................................................. [email protected]
Sun, Zongxuan .......................... 3100 ...................... 625-2107 .................................................. [email protected]
Tamma, Kumar K. .................... 325E .................. 625-1821 .................................................. [email protected]
Tranquillo, Robert* ................ 7-112 BSBE ............. 625-6868 .................................................. [email protected]
Yang, Rusen ........................... 113 ............................ 625-3023 .................................................. [email protected]
* Denotes affi liate senior, or affi liate member of grad. faculty.
3
II. REGISTRATION
Registration Steps - all new students
_____ 1. Check in with the Mechanical Engineering Department.
Student Advising & Information Offi ce - 1120 M.E.
_____ 2. Consult with Director of Graduate Studies or appropriate faculty member to
establish fi rst semester’s courses.
_____ 3. All new international students - check in with the International Student &
Scholar Services Offi ce, 190 Hubert H. Humphrey Center, West Bank.
_____ 4. Register - follow the registration procedures on One Stop: http://www.onestop.
umn.edu/registrar/registration/index.html
_____ 5. Obtain student I.D. card.
U-Card Offi ce - G22 Coffman Memorial Union
Registration Steps - current / previous students
Register at 202 Fraser Hall or on-line through the Student Access System (onestop.umn.edu),
according to the registration queue published in the Class Schedule. Class Schedules are
available through theWeb via: http://www.onestop.umn.edu/registrar/registration/courses.
html
Registration Notes
• Students are charged a late fee if they register after classes begin and may register after the
fi rst week of the semester only with special permission. See the Class Schedule for further
details.
• You must take all courses placed in the ‘major’ category on your program of study (Degree
Program Form) on an A/F base, with the exception of departmental seminars and the Plan B
class. You must also take the Mathematics/Numerical methods class on an A/F bases. You are
expected to take the great majority of non-major courses A/F. If you request to include a non-
major course on an S/N base, you must clear it with your adviser and the Director of Graduate
Studies. At that time, it is desirable that you bring a copy of your program of study to identify
the strength of your entire program.
• For the University calendar and registration information, refer to the University’s semester Class
Schedule or the Summer Session Bulletin.
4
• The Graduate School Catalog details Graduate School regulations, requirements, and procedures;
lists some available fi nancial aid, scholarships, and fellowships; and provides program and
course descriptions. This may be picked up at the Graduate School in 309 Johnston Hall or
viewed online at: http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/index.html.
• You must register every Fall and Spring term in the Graduate School in order to maintain
active graduate status. If you have not registered in the Graduate School, you must apply for
readmission and must register before you can resume work on a master’s or doctoral thesis
or on master’s Plan B papers, take written or oral examinations, or fi le for graduation. The
Department reserves the right to reject a readmission application based on enrollment load and
the quality of academic history.
• The University requires that graduate students holding appointments as teaching assistants,
research assistants, and administrative fellows must register for at least 6 credits during each
term which he or she holds an appointment of greater than12.5%. (This does not apply to
summer terms if you were registered the preceding spring quarter.) If you have to satisfy other
criteria for full-time status (i.e., some student loan deferrals may require 7-credit registration)
you should check with that individual entity.
FULL-TIME PART-TIME
Graduate Student 6 or more credits Less than 6 credits
Research / Teaching Assistant
- still working on coursework 6 or more credits Less than 6 credits
Advanced Student Standing
- M.S. (coursework/thesis cr. completed) At least 1 credit of N/A
ME 8333
- Ph.D. (w/24 Thesis Credits) At least 1 credit of N/A
ME 8444
More Registration Notes - M.S. Students
Master's students who have completed all of their course credits (including thesis credits, if pursuing
a Plan A) may register for a special one credit option and still be counted as a full-time student. This
registration will satisfy the full-time requirement for federal student loan deferrals as well as fulfi ll the
assistantship registration requirement. In order to receive permission to register for this 1-credit course
(ME 8333, FTE: Master's), a student must fi ll out the Application for Full-time Status With One Credit
form from the Student Advising & Information Offi ce - 1120 M.E., and have it signed by their adviser.
They must also submit a Request for Advanced Master's Tracking Flag form to the Graduate School
to grant eligibility for this option.
5
More Registration Notes - Ph.D. Students
• Doctoral students must register for 24 doctoral thesis credits (ME / IE 8888) at the University
of Minnesota beginning the semester after they have passed the preliminary oral
examination.
• The requirement of 24 doctoral thesis credits cannot be reduced by transfer of master’s thesis
credits, or thesis credits taken at another institution.
• You are permitted to register for thesis credits during the current semester if you pass the
preliminary oral examination and if the signed report form is delivered to 316 Johnston Hall
no later than 1 p.m. on the last day of registration for that semester. While this deadline will
permit you time to register before the Registration Center closes that day, we strongly urge you
not to wait until the last minute to bring the signed report to the Graduate School.
6
III. DEGREE PROGRAMS
Two degree programs are offered:
• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D.)
As you seek an adviser, please discuss joint aspirations regarding your study plans. If you are
a research-oriented student, carefully consider which plan will be most appropriate toward further
study. Do this in close consultation with potential faculty advisers or with the faculty person who has
consented to advise you.
Master of science degrees have an option of Plan A or Plan B. Consult the Graduate School
Catalog to review these plans.
Full-time graduate students in the mechanical engineering department (those on fellowship or
assistantship support) are expected to complete their master’s degree in two years and to complete their
doctoral degree in fi ve years (beyond the B.S. degree). Part-time students working outside or students
with heavy T.A. assignments may require more time.
Advisers will develop a program of study with their students to insure timely completion of the
graduate degree.
7
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - PLAN A
(M.S.M.E.)
14 Major
(ME)
Credits
6 Non-Major
Credits
10 thesis
credits
(ME 8777)
1 Seminar
Credit
May be a major or
non-major seminar; if
major, count in 'major'
credits: if non-major,
count in 'other program'
credits
1 Mathemat-
ics / Numerical
Methods Course
(from the approved list
of courses,
Appendix B)
30 total
credits
Including:
+ +
=
Plan A master’s degree provides you the opportunity to execute research on a topic selected in
consultation with your adviser. You gain an understanding of research techniques by applying relevant
technologies to an engineering problem which extends understanding of an aspect of the fi eld. The
quality of your performance in this degree path is based heavily upon your success in thesis research.
Research Ethics
and Professional
Conduct
0 credits.
8
14 Major
(ME)
Credits
6 Non-Major
Credits
10 remaining
credits
(major or
non-major)
1 Seminar
Credit
May be a major or
non-major seminar; if
major, count in 'major'
credits: if non-major,
count in 'other program'
credits
1 Mathemaics
/ Numerical
Methods Course
(from the approved list
of courses,
Appendix B)
30 total course credits
(minimum)Including:
+ +
=
Plan B master’s degree accents course work, requiring a minimum of 10 course credits beyond the
Plan A requirement and has no thesis. Course study is augmented by a Plan B project (See page 22
item #9).
Research Ethics
and Professional
Conduct
0 credits.
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - PLAN B
(M.S.M.E.)
9
Major
(ME)
Credits
A minimum of
12 Non-Major
Credits
24 thesis
credits
(ME 8888)
44 total
course
credits
(minimum)
Including:
=
24 thesis
credits
(ME 8888)+
2 Seminar
CreditsMay be major or
non-major seminars; if
major, count in 'major'
credits: if non-major,
count in 'other program'
credits
1 Mathemaics
/ Numerical
Methods Course(from the approved list
of courses,
Appendix B)
+ +
Research Ethics
and Professional
Conduct
0 credits.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
(M.S.M.E.)The Doctor of Philosophy degree program develops advanced reserach competence. Close affl iation
between you and your adviser is pivotal in this program, and close rapport is important at all stages.
Faculty may wish to observe your approach to open-ended research at an early stage before consent-
ing to serve as your adviser. If so, you can accomplish this in a rnage of ways: the Plan A thesis at the
master's level, a preliminary research assignment, and/or course problems of an open-ended nature, to
name a few
10
IV. GRADUATE FACULTY ADVISER
Selection of an adviser is your responsibility. Your acceptance into the graduate program of the Department occurred because you have shown promise to satisfactorily execute graduate study. Hence you are expected to procure an adviser by demonstrating clear objectives, diligence, and a cooperative
spirit.
The new graduate student orientation, held the week before class starts in the fall, will for
many students provide the fi rst opportunity to become acquainted with faculty and their research
interests. You can become better acquainted with potential advisors by making appointments to
meet with specifi c faculty, and you are encouraged to do so. You may also wish to take courses from
a potential adviser to learn more about his or her research and technical interests before reaching a
formal advising agreement. Also browse the Department website for specifi c research activities at:
www.me.umn.edu.
It is essential that you gain an adviser no later than the end of your second term of full-time
enrollment.
Some students commit to an adviser upon, or shortly after, arrival here. Part-time graduate
students may take somewhat longer than two terms to gain an adviser. However, they may not delay
this process beyond approximately 1/4 - 1/3 of their study program.
Your adviser serves as your advocate to the faculty. For both master’s and doctor of
philosophy degrees, you develop your program of study through consultation with your adviser. Your
adviser guides dissertation research and orchestrates qualifying examination procedures to meet degree
objectives. For such important reasons, gaining an adviser early in the course of study is essential.
If you make the mistake of not getting a faculty adviser until late in your course of study, you
can expect to encounter progressive diffi culty in gaining one and in gaining faculty commitment to a
formal program of study.
You may change your graduate adviser during the course of study. It is undesirable to do this
as your program matures and should only be done judiciously and with discretion. Consult with both
a potential new adviser and with your earlier one if you anticipate this step. If you need additional
consultation about this, consult the Director of Graduate Studies.
11
V. FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Financial support opportunities available to students include:
• Fellowships
• Research Assistantships
• Teaching Assistantships
• Graduate Work-Study Program
Graduate assistantships are fi nancial aid academic appointments reserved for graduate students.
This department offers appointments for teaching assistant and research assistant positions. If you
accept an offer of fi nancial aid, you are entering into a contract, which cannot be terminated unless both
parties consent, in writing, to terminate the contract. Refer to the Registration Notes section to avail
yourself of the registration requirements for students who are receiving fi nancial assistance. If you
receive an appointment or fellowship, be sure to view the Graduate Student Employment Website at:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gao/. Stipend rates are set by the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Faculty
each spring for the following fi scal year. Ph.D. candidates will receive an increase in their stipend once
they pass their preliminary oral examination and complete 24 credits of thesis registration. The stipend
is increased by 10%, or up to the maximum rate the University may set, whichever is lower.
Fellowships
This booklet does not present the full range of fellowship opportunities available at the University
of Minnesota. Please consult one or more of the following for further information:
Fellowship Offi ce of the Graduate School
321 Johnston Hall
625-7579
Dr. Frank Kulacki, Chair
ME Department Fellowship Committee
3101C Mech Eng
625-4520
John K. Gardner
Student Information & Information Center
1120 Mech Eng
625-2009
Graduate fellowships are awards based on academic merit and are available to new and currently
enrolled graduate students. Consult the Graduate School Catalog for more details. Fellowships are
offered on a competitive basis and require excellent academic records for consideration. Doctoral
Dissertation Fellowships are also available for qualifying doctoral candidates.
Fellowship competitions follow strict timetables and guidelines, and students are advised to
obtain information early in the fall semester. Typically, the Fellowship Committee offers fellowships
12
early in the school year following their deliberations. You can apprise yourself of these timetables from
the above sources.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are typically obtained from faculty members who hold research contracts
and grants. These appointments usually materialize through direct discussions with individual faculty
where the research assignment, required expertise and expectations are addressed. Faculty may also
offer research appointments to students prior to their arrival on campus. Faculty providing support
may expect to serve as your academic adviser and can be expected to indicate over what time period a
research assistantship will be made. Periods vary, depending on the availability of grant funds and your
progress. Maintain communication with faculty to update them on your needs and interests. Research
assistantship assignments are made at any time in the calendar year depending on funding and other
factors.
Teaching Assistantships
Positions are available each academic semester for graduate students to assist in departmental
course instruction. Students must register in the semesters they hold teaching assistantships (except
during the summer session providing they were registered the preceding spring semester).
All students interested in teaching assistantships are advised to contact the responsible person
in the division where their technical interests reside and in which they may concentrate their study.
These are listed below:
Dr. Susan C. Mantell
1100 A Mech. Eng.
625-1324
It is advisable to leave relevant personal data with these people to allow them to con-
tact you as an appointment materializes.
TA offers will be made only to students who have documented adequate English skills. Current
University of Minnesota policy requires that all nonnative English speaking TAs or prospective TAs
who are or will be assigned to teaching, tutoring, or advising duties (including offi ce hours) must:
1. Score at least 50 points out of 60 points on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) exam to
receive a passing score and be eligible for assignment to teaching, tutoring, or advising
duties. Students who pass the TSE are given a campus rating of “1” and are thus certifi ed
to carry out the responsibilities of a Teaching Assistant (contact the Center for Teaching
and Learning Services - CTLS - for further information on ratings).
Background notes: The TSE is a national test that was fi rst introduced by the Educational
Testing Service in 1981; this test measures the ability of nonnative speakers to
13
communicate orally in English.
or
2. Take the SPEAK Test, an institutional version of the TSE, developed by the Educational
Testing Service and administered here on campus by CTLS.
If nonnative speakers of English do not pass the SPEAK Test or the TSE and they want
to serve as Teaching Assistants, they must contact CTLS regarding their options.
Teaching assistantship appointments are usually made before the onset of each new academic
term; the assignments are typically one semester in duration, but can be for one academic year. Teaching
appointments hold no guarantee for continuation unless stated in the Departmental offer.
Faculty recommend appointments to the Division Chairs. Once notifi ed of a teaching assistantship
opportunity, it is your responsibility to complete paperwork that will allow the Department to process
your appointment. Contact the accounting offi ce in 101 ME, to begin that process.
Academic progress and duration of study toward a degree are considered as appointment
rosters are generated. The faculty person responsible for the course is consulted when appointment
recommendations are developed. Teaching assistantship assignments naturally require demonstrated
expertise in the course subject matter to which assignment is made.
Teaching assistant responsibilities vary with course assignments They may involve grading,
recitation lecture, laboratory, homework problem solution, offi ce hour consultation, or a mix of these.
The teaching assistant is not ultimately responsible for course grades; that is a faculty responsibility.
A very modest number of teaching appointments are available in the Extension Division and in
the summer programs. Consult division chairs or Dr. Ramsey for those opportunities.
Appointment Scope
Whereas teaching assistantship appointments are typically of one semester duration, after which
a new assignment can be made, it is possible to hold simultaneous teaching and research assistantships
within any academic term. If simultaneous appointments are made, then each is typically a 25% ap-
pointment. Appointments are occasionally combined at other than 25% levels to total 50% overall.
Maximum appointments to teaching assistantship and/or research assistantship positions are
50%, except in unusual cases where graduate students who have qualifi ed for doctoral candidacy may
receive 75% appointments if a distinct service need exists.
Appointment Calendar
This department attempts to assign all teaching assistantships leaving ample lead time to permit
students to receive their initial paychecks on schedule.
If yours is a last minute appointment, verify your fi rst paycheck date with the accounting offi ce,
1103 ME (624-3355). Also contact this offi ce if you have recently been made an assistantship offer,
to supply all required appointment information.
14
Tuition
Consult the Graduate School Catalog and the Graduate Assistant Website (http://www1.umn.
edu/ohr/gao/) describing tuition policy in relation to course credits and assistantship appointments.
Also refer to the registration classifi cation chart in the Registration Notes section.
15
VI. APPROVAL PROCESS STEPS IN DEGREE STUDY
The Graduate School approves certain steps as you progress towards your degree, which are listed
by degree on the following pages. As an overview, it is important for you to know the two principle
academic units involved in your mechanical or industrial engineering graduate education:
• Mechanical Engineering Department Graduate Faculty
• Graduate School
Submit your degree program form plus any relevant petitions to the Graduate Advising Assistant,
1120 Mech Eng, for faculty approval. You should plan to submit material with adequate lead time
for approval (which may take up to 2 months).
The Graduate School approves all commitee assignments. You receive notifi cation from the
Graduate School regarding your committee assignments. Committee changes must be petitioned
through the Graduate Program Student Personnel Worker, 1120 Mech Eng.
Committee changes for exams that would occur during the summer vacation break are strongly
discouraged. Try not to schedule an exam during this time period.
16
MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE: PLAN A
M.S.M.E. or M.S.I.E.
_____ 1. Obtain admission into the graduate program from baccalaureate program in engineering,
science, or mathematics.
_____ 2. Check in with the Student Advising & Information Offi ce, 1120 Mech Eng.
_____ 3. Read this handbook and the relevant sections of the Graduate School Catalog, if you
have not done so already.
_____ 4. Course study (see Section III. Degree Programs for detailed course requirements)
_____ 5. Choose an adviser soon after beginning your studies. An adviser should be chosen no
later than the end of your fi rst semester of full-time registration or the second semester
of part-time registration.
_____ 6. Fill out degree program form (available in 1120 Mech Eng):
• due after one full-time academic term of recorded credits (10 credits)
• attach faculty signature sheet
• attach transcript (observe credit requirements)
Complete all blanks on the program: courses, major/minor-related fi eld, instructor, term, credits, etc.
Include thesis credit counts at the bottom of the sheet, but do not include them in the total credit
counts. (See the Sample Degree Program Form in the Appendix section .)
Obtain the approvals of your committee members, either through written correspon-
dence or email verifi cation, with wording stating that they are willing to serve on your
committee. Approvals should be forwarded to John Gardner, 1120 Mech Eng
_____ 7. Obtain degree program form approval from your adviser(s). If you are declaring a minor,
you will also need to obtain approval from the Director of Graduate Studies from your
minor fi eld.
_____ 8. Submit your degree program form, which includes your thesis title, plus any petitions
you might want to submit, to John Gardner, 1120 Mech Eng, for approval by the Director
of Graduate Studies. (Do not submit directly to the DGS.)
You should plan to submit this form with adequate lead time. It takes longer
to approve this form in the Department during the summer session than during other
semesters. (The spring semester is the busiest term at the Graduate School.) If you do
not fi le your program on time, a hold may be placed on your registration.
17
You will receive notifi cation from the Graduate School when your degree program
form and committee assignments are approved. If you want to change your degree
program form, do so with a petition form, available in 1120 Mech Eng. Complete the
form and return it to 1120 Mech Eng for department approval.
The Graduate School assumes that when committee assignment recommendations
are submitted to them, signed by the DGS, you have gained the consent of all named
faculty to serve on your committee. We cannot submit your degree program form to
the Graduate School until this is completed.
If circumstances require that you need to make a committee member change,
contact the Graduate Advising Assistant.
_____ 9. Defi ne your thesis topic/thesis research with your adviser. This is optimally done
concurrently with course work.
_____ 10. Pick up your reviewers report form, and other graduation materials at the Graduate
School, 316 Johnston. You may also request graduation material via the web at:
http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/forms/grad_packet/index.html
You must have an approved degree program form on fi le with the Department
and the Graduate School before you can execute this step. Also pick up your application
for degree form from the Graduate School. You must submit it to the Student Services
Offi ce (202 Fraser Hall) by the fi rst working day of the month you want to graduate.
_____ 11. Schedule final oral examination. Be sure committee is informed of impending
examination, and schedule it to accommodate all examining members. For available
rooms, please contact John Gardner in room 1120.
_____ 12. File the signed thesis reviewers report in 316 Johnston Hall and obtain the fi nal
examination report form from that offi ce.
_____ 13. Take fi nal oral examination.
_____ 14. File approved fi nal examination form with the Graduate School - 316 Johnston Hall.
This is due the last working day of month you plan to graduate. Check with 316
Johnston Hall or call 625-4019 with any questions regarding graduation deadlines. To
verify everything at this point, call Master’s Degree Clearance, 625-4019.
_____ 15. Complete fi nal edit of your examined thesis.
18
_____ 16. Bind thesis - three copies (See Binding Information, Appendix A).
Two unbound copies are due in the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, by the
last working day of the month you want to graduate. One hardbound copy (maroon
binding with white lettering) is also to be submitted to the Mechanical Engineering
Department Graduate Advising Assistant, 1120 Mech Eng. (THT students must also
submit a bound copy to the THT Division Offi ce, 240 ME.)
_____ 17. Check-out / distribute thesis
To verify completion of graduate work for a degree and to allow for control of
inventory, keys, and offi ce space, you must complete a Departmental Check-out Form
(available in 1120 Mech Eng) prior to departure from the Department or prior to beginning
another degree objective within the Department.
You must submit one hardbound copy of the dissertation to the Mechanical
Engineering Department. The Department will reimburse you for the copying and binding
of this copy. We request that the thesis submitted to the Department be a maroon-bound
thesis with white lettering. When ordering the copying and binding of your thesis,
please request a separate receipt for one copy. To obtain reimbursement (which will be
mailed to your home address) submit an original receipt to the purchase order desk in
101 ME.
19
MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE: PLAN B
M.S.M.E. or M.S.I.E.
_____ 1. Obtain admission into the graduate program from baccalaureate program in engineering,
science, or mathematics.
_____ 2. Check in with the Student Advising & Information Center, 1120 Mech Eng.
_____ 3. Read this handbook and the relevant sections of the Graduate School Catalog, if you
have not done so already.
_____ 4. Course study (see Section III. Degree Programs for detailed course requirements)
Up to 4 Independent Research credits are allowed (ME 8794)
_____ 5. Choose an adviser soon after beginning study. An adviser should be chosen no later
than the end of your fi rst semester of full-time graduate registration (or second semester
of part-time graduate registration.
_____ 6. Fill out degree program form (available in 1120 Mech Eng):
• due after one full-time academic semester of recorded credits (10 credits)
• attach faculty signature sheet
• attach transcript (observe credit requirements)
Complete all blanks on the program: courses, major/minor-related fi eld, instructor,
calendar time taken, credits, etc.
Obtain the approvals of your committee members, either through written
correspondence or email verifi cation, with wording stating that they are willing to serve
on your committee. Approvals should be forwarded to John Gardner, 1120 Mech Eng
_____ 7. Obtain degree program form approval from your adviser(s).
_____ 8. Submit your degree program form plus any petitions you might need, to John Gardner,
1120 Mech Eng, for DGS approval. (Do not submit directly to the DGS.)
You should plan to submit this form with adequate lead time. It takes longer
to approve this form in the Department during the summer session than during other
semesters. (The spring semester is the busiest term at the Graduate School.) If you do
not fi le your program on time, a hold may be placed on your registration.
If you want to change your degree program form, do so with a petition form,
available in 1120 Mech Eng. Complete the form and return it to 1120 Mech Eng for
DGS approval.
20
The Graduate School assumes that when committee assignment recommendations
are submitted to them, signed by the DGS, you have gained the consent of all named
faculty to serve on your committee. We cannot submit your degree program form to the
Graduate School until this is completed. You will receive notifi cation from the Graduate
School when your degree program form and committee assignments are approved.
If circumstances require that you need to make a committee member change,
contact the DGS, who is the only one who can authorize a committee member
change.
_____ 9. The recommended (though not required) way to satisfy the MS Plan B project requirement
is to take the two-semester course sequence, Plan B Course, ME 8951 and ME 8953.
Alternatively, students who elect not to take this course may complete their Plan B
project(s) independently under the guidance of one or more faculty advisers. In that
case up to 4 credits of Independent Research (ME 8794) may be applied to the course
requirements for the MS Plan B degree.
_____ 10. ME 8951/8953, "Plan B Project," and ME 8794, "Mechanical Engineering Research,"
can be included on a Program of Study for an M.S. Plan B (see p.22, item #9), but they
cannot be included on a Program of Study for either an M.S. Plan A or a Ph.D.
_____ 11. Pick up your fi nal oral exam form, and other graduation materials at the Graduate School,
316 Johnston. You may also request graduation material via the web at:
http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/forms/grad_packet/index.html
You must have an approved degree program form on fi le with the Department
and the Graduate School before you can execute this step. Also pick up your application
for degree form from the Graduate School. You must submit it to the Student Services
Offi ce (202 Fraser Hall) by the fi rst working day of the month you want to graduate.
_____ 12. Schedule final oral examination. Be sure committee is informed of impending
examination, and schedule it to accommodate all examining members. For available
rooms, please contact John Gardner in room 1120.
_____ 13. Take fi nal oral examination.
_____ 14. File approved fi nal examination form with Graduate School (316 Johnston Hall).
This is due the last working day of month you plan to graduate. Check with 316
Johnston Hall or call 625-4019 with any questions regarding graduation deadlines. To
verify everything, at this point, call Master’s Degree Clearance, 625-4019.
_____ 15. Check-out. To verify completion of graduate work for a degree and to provide control
of inventory, keys, and offi ce space, you must complete a Departmental Check-out
Form (available in 1120 Mech Eng) prior to departure from the Department or prior to
beginning another degree objective within the Department.
21
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE
Ph.D.
_____ 1. Admission into the Ph.D. program usually requires a master of science degree program
in an engineering or science fi eld. Exceptional students are admitted directly from a
baccalaureate program in engineering, science or mathematics.
_____ 2. Check in with the Student Advising & Information Center, 1120 Mech Eng.
_____ 3. Read this handbook and relevant sections of the Graduate School Catalog, if you have
not done so already.
_____ 4. Course study: no specifi ed courses are required for M.E. students.
• credit count beyond baccalaureate typically ranges from 44-55 credits
• consult adviser
Graduate School requires 12 credits (beyond your bachelor’s degree) in your
minor or supporting program and 24 thesis credits (ME 8888).
_____ 5. Choose an adviser (often done prior to beginning doctoral study).
_____ 6. Register for your oral qualifying exams. The registration deadline for the exams is
announced early in each semester. For students who enter the Ph.D. program after
completion of an M.S. in mechanical engineering, these exams should be taken in the
fi rst semester upon admission to the Ph.D. program. For all other students, the exams
should be taken by the third semester in the Ph.D. program.
_____ 7. Take your oral qualifying exams (see Section XI).
_____ 8. Fill out degree program form (available in 1120 Mech Eng):
• due one semester after passing qualifying exams
• observe credit distributions
Complete all blanks on the program: courses, major/minor-related fi eld, instructor,
calendar time taken, credits, etc. Thesis credits should be included in the course listings,
however, they should not be added to the credit totals at the bottom of the program.
Two seminars/colloquia are required. If your credit count exceeds the minimum,
it is reasonable to include an additional seminar credit in your credit count.
You may include seminars/colloquia from any technically-based program. If
that program is other than your major, count the credits in the minor/supporting program
category.
22
Obtain the approvals of your committee members, either through written
correspondence or email verifi cation, with wording stating that they are willing to serve
on your committee. Approvals should be forwarded to John Gardner, 1120 Mech Eng
ME 8794 or and any master's thesis credits may not be applied towards a PhD.
degree.
_____ 9. Obtain degree program form approval from your adviser(s).
_____ 10. Submit your degree program form, plus any petitions you might want to submit, to
John Gardner, 1120 Mech Eng, for DGS approval (do not submit directly to the DGS).
You must do this before you can take your written preliminary exam, unless other
arrangements have been made.
You should plan to submit this form with adequate lead time. It takes longer
to approve this form in the Department during the summer session than during other
semesters. (The spring semester is the busiest term at the Graduate School.) If you do
not fi le your program on time, a hold may be placed on your registration.
The Graduate School assumes that when committee assignment recommendations
are submitted to them, signed by the DGS, you have gained the consent of all named
faculty to serve on your committee. We cannot submit your degree program form to
the Graduate School until this is completed.
If circumstances require that you need to make a committee member change,
contact the DGS, who is the only one who can authorize a committee member change.
If you want to change your degree program form in the future, do so with a petition
form, available in 1120 Mech Eng. Complete the form and return it to 1120 Mech Eng
for DGS approval.
_____ 11. Defi ne your thesis topic/thesis research with your adviser. This is optimally done
concurrent with course work.
_____ 12. Take your written preliminary exam (see Section XI). For students who enter the Ph.D.
program after completion of an M.S. in mechanical engineering, the written preliminary
exam should be taken by the third semester in the Ph.D. program. For students who
enter the Ph.D. program without an M.S. in ME, the written preliminary exam should
be taken by the fi fth semester. It is recommended that students submit the exam early
enough in the semester (by the 8th week), to allow time for the exam to be evaluated and
then, if approved, to schedule the oral preliminary exam within the same semester.
_____ 13. Submit your preliminary written exam report to the Graduate Program Coordinator,
1120 Mech Eng, asserting passing quality. This is forwarded to 316 Johnston before
your preliminary oral examination is scheduled.
23
_____ 14. Schedule oral preliminary exam to hold it as soon as possible (preferably within the same
semester) after passing written preliminary exam. Schedule this exam with Graduate
School at least one week in advance (call 625-0084 or go to 316 Johnston Hall). The
Graduate School will then send the examination report form to your committee chair.
_____ 15. Take oral preliminary exam (see Section XI).
_____ 16. Submit your oral preliminary exam form to 316 Johnston Hall.
_____ 17. Pick up and fi le thesis proposal document (located in the cabinet outside 316 Johnston
Hall) no later than the fi rst semester after passing the preliminary oral examination.
_____ 18. Obtain approval of thesis proposal document from the Graduate School.
_____ 19. Pick up your reviewers report form, and other graduation materials at the Graduate
School, 316 Johnston. You may also request graduation material via the web at:
http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/forms/grad_packet/index.html
You must have an approved thesis proposal form on fi le with the Department and
the Graduate School before you can execute this step. Also pick up your application
for degree form from the Graduate School. You must submit it to the Student Services
Offi ce (202 Fraser Hall) by the fi rst working day of the month you want to graduate.
_____ 20. Submit your thesis to reviewers (check with reviewers to ascertain their required reading
time frame—usually a minimum of 2 weeks).
_____ 21. Submit your signed thesis reviewers report to 316 Johnston at least one week before
your fi nal oral examination.
_____ 22. Schedule fi nal oral exam at least one week before your exam date by calling 625-0168 or
by going to 316 Johnston Hall. (The Graduate School will pass the fi nal oral examination
report to your committee chairperson).
_____ 23. Take your fi nal oral exam. A minimum of 4 committee members are required to serve
on your fi nal examining committee (three from the major and one from outside).
_____ 24. File your fi nal oral exam report (Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall).
_____ 25. Edit your examined thesis.
_____ 26. To verify your progress, check with 316 Johnston Hall or call 625-0168 with any questions
regarding graduation deadlines.
24
_____ 27. Check-out / distribute thesis.
You must submit one bound thesis to the Graduate Coordinator, 1120 Mech Eng.
You will also need to return your keys and access card.
The Department will reimburse you for the copying and binding of one copy.
When ordering the copying and binding of your thesis, please request a separate receipt
for one copy. To obtain reimbursement (which will be mailed to your home address)
submit an original receipt to the purchase order desk in 101 ME.
25
VII. PROGRAM OF STUDY
As each graduate program is tailored to the individual, a proposed program of study is required
prior to extensive coursework completion. Each graduate student is expected to submit a Degree
Program Form to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval by the Departmental Graduate Faculty
and the Graduate School. It is essential that you complete this program of study form no later than your
second full-time semester (or your third part-time semester), to ensure that guidance and perspective
of your program direction can be provided and that diffi culties are avoided when you are preparing for
graduation. Hence, the need exists for early selection of a faculty adviser. The degree program form
is available in 1120 Mech Eng. Be sure to attach an unoffi cial transcript to your program form before
you submit it for review.
Special Points of Interest
• There are no specifi ed courses required in the program of study for the Mechanical
Engineering program (with the exception of the zero credit research ethics and professional
conduct course ). The Department, however, has some general guidelines regarding the
types of courses you will need to take (see the Core Program Criteria section). Determine
all courses in consultation with your adviser.
• Only the following 4xxx-level courses are currently acceptable for programs of
coursework:
• AEM 4511 Mechanics of Composite Materials
• AEM 4581 Mechanics of Solids
• BIOC 4325 Laboratory in Mass Spectrometry
• CHEM 4502 Physical Chemistry II
• EE 4541 Digital Signal Processing
• MATH 4512 Differential Equations with Applications
• PHYS 4051 Methods of Experimental Physics I
• PHYS 4101 Quantum Mechanics
• PHYS 4201 Statistical and Thermal Physics
• PHYS 4211 Introduction to Solid-State Physics
If a student wishes to include a different 4xxx-level course on his/her program, adviser and
DGS approval must be obtained prior to enrolling in the course.
• One graduate-level seminar is required of the master’s student, and two (beyond the
baccalaureate) of doctoral students. Include seminar credits in the course credit count
on the degree program form. Seminars may be taken in other departments or technical
disciplines.
• You must take all courses placed in the ‘major’ category on your program of study (Degree
Program Form) on an A/F base, with the exception of departmental seminars and the Plan B
26
class. You must also take the Mathematics/Numerical methods class on an A/F bases. You are
expected to take the great majority of non-major courses A/F. If you request to include a non-
major course on an S/N base, you must clear it with your adviser and the Director of Graduate
Studies. At that time, it is desirable that you bring a copy of your program of study to identify
the strength of your entire program.
• Courses on the program of study must meet a minimum GPA requirement. For MS students,
the minimum program GPA is 2.8; for PhD students, the minimum program GPA is 3.0.
• The Director of Graduate Studies will sign the form after graduate adviser approval. Turn
the form in for that approval to 1120 Mech Eng, after obtaining adviser approval. Note:
if you are offi cially declaring a minor, you will also need to gain the approval of the DGS
from your minor department prior to submitting to 1120 Mech. Eng.
• Permissible transfer of credit is explained in the Graduate School Catalog.
• If questions exist on the graduate caliber of courses taken elsewhere, you will be asked to
demonstrate that such courses are contained in the Graduate School Catalog, if the prior
institution has an accredited graduate program. You may also need to produce course syllabi
and class notes for courses in question.
• You may place courses from departments outside of mechanical engineering into your major
course category if they can be defended as central to the major concentration. Do this in
close consultation with your faculty adviser. Submit your program early as there have been
instances where too wide a spectrum of such courses, force-married to the major, have been
rejected. A Petition Form (available in 1120 Mech Eng) needs to accompany such intent
when you submit your program.
• You are encouraged to include 8000 level courses in your programs of study. However,
there is no set minimum number of such credits in a program. You may only use selected
4000 level courses from other departments, which are listed in section II, Registration.
• Whereas no formal credit count is stated for the doctoral degree in the Graduate School
Catalog (other than the 12 credits required in the supporting program or minor), the
Mechanical Engineering Department observes a nominal minimum standard between 44
and 50 semester credits including master’s course credits as a hallmark of adequate course
study.
• Do not confuse the Mechanical Engineering research courses with thesis credit registration:
[ME 8777 / 8888].
27
Petitions
Petitions are submitted along with or after a Degree Program has been approved by the Graduate
School, depending on the reason for the petition. If a change in the content of a program is
desired, but the program has already been approved by the Graduate School, you will need to
submit a petition. If you are requesting special transfer of coursework or an extension of time,
you may submit your petition along with your Degree Program Form.
• Submit a petition form signed by your adviser, to the Director of Graduate Studies, to request
a program of study variance.
• Fill in all requested information.
• If you propose large scale changes in your program — conversion from Plan A to B, B to A,
or course changes exceeding approximately three courses — submit a new degree program
form with the old program appended.
• Submit petitions in a timely fashion and not in a fl urry of effort as the program nears
consummation.
• The Director of Graduate Studies acts upon degree program form submissions unless major
variations from policy are requested. Such programs are referred to a scholastic standards
28
VIII. CORE PROGRAM CRITERIA
Graduate students in mechanical / industrial engineering prepare for professional participation
in a fi eld associated with wide diversity and rapid fl ux. Programs of study are fl exible enough to meet
individual student/adviser aspirations, while providing a framework which facilitates an education with
suffi cient versatility to gain perspective of the profession beyond tightly focused subspecialty goals.
M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Degree Program of Study Graduate students in the Mechanical Engineering Department pursue a program of study
which embodies two major ingredients:
1. A disciplinary focus to amplify your knowledge in a specific area of technical
expertise.
2. A dimension of technical literacy beyond the disciplinary focus to equip yourself
with breadth of perspective to enable adaptation to future engineering challenges and
technological change.
Achieve technical literacy through the following types of course selections:
• Those offered within the Department but beyond the main concentration of
your study.
• Those taken outside the Department with suffi cient uniqueness to stand the
test of breadth.
• Technical courses which emphasize micro-scale phenomena in such areas as
materials, electronics, chemistry, and physics.
• Graduate-level courses in Mathematics or Numerical Methods (at least one
course is required in one of these disciplines for the M.S and Ph.D. programs
of study in Mechanical Engineering).
Proposed Program of Study ContentMinimum Course Distributions
Master of Science - Plan A 2 1*
Master of Science - Plan B 3 2*
Doctor of Philosophy
(beyond the Bachelor’s) 5 3*
* Including at least one course in mathematics or numerical methods - see Appendix B.
Minimum number of courses
selected from the categories
of technical literacy:
Minimum number of
courses selected to achieve
disciplinary focus:
29
Programs are also expected to meet Graduate School policy on major/minor distributions. See
the Degree Programs section (Section III) for further details.
The core program criteria apply to all mechanical engineering graduate students who will be
graduating under the semester system. They do not apply to industrial engineering graduate students
IX. THESIS CREDIT REGISTRATION
• Students completing a Plan A master’s degree in engineering are required to enroll for 10
master’s thesis credits (ME 8777) before receiving the degree.
• Master’s thesis credits may be registered for at any time in the student’s semesters of study.
List thesis credits on the degree program form but do not include them in the credit totals
at the bottom of the degree program form.
• Students completing a doctoral degree are required to enroll for 24 doctoral thesis credits
(ME 8888) before receiving a degree (students can register for a maximum of 18 in one
semester). Doctoral students may not register for thesis credits until the semester after they
have passed their preliminary oral examinations (see the Preliminary Oral Examinations
section). List thesis credits on the degree program form but do not include them in the credit
totals at the bottom of the degree program form.
Ph.D. students are urged to track their thesis enrollment to ensure that graduation criteria are
met as graduation becomes imminent. Thesis credits cannot be transferred from M.S. programs.
X. MASTER'S FINAL EXAM
The Graduate School requires a fi nal examination for all master’s candidates. This is an oral
examination, usually one hour in length. It is conducted by a minimum of three members of the graduate
faculty assigned at the time your degree program form is approved. At least two faculty members must
be from the major fi eld and one from the minor or supporting program area. The fi nal oral for the
master’s degree is conducted as a closed examination, attended by only the student and the examining
committee.
It is your responsibility to schedule the oral exam in consultation with your adviser and committee
members. You must notify the Graduate School at least one week prior to your examination date and
obtain the necessary forms from them.
This examination may relate to a combination of both dissertation content (for Plan B programs,
project and paper content) and technical course competence. Your adviser will propose strategy for the
examination and present this to the examiners when they convene. The committee will then indicate
its preference. However, it is wise to talk with examining committee members as the time for the
examination approaches to identify yourself and your background. Your fi nal presentation should be
well-prepared and succinct, and you should allow examiners ample time for questions and comments
on coursework.
30
XI. DOCTORAL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
Ph.D. candidates in mechanical engineering must pass the following “qualifying” and “preliminary”
exams:
• Oral “qualifying” exams in three subject areas, taken relatively soon after entering the Ph.D.
program.
• A written preliminary exam that will be constituted by the Ph.D. thesis proposal, including a
critical review of the literature on the topic of the proposed research.
• An oral preliminary exam that will consist of a presentation on the proposed research,
followed by questioning that is focussed on material related to the proposed research.
Oral Qualifying Exams
After entering the Ph.D. program, but before taking the written Ph.D. preliminary exam, students
will be required to take three oral qualifying exams.
Timing
For students who enter the Ph.D. program after completion of an M.S. in mechanical engineering,
these exams should be taken in the fi rst semester upon admission to the Ph.D. program. For all other
students, the exams should be taken by the third semester in the Ph.D. program.
All exams will take place during Monday-Thursday. There will be an announcement the fi rst week
of the semester with the exact dates of the exam. The exam will usually be aorund the 9th to the 11th
week of each semester.
Registration for exam
In order to allow time for setting up committees and scheduling the exams, students planning to
take the exams must register well in advance of the exam week. The deadline for registration will be
announced early in each semester.
Length of exams
Normally exam will be 30 minutes long. However, exams may be extended up to 60 minutesto
allow examiners ample time to aarive at a fair evaluation of teh studentts' performance.
Choice of subjects
The subjects of the three exams must be selected from a menu of core subjects. Descriptions of
the level and content of the exams in each of these core subject areas follow below. The subjects are:
Fluid mechanics
Heat transfer
Machine design
Solid mechanics
System dynamics and control
Thermodynamics
31
Examining committees
The committee for each oral exam will consist of two members of the ME graduate faculty. The
adviser cannot be on the committee. In the case of multiple students taking the same subject exam, each
student will have the same committee, insofar as that is possible while still excluding the adviser. If that
cannot be arranged, then excluding the adviser will have priority over maintaining the same committee
for each student. The DGS is responsible for setting up committees and scheduling the exams.
Evaluation of exams
Immediately following each exam, each of the two examiners will independently grade the
student’s performance on a 10-point scale. If an examiner sees more than one student for the same
exams in the same subject, then he/she can revise their grades for consistency after they are all done.
Shortly after the exams are completed there will be a special meeting of the ME Graduate Faculty.
At this meeting all the raw scores will be presented and discussed, and fi nal decisions will be made
regarding pass, fail with retake (at most one retake allowed) or fail without retake allowed. The adviser
of each student being considered can participate in this discussion. If the result is fail with retake, then
the student must retake the entire examination, i.e. he/she must take three exams again, though not
necessarily the same three. Retake of the exams must occur during the oral qualifying exam week of the
next semester. For cases where a student performs poorly on a retake of the oral qualifying exams, the
adviser’s input will be considered before making the decision whether to fail the student and terminate
him or her from the Ph.D. program.
Topical content or exams in core subject areas
The following pages contain descriptions of the topical content of the oral qualifying exams in the
six core subject areas.
32
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in Fluid Mechanics
Background
The qualifying examination in fl uid mechanics will be used to assess the candidate’s understanding of fl uid
mechanics at an advanced undergraduate level. The successful candidate will demonstrate a working knowledge
of hydrostatics, conservation of mass, conservation of linear momentum, conservation of energy, Lagrangian
and Eulerian descriptions (frames of reference) as well as similitude and the Buckingham Pi theorem. These
subject areas are present in the vast majority of undergraduate fl uid mechanics courses/programs, and are the
minimum required to enter a graduate-level course in fl uid dynamics. Students should demonstrate a systematic
approach to fl uid systems analysis.
Topics that may be covered
• Hydrostatics (thermodynamics approach and force balances)
• Fluid kinematics, acceleration, Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions
• System and Control Volume analysis, Reynolds transport theorem
• Incompressible Bernoulli equation and Euler’s equation, understanding their advantages and limitations
• General motion of a fl uid element; differential analysis of a fl uid element
• Conservation of mass, momentum, and energy
• Buckingham’s Pi theorem, dimensional analysis, similitude
• Viscous fl ows, e.g. pipe fl ows; planar Couette fl ow; lubrication; thin fi lms; venturis, orifi ce plates, obstruction
meters
• Boundary layers—laminar and turbulent: both fundamental understanding and appreciation for the role of
boundary layers in external and internal fl ows; developing fl ows; lift and drag
• Understanding of important dimensionless groups in fl uid mechanics, including Reynolds number, Mach
number, Weber number, Froude or Richardson number, etc.
Relevant courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• ME 3332, Thermal Sciences II (essential)
• ME 5341, Thermal Design (benefi cial)
• ME 5344, Thermodynamics of Fluid Flow (benefi cial)
Suggested references
Young, D.F., Munson, B.R., and Okiishi, T.H., Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 5th Edition. John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 2004
Fox, R.W., McDonald, A.T., and Pritchard, P.J. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 6th Edition, 2004
White, F.M., Fluid Mechanics, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill, 1999
33
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in Heat Transfer
Background
The qualifying examination in heat transfer will be used to assess the candidate’s understanding of heat transfer
at an advanced undergraduate level. The successful candidate will demonstrate a working knowledge of
the macroscopic and physical basis of the three primary modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection and
thermal radiation. Demonstration is required of an ability to analytically apply the Fourier law of conduction
and Newton’s law of cooling, to determine heat transfer rates in steady and transient situations in both one and
two dimensions. Familiarity (not memorization) with widely used empirical correlations for forced and free
convection is expected. For thermal radiation, candidates are expected to be able to compute heat transfer rates
via thermal radiation in enclosures with non-participating gases. Candidates must also demonstrate the ability
to conceptualize a thermal systems component or processing involving heat transfer to meet a desired need or
engineering objective.
Topics that may be covered
• Thermodynamic foundation of heat transfer; heat transfer defi ned; Fourier’s law of heat transfer by conduction;
thermal conductivity
• Steady thermal conduction in one and two dimensions; planar systems, cylindrical systems, spherical systems;
overall heat transfer coeffi cient; insulation & R-values; critical thickness of insulation
• Steady conduction-convection systems; fi ns & thermal contact resistance; conduction in two dimensions;
unsteady heat transfer; lumped system analysis; Heisler charts
• Convection fundamentals; thermal boundary layer concepts; laminar and turbulent fl at plate boundary layers;
energy equation in two dimensions; Newton’s law of cooling
• Empirical relationships for engineering systems under forced convection: pipe fl ows, fl ow across cylinders,
spheres, tube banks
• Fundamentals and empirical relationships for natural convection systems
• Solid understanding of important dimensionless groups in heat transfer, including Reynolds number, Prandtl
number, Nusselt number, Biot number, Grashof number, etc.
• Radiation heat transfer fundamentals; physical mechanisms; radiation properties; shape factors; radiation
networks
Relevant courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• ME 3333, Thermal Sciences III (essential)
• ME 4331, Thermal Engineering Laboratory (benefi cial)
• ME 5341, Thermal Design (benefi cial)
Suggested references
Incropera, F.P., and DeWitt, D.P., Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 2002
Holman, J.P., Heat Transfer, 9th Edition, McGraw Hill, 2002
34
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in Machine Design
Background
The machine design qualifying exam covers topics on basic solid mechanics, energy methods, failure theories,
kinematics, dynamics, and machine elements. Most mechanical engineering programs address these topics in
undergraduate or beginning graduate level courses in machine design and mechanisms. A detailed list of potential
topics addressed in this exam is provided below. Courses where these topics are addressed at the University of
Minnesota are also provided, as well as textbooks that are recommended for preparing for this exam.
Topics that may be covered
• Beam analysis; column buckling
• Energy methods: Castigliano’s theorem
• Static failure theories; fatigue analysis
• Degrees of freedom
• Displacement analysis: graphical & analytical displacement analysis; analysis of the four-bar linkage (&
slider-crank); Grashof’s criteria
• Velocity analysis: general velocity equation; velocity polygons; instant centers; analytical velocity analysis;
mechanical advantage; transmission angle
• Acceleration analysis: general acceleration equation; acceleration polygons; analytical accel eration
analysis
• Mechanism dynamics: free body diagrams; parallel axis theorem; Newton’s second law; D’Alembert’s
principle; work, energy and power; impulse and momentum; spring-mass-damper systems; friction
• Gears: the involute profi le; types of gears; simple gear trains; planetary gear trains; tooth forces
• Machine element design, selection and analysis: shafts, bearings, bolts, screws, springs
Relevant Courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• AEM 2021, Statics and Dynamics, or AEM 2012, Dynamics
• ME 3221 & 3222, Design & Manufacturing I & II
• ME 3281, System Dynamics & Control
Suggested references
Beer, Ferdinand P., Johnston, Jr., E. Russell, & Eisenberg, Elliot R., Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Dynamics,
Seventh Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2004
Close, C. M., Frederick, D. K., and Newell, J. C., Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems, Third Edition.
New York, NY: Wiley, 2002 (Chapters 2 & 5)
Erdman, Arthur G., Sandor, George N., and Kota, Sridhar, Mechanism Design: Analysis and Synthesis, Volume
I, Fourth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2001
Juvinall, R. C., and Marshek, K. M., Fundamentals of Machine Component Design, Fourth Edition, Hoboken,
NJ: Wiley, 2006
Ogata, Katsuhiko, System Dynamics, Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1998 (Chapter 3)
Shigley, J. E., Mischke, C. R., and Budynas, R. G., Mechanical Engineering Design, Boston, MA: McGraw-
Hill, 2004
35
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in Solid Mechanics
Background
This examination is intended to assess both mastery of subject matter and ability to apply basic concepts in the analysis of mechanical systems. The general exam content is the description of loads, deformations, strains and stresses in deformable bodies subjected to complex loading, as studied in a course on the mechanics of materials and used in numerical stress analysis.
The typical solid mechanics content of undergraduate mechanical engineering curricula cul minates with a course on deformable body mechanics. Prerequisite knowledge for the determi nation of structural loads and reactions for use in deformable body analyses is provided in courses on statics and dynamics.
As numerical methods are a basic skill in engineering analysis, there is a numerical simula tion component of the examination. The emphasis of the fi nite element stress analysis part of the examination is the creation and use of numerical models that accurately represent reality, not a review of the basic formulation of fi nite elements and solution procedures.
Topics that may be covered
Analytical and numerical analyses
• Description of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional elastic stress states
• Elastic stress-strain relations in 2-dimensions and 3-dimensions
• Determination of internal reaction forces, moments, torques
• Compatibility of deformations
• Determination of stresses in structures
Complex mechanical structures requiring 3-dimensional analysis
• Combined stresses
• Stress transformations: equations, graphical representation (Mohr circle representation); determina tion of stress state at arbitrary orientation; principal stresses, principal strains, maximum shear stress
• Useful, special stress states (e.g., plane stress, plane strain)
Finite element modeling
• Accurate representation of reality
• 2-D vs. 3-D models, boundary conditions, applied loading
• Choice of element type
• Mesh refi nement
• Evaluation of results
Relevant courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• AEM 3031, Deformable Body Mechanics• ME 5221, Computer-Assisted Product Realization• ME 5228, Introduction to Finite Element Modeling, Analysis, and Design• ME 5241, Computer-Aided Engineering
Suggested referencesMechanics of Materials, J. M. Gere and S. P. Timoshenko (or Gere’s Mechanics of Materials)Mechanics for Materials, F. P. Beer, E. R. JohnstonAn Introduction to the Mechanics of Solids, S. H. Crandall, N. Dahl and T. J. LardnerFinite Element Modeling for Stress Analysis, R. D. CookANSYS: Release 10.0 Documentation - , Introduction: Basis Analysis Guide, Chapter 1, Get-
ting Started with ANSYS, Tutorials related to Structural Analysis
36
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in System Dynamics and Control
Background
The system dynamics and control exam covers modeling, analysis and design as detailed below. Background
for the system dynamics and control exam is contained in standard courses on system dynamics and control
found in virtually all mechanical engineering departments. References below are to texts that cover the expected
background.
Topics that may be covered
• Formulation of models of mechanical, electrical, fl uid, thermal and mixed energy domain systems.
Identifi cation of energy sources, energy storage elements, energy dissipative elements and energy transforming
elements. Model simplifi cations including lumping, linearizing nonlinear elements and neglecting small
effects. Models in state-variable or input-output form.
• Derivation and analysis of system response. Response of fi rst and second order systems. Time constant,
undamped natural frequency, damped natural frequency and damping ratio. Solution of initial value problems
using the Laplace transform method. Frequency response of a system and Bode plots. Block diagrams and
block diagram algebra. System transfer functions and poles and zeros. The effect of pole and zero locations
on system response and stability.
• Design of SISO (single input, single output) feedback control system for a linear time-invariant system.
Transient response specifi cations such as rise time, settling time and peak overshoot. PID (proportional plus
integral plus derivative) control. Lead-lag and lag-lead control. System “type.” Final value theorem to fi nd
steady-state errors to standard (step, ramp, etc.) inputs in command and disturbance. Controller design using
root locus. Stability analysis using the Routh-Hurwitz method. Design of a control system using frequency
response. Gain margin, phase margin and bandwidth.
Relevant courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• ME 3281, System Dynamics and Control
• ME 5281, Analog and Digital Control Systems
Suggested references
R. H. Cannon, Jr., Dynamics of Physical Systems
C. M. Close, D. K. Frederick and J. C. Newell, Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems
R. C. Dorf and R. H. Bishop, Modern Control Systems
G. F. Franklin, J. D. Powell and A. Emami-Naeini, Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems
K. Ogata, Modern Control Engineering
K. Ogata, System Dynamics
37
Ph.D. Oral Qualifying Examination in Thermodynamics
Background
The qualifying examination in thermodynamics will be used to assess the candidate’s understanding of
thermodynamics at an advanced undergraduate level. The successful candidate will demonstrate a working
knowledge of conservation of mass, the fi rst and second laws of thermodynamics, and property relationships of
single and two-phase fl uids. The exam will assess the knowledge of these topics in the context of engineering
systems, such as pumps, compressors, turbines, nozzles, mixing chambers and valves, using open and closed
thermodynamic systems.
Topics covered
• Concept of system, system boundaries, mass and energy transfer across system boundaries, and other
interactions of system with surroundings
• Conservation of mass and energy
• Thermodynamic properties (density, p-v-T relations, specifi c heats, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy)
• Ideal gases
• Second law of thermodynamics and its consequences: concept of effi ciency, Carnot effi ciency, irreversibility,
defi nition of entropy, entropy balance, isentropic and non-isentropic processes
• Analysis of power and refrigeration cycles
• Gas vapor mixtures: Dalton’s law, mixture specifi c heats, psychrometrics, mixture properties
• Thermodynamics of reacting fl ows: combustion, adiabatic fl ame temperature, enthalpy of combustion,
enthalpy of formation, chemical equilibrium
Relevant courses (at the University of Minnesota)
• ME 3331, Thermal Sciences I (essential)
• ME 5103, Thermal Environmental Engineering (benefi cial)
• ME 5344, Thermodynamics of Fluid Flow (benefi cial)
• ME 5446, Combustion (benefi cial)
• ME 5461, IC Engines (benefi cial)
• ME 5462, Gas Turbines (benefi cial)
Suggested references
Moran, M.J., and Shapiro, H.N., Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 5th Edition. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 2004
Sonntag, R.E., Borgnakke, C., and Van Wylen, G.J., Fundamentals of Thermodynamics, 6th Edition, John Wiley
& Sons, Inc., 2003
Cengel, Y.A., and Boles, M.A., Thermodynamics: an Engineering Approach, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill, 2002
38
Written Preliminary Examination
The written preliminary exam will be constituted by the Ph.D. thesis proposal.
Timing
After passing the oral qualifying exams students are eligible to take the written preliminary exam.
For students who enter the Ph.D. program after completion of an M.S. in mechanical engineering, the
written preliminary exam should be taken by their third semester in the Ph.D. program. For students
who enter the Ph.D. program without an M.S. in ME, the written preliminary exam should be taken by
the fi fth semester. While there is no fi xed due date for submitting the exam, it is recommended that
students submit it early enough in the semester (roughly, by the 8th week), to allow time for the exam to
be evaluated and then, if approved, to schedule the oral preliminary exam within the same semester.
Form of exam
The written preliminary exam will consist of a written thesis proposal. This proposal must explain
the motivations and signifi cance of the proposed research, must state the research objectives, and
must describe the methods by which they will be achieved. It must include a detailed critical review
of the major literature on the topic of the proposal. This review should indicate the current state of
understanding of the topic and should describe how the proposed research, if successful, will contribute
to that understanding.
Students are expected to write the thesis proposal independently, although the adviser can be
consulted during the process of formulating the proposal. Editorial assistance is permitted only with
regard to spelling and correct grammatical usage. If such assistance is used, the student must certify
that no assistance was provided other than in correcting spelling and grammar, and must identify the
person who provided this assistance.
Examining committee
The committee for the written preliminary exam will consist of the adviser(s) and at least two other
members of the mechanical engineering graduate faculty. Normally these will be the same faculty as
will subsequently serve on the student’s oral preliminary exam committee, minus the committee member
who represents the minor or supporting program.
Evaluation of the exam
The written preliminary exam must be judged satisfactory by all members of the examining
committee before the student can take the oral preliminary exam. All members of the committee must
indicate that they approve the exam. If one or more members of the committee deem the exam to be
unsatisfactory, then the committee must meet to decide what improvements will be required, and the
adviser must convey this information to the student in writing. In that case the student must submit
a revised thesis proposal to his/her committee by a specifi ed date. The committee must then decide
whether the revised examination is acceptable. If the committee decides that it is not acceptable, then
the student will be terminated from the Ph.D. program.
39
Oral Preliminary Examination
The oral preliminary exam will consist of a seminar presented by the student on his/her proposed
research, followed by questions from the examining committee concerning the proposed research and
related material.
Timing
The oral preliminary exam should be taken as soon as possible after the student has passed the
written preliminary exam, preferably the same semester if that can be scheduled.
Examining committees
The examining committee will be the same as for the written preliminary exam, with the addition of
at least one member from the minor or supporting program. (In cases where the student is coadvised,
and at least one of the advisers has graduate faculty standing in a minor or supporting program, the
committees for the written and oral exams can be identical.)
Form of exam
The exam will consist of an oral presentation by the student on his/her proposed research, and
of questioning by the committee about the proposed research. The length of the presentation should
be approximately 30 minutes, if it were not interrupted by questioning. The total length of the exam
should not exceed two hours.
The exam emphasizes the following:
• understanding of research topic
• ability to formulate a hypothesis or research plan
• demonstration of independence and creativity in solving problems
• ability to think logically
• ability to communicate
• ability to adequately respond to critical questioning by faculty
• demonstration of fl uency with the basic concepts that apply to the selected research area
Contents of visual aids used in any presentation, including slides, overheads, etc., must be the student’s
work, or must be appropriately attributed.
The adviser(s) cannot take any role in presenting the material to the rest of the committee or interpreting
and responding to questions.
It is up to the committee to decide whether to allow anyone other than committee members to attend the
presentation portion of the oral preliminary examination. Under normal circumstances, this examination
is closed to the public.
The examination is immediately followed by a deliberation of the committee on whether the student
passed, passed with reservations, or failed. Voting complies with Graduate School policies:
“The outcome of the examination, with all committee members present and voting, is recorded in
one of three ways: pass, pass with reservations, or fail. The voting proportions necessary for these
decisions are as follows: if the commitee consists of four members, a favorable verdict for passing
consists of either a unanimous vote or 3-1; if the committee consists of fi ve members, a favorable verdict
for passing consists of either a unanimous vote or a vote of 4-1; if the committee consists of six members,
a unanimous vote or a vote of 5-1 or 4-2 is needed. Candidates who do not earn committee votes in
these proportions fail the examination. If, in order to achieve the minimum number of votes to reach a
verdict of pass, any vote of pass with reservations is included, then the outcome will be recorded as a
40
pass with reservations. A vote to pass the student with reservations still constitutes a passing vote.”
Note that the Graduate School requires the following procedures if the committee decides that the
student has PASSED THE EXAMINATION WITH RESERVATIONS:
“...the student is informed immediately, but the committee is permitted one week in which to
convey its reservations to the student in writing, informing the student of the steps that must be taken
to remove them. A copy of this letter must be sent to the Graduate School. When the student has
satisfi ed the committee’s reservations, a second letter informing the student and the Graduate School
that the reservations have been removed and that the student may proceed toward the degree is also
required. Both letters should be written by the committee chair. The fi nal oral examination may not
be scheduled until the Graduate School has received a copy of the letter indicating that the reservations
have been removed.
“If the committee members disagree as to whether the reservations have been satisfactorily removed,
the committee chair asks for another vote, the results of which are subject to the same voting proportions
as the initial vote. If the student is unable to satisfy the committee’s reservations, his or her doctoral
candidacy and graduate student status may be terminated.”
It is within the prerogative of the preliminary oral examining committee to decide on additional steps
required to remove those reservations. If the committee so chooses, the student can retake part(s) of
the oral preliminary exam, but only one repetition is allowed. The committee will specify the format
and the date for that exam. This examination will be held as soon as possible.
Final Thesis Examining Committee
The fi nal thesis examining committee is assigned within three months after the successful
completion of the doctoral preliminary exams by fi ling the thesis proposal form with the Graduate
School. The Director of Graduate Studies will approve the members of this committee based on the
adviser’s recommendation. The committee will normally consist of faculty members who served on
the Preliminary Oral Examination committee. The fi nal oral examining committee requires at least
four members: the adviser(s) and at least two other members of the mechanical engineering graduate
faculty, and at least member with graduate faculty membership in the minor or supporting program.
XII. CHANGE OF STATUS
The Graduate School charges a $40.00 fee for all Change of Status requests. You must fi le a
Change of Status form with the Graduate School, 309 Johnston Hall, if you meet one of the following
criteria:
• You have completed your M.S. and want to pursue a Ph.D.
• You are majoring in M.E.or I.E. and would rather major in something else.
• You are majoring in M.E. or I.E. and want to add a second major.
• You have not completed your M.S. but want to switch to a Ph.D.
• You have not registered in the Graduate School within the past fall or spring term.
• You have completed your Ph.D., but would still like to take more courses
41
XIII. ANNUAL REVIEWS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS PROGRESS
The performance and progress of all graduate students in the Mechanical Engineering Department
is evaluated annually by their advisers. This evaluation occurs during the latter part of spring semester,
in a meeting between the student and the adviser. Around April 1 all advisers receive a form for each of
their advisees, which contains information such as the student’s beginning date in the graduate program,
number of credits completed, GPA, and milestones such as fi ling of program of study, completion of
Ph.D. preliminary exams, and so forth. This form is meant to inform the adviser and also to serve
as the starting point for a discussion of the student’s progress. The adviser indicates, if appropriate,
whether performance in research is satisfactory, and is asked to comment. The form is then signed by
the adviser, the student, and fi nally the DGS, and is added to the student’s fi le
XIV. MAIL, MAILBOXES, BUILDING KEYS
Each full-time graduate student who is on appointment by the Mechanical Engineering
Department is given a mailbox upon check-in. You will automatically be assigned a mailbox by the
payroll offi ce.
Postings are distributed through mailboxes and electronic mailboxes. If you do not have a
departmental email account, please see section XV Computing Facilities.
The department supplies building and room keys by having the division chairman or faculty
member responsible for the laboratory area, contacting [email protected] you may then proceed to ,
1120 Mech. Eng., where you may pick up the keys that have been requested.
XV. STUDENT SHOP
The Student Shop, 180 ME, is a facility available to Mechanical Engineering students for
benchwork and basic and precision machining. All users of the shop are required to view a series of
shop training videos, which cover safety, lathes, and milling machines. Aside from basic hand tools,
major equipment now includes seven lathes, fi ve vertical type manual milling machines, two CNC
mills, a power hacksaw, two band-saws, a cold saw, a drill press, two pedestal grinders, a belt sander,
a jointer, and associated tooling.
In an effort to make information available, an assortment of catalogs, manuals, and a current
Thomas Register are conspicuously located and easily accessible for all to use. Consulting on material
availability, outside businesses, vendor products and services, possible design, machining capabilities of
the shop and related topics is encouraged and carried out in an informal manner, on a walk-in basis.
General rules and information about the student shop can be found by contacting Peter
Zimmerman in ME 180 (178E) for assistance.
42
XVI. COMPUTING FACILITIES
Two major computer facilities are available for graduate students within the Mechanical
Engineering Department: the Institute of Technology Instructional Computing Labs (ITICC), and the
Mechanical Engineering Department Computing Labs. Graduate students in mechanical / industrial
engineering may request usage of either or both facilities, as described below.
There are two main departmental computing labs which are accessible to graduate students - ME
10 and ME 472. They are fully networked; registered users are invited to freely move between the labs.
Accounts for these facilities are requested by printing out a New Account Request Form from http://
www.menet.umn.edu and submitting it to the ME Net Offi ce in ME 152. Users must also pick up an
access card from Jeanne Sitzmann, 1120 M.E. You must bring a deposit check for $20.00, payable to
the University of Minnesota, and your U-card to obtain an access card.
All workstations and personal computers are networked into the campus-wide Ethernet TCP/
IP fi ber-optic-based network. From the network, the workstations have access to other computing
resources, such as the supercomputer facilities of the Minnesota Supercomputer Center and the Army
High Performance Computing Research Center. Access the ME Webpage for an up-to-date list of
accessible facilities.
Graduate students obtain accounts for using the labs of the Institute of Technology Instructional
Computing Committee (ITICC) by paying the semester ITICC computing fee. The fee-payment
procedure is described in the Class Schedule. All fee-paying students receive a permanent, personal
fi le space of 10MB. Additional space of up to 50MB per class per semester is allocated to students
enrolled in classes utilizing ITICC labs.
The lab in ME 308 is equipped with Silicon Graphics workstations, IBM Pentium-based personal
computers, Hewlett-Packard high-capacity laser printers, color printers, and a CAD plotter. Both the
workstations and personal computers are networked to dual UNIX servers. All machines are equipped
with suffi cient local memory and disk resources to meet the demands of all software used in the lab.
The SGI workstations are used to run leading mechanical-design software packages, including
Parametric Technology Corporation’s “Pro/ENGINEER”, ANSYS Inc.’s “ANSYS”, and Mechanical
Dynamics Corporation’s “ADAMS”. Additionally, the workstations provide experience in a networked
computing environment for software development. Students can also access general-purpose
computational software such as “Mathematica” and “MATLAB” for course and project usage.
The IBM Personal Computers provide access to general-purpose offi ce software. All machines are
equipped with “Word” for word processing, “Excel” for spreadsheet analysis, “PowerPoint” for
professional-quality viewgraph preparation, and “Mathematica” for symbolic manipulation. These
programs are available for preparing student reports, presentations, and homework for any class.
Additionally, the Personal Computers are used to run engineering-based computer applications.
All software available in the Mechanical Engineering and ITICC labs is strictly limited to
academic usage only. The software may be used for coursework and research directly attributed to
your graduate program only. The software cannot be used for consulting under any circumstances. No
licensed software may be copied or removed from the labs.
43
APPENDIX A: Thesis Binding Information
There are two recommended local establishments who offer binding/photocopying services:
U of MN Bindery 625-1092
G-14 Coffman Memorial Union
Copying: 18¢ per page (cotton bond paper) 12¢ per page (regular bond)
Binding: $21.00 per volume
Time: Allow at least one week for production.
Payment: They will bill the student, but they will not release the copies (except the copies that
go to the Graduate School) until the bill is paid.
Kinko’s
Copying: 25¢ per page (cotton bond paper)
Binding/ $24.95 per volume (4-5 days)
Time: $35.00 per volume (2 day rush)
$55.00 per volume (1 day turnaround - available the next weekday p.m.)
Payment: Cash / check / credit card upon pickup
44
APPENDIX B: Approved Mathematics/Numercial Methods Courses
Listed below are the approved courses that will satisfy the mathematics / numerical methods requirement
in partial fulfi llment of your graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, course must be taken A/F.
Aerospace EngineeringAEM 5251. Computational Fluid Mechanics.
AEM 8201. Fluid Mechanics I.
AEM 8251. Finite-Volume Methods in Computational Fluid Dynamics.
Chemical EngineeringCHEN 8201. Applied Mathematics I: Linear Analysis.
CHEN 8202. Applied Mathematics II: Nonlinear Analysis.
Civil EngineeringCE 8022. Numerical Methods for Free and Moving Boundary Problems.
CE 8336. Boundary Element Methods I.
CE 8337. Boundary Element Methods II.
CE 8401. Fundamentals of Finite Element Method.
CE 8402. Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis.
CE 8572. Computational Environmental Fluid Dynamics.
Computer ScienceCSCI 5302. Analysis of Numerical Algorithms.
CSCI 5304. Computational Aspects of Matrix Theory.
CSCI 8314. Iterative Methods for Linear Systems.
CSCI 8323. Numerical Solutions of Linear Least Square Problems.
CSCI 8363. Numerical Linear Algebra in Dynamical Systems.
Electrical EngineeringEE 5231. Linear Systems and Optimal Control .
Geological EngineeringGEOE 8336. Boundary Element Methods I.
GEOE 8337. Boundary Element Methods II.
Industrial EngineeringIE 5522. Quality Engineering and Reliability.
IE 5531. Engineering Optimization I.
IE 8531. Engineering Optimization II.
IE 8532. Stochastic Processes and Queuing Systems.
MathematicsMATH 4512. Differential Equations with Applications
MATH 5481. Mathematics of Industrial Problems I.
MATH 5482. Mathematics of Industrial Problems II.
MATH 5485. Introduction to Numerical Methods I.
MATH 5486. Introduction to Numerical Methods II.
MATH 5487. Comp.Methods for Differential and Integral Equations in Engineering Science I.
MATH 5488. Computational Methods for Differential and Integral Equations in Eng Science II.
MATH 5525. Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations.
MATH 5583. Complex Analysis.
MATH 5587. Elementary Partial Differential Equations I.
MATH 5615H. Honors: Introduction to Analysis I.
MATH 5651. Basic Theory of Probability and Statistics.
45
MATH 5711. Linear Programming and Combinatorial Optimization.
MATH 8365. Riemannian Geometry.
MATH 8366. Riemannian Geometry.
MATH 8385. Calculus of Variations and Minimal Surfaces.
MATH 8386. Calculus of Variations and Minimal Surfaces.
MATH 8387. Mathematical Modeling of Industrial Problems.
MATH 8388. Mathematical Modeling of Industrial Problems.
MATH 8401. Mathematical Modeling and Methods of Applied Mathematics.
MATH 8402. Mathematical Modeling and Methods of Applied Mathematics.
MATH 8431. Mathematical Fluid Mechanics.
MATH 8432. Mathematical Fluid Mechanics.
MATH 8441. Numerical Analysis and Scientifi c Computing.
MATH 8442. Numerical Analysis and Scientifi c Computing.
MATH 8445. Numerical Analysis of Differential Equations.
MATH 8446. Numerical Analysis of Differential Equations.
MATH 8450. Topics in Numerical Analysis.
MATH 8501. Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations.
MATH 8502. Dynamical Systems and Differential Equations.
MATH 8503. Bifurcation Theory in Ordinary Differential Equations.
MATH 8581. Applications of Linear Operator Theory.
MATH 8582. Applications of Linear Operator Theory.
MATH 8583. Theory of Partial Differential Equations.
MATH 8584. Theory of Partial Differential Equations.
MATH 8651. Theory of Probability Including Measure Theory.
MATH 8652. Theory of Probability Including Measure Theory.
MATH 8654. Fundamentals of Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes.
MATH 8655. Stochastic Calculus with Applications.
MATH 8659. Stochastic Processes.
MATH 8701. Complex Analysis.
MATH 8702. Complex Analysis.
Mechanical EngineeringME 5228. Introduction to Finite Element Modeling, Analysis, and Design.
ME 5351. Computational Heat Transfer.
ME 8228. Finite Elements in Multidisciplinary Flow/Thermal/Stress and Man. Applications.
ME 8229. Finite Element Methods for Computational Mechanics: Transient/Dynamic Problems.
ME 8253. Computational Nanomechanics.
ME 8341. Advanced Heat Transfer I.
ME 8345. Computational Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow.
PhysicsPHYS 5041. Analytical and Numerical Methods of Physics I.
PHYS 5042. Analytical and Numerical Methods of Physics II.
Scientifi c ComputingSCIC 8021. Advanced Numerical Methods.
SCIC 8031. Modeling, Optimization, and Statistics.
SCIC 8041. Computational Aspects of Finite Element Methods.
StatisticsSTAT 5021. Statistical Analysis.
STAT 5101. Theory of Statistics I.
STAT 5102. Theory of Statistics II.
STAT 5303. Designing Experiments.
46
F98 X ME 806 Mech. Instability 3 B+ UW Madison
W99 X ME 8370 Exper. Methods in HT 4 B
W99 X CSCi 5301 Numerical Comp. 4 B
S99 X ME 8227 Fin.Elem in Metal . 4 AS99 X ME 8773 Mechanical Eng.Sem 1 SS99 X EE 5636 Optical System Design 4 A-
F00 X ME 8221 New Product Dev I 4 B
F00 X IE 5553 Sim. of Mfg.Systems 4 B
S00 X ME 8222 New Product Dev. II 4 A-S00 X ME 8794 Mech. Eng. Rsrch 4 A
TOTAL MAJOR CREDITS____ TOTAL OTHER PROGRAM CREDITS ____ TOTAL CREDITS ____
Semester Credits
Courses taken under a
semester system. Include
the number of credits
originally listed on your
transcript as semester
credits. Also include the
instructor's name.
Your TOTAL CREDITS count
should be the sum of all of your
course credits.
Adviser’s Signature
This is required before
you submit this form to
1120 M.E.
DGS Signature
Major Field
The DGS will approve
your program if it ful! lls
the minimum
requirements for your
degree.
DGS Signature
Minor Field
If you are declaring a
minor, you will need to
obtain this signature be-
fore you submit this form
to 1120 M.E.
Sample Degree Program Form(also see Core Program Criteria, section VIII)
Your TOTAL MAJOR CREDITS count should
be the sum of your credits applied to the 'Major'
category.
Your TOTAL OTHER PROGRAM CREDITS count
should be the sum of your credits applied to the 'Other
Program' category.
F98 X ME 566 Cryogenics 3 A- UW Madison
F98 X ME 418 Eng. Des w/Polymers 3 B UW Madison
Transfer Credits
Include any transfer
work taken at another
institution, using the
original credit counts.
Also include the
institution name.
ME 8777 Thesis Credits 10
NOTE: If you are completing a thesis,
include thesis credits at the bottom of
the page, but do not include them in the
TOTAL CREDITS section.
27 9.33 36.33