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Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) program is designed to give engineering, mathematics and science graduates an opportunity to explore advanced and emerging topics in mechanical engineering.

Why Saint Martin's University?

  • Curriculum tailored to both recent graduates and engineers with professional experience
  • Students obtain enhanced engineering analysis and design skill tailored to professional objectives
  • Evening and summer courses accommodate working professionals
  • Teaching and research paid assistantships are available and encouraged
  • Faculty have real-world experience in the subjects they teach
  • Classes are held in the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient building with LEED Platinum Certification in the Western Hemisphere

Federal Aid

Federal financial aid is available for graduate students who will be enrolled at least half time and are citizens, or eligible non-citizens, of the USA. Most federal aid for graduate students is in the form of direct loans. 

For more details about federal aid eligibility and the different types of aid available for graduate and professional studies visit studentaid.gov.

Graduate Assistantships

Saint Martin’s University offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to graduate students. Contact the Office of the Provost for more information.

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Requirements

For the research-oriented student, a thesis option is offered, which requires a research project and thesis be completed with a faculty member. For the profession-oriented student, a non-thesis option is offered, which requires more coursework.

Thesis option

The thesis option requires students complete 

  1. all required MSME Core courses, 
  2. a total of 24 credits (including the MSME Core) of non-thesis coursework,
  3. at least six credits of thesis (MME 599), and
  4. a successful thesis defense.

If a student begins a thesis but fails to complete it, up to two thesis credits can count toward the coursework of an MSME degree.

Coursework must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 3.00 (‘B’). Students must complete all work within seven years from the start of the program. Directed study (MSME 596) is limited to two credits per semester and six credits in total. A maximum of eight credit hours of equivalent coursework from other institutions may be transferred into the program if approved by the program director.

Similarly, a maximum of eight credit hours of approved courses may be taken from Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE), Master of Science in Computer Science (MCS), and Master of Engineering Management (MEM) programs at Saint Martin’s University. A combination of transferred, MSCE, MCS and MEM credits counting toward a MSME cannot exceed eight.

Non-thesis option

The non-thesis option requires students complete 

  1. all MSME Core courses and 
  2. a total of 30 credits (including the MSME Core) of non-thesis coursework.

If a student begins a thesis but fails to complete it, up to two thesis credits can count toward the coursework of an MSME degree. 

Coursework must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 3.00 (‘B’). Students must complete all work within seven years from the start of the program. Directed study (MME 596) is limited to two credits per semester and six credits in total. A maximum of eight credit hours of equivalent coursework from other institutions may be transferred into the program if approved by the program director.

Similarly, a maximum of eight credit hours of approved courses may be taken from Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE), Master of Science in Computer Science (MCS), and Master of Engineering Management (MEM) programs at Saint Martin’s University. A combination of transferred, MSCE, MCS, and MEM credits counting toward a MME degree cannot exceed eight.

Students have many options to meet the requirements of the MME or MSME degree. Five forward-looking concentrations of study are described below. Students can pursue more than one concentration: two are “achievable” without adding time to their studies, while three concentrations add a semester or two.

A student must satisfactorily pass five of the courses of a concentration for successful completion. If you intend to complete a concentration, you must declare that concentration with the Office of the Registrar at least two semesters prior to expected completion of studies.

Bioengineering

Bioengineering and biomechanics are forecast to be one of the major growth areas in mechanical engineering in the foreseeable future. This concentration provides students with a solid background in the essentials of relevant biology and their physical context across multiple scales, seen through the prism of mechanical analysis. Students will be exposed to the rich design solutions in nature that are the 21st century driving forces in robotics, optimization, and mechanical design, as well as preparing students for new and emerging opportunities to improve medical care.

Design and entrepreneurship

The concentration offers students a project-based opportunity to explore innovation in products and organizations from a number of different vantage points. The courses approach new product development from design, innovation management, and financial management perspectives in a project-based setting.

Fluid mechanics and energy systems

Fluids, such as liquids and gases, are all around us. Understanding and controlling their behavior is important in a variety of engineering applications. Tightly coupled with fluid mechanics is the study of energy systems, which are vital as we seek to power modern technology in economical and environmentally friendly ways. This concentration prepares students to contribute in these exciting fields by giving them a theoretical foundation reinforced through applications.

Intelligent and dynamic systems

We are embarking on a new era of intelligent machines. Designing them often requires an understanding of dynamic systems, control theory, machine (artificial) intelligence, and computation. This focus prepares students to contribute to this emerging field.

Numerical analysis

Computers continue to revolutionize engineering analysis and design across a wide range of application areas, enabling the simulation, prediction, and optimization of complex engineering systems. Effective application of computers to the engineering analysis and design of mechanical structures requires an understanding of the numerical methods that undergird large-scale simulation and optimization. These methods and their application are the focus of this concentration.

Is the program accredited?
Saint Martin's University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. In addition, the undergraduate mechanical and civil engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

How will I know if I am required to complete any prerequisites?
The acceptance letter for admitted students states which, if any, prerequisite courses are required. If a course requires specific prerequisites, it will be indicated in the course description in the current catalog.

How long does the program take?
Generally, students take two to three years to complete their degree requirements. This depends on how many courses a student takes each semester, the possible inclusion of summer courses and what extra prerequisite courses may be required.

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at a Glance

Degree
Master
Master (4+1)
Program Type
4+1 Accelerated
Master’s Degree
Campus
Main (Lacey)
Type of Instruction
In Person
School
Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering
Resources
4+1 Form
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4+1 program

Qualified students earn bachelor's and MSCE, MSME, or MEM in five years. Undergraduate students in civil engineering can start their master’s degree in either civil engineering or engineering management. Undergraduate students in mechanical engineering can start their master’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Academic Excellence

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Engineering College of Distinction

Saint Martin's was named an Engineering College of Distinction for 2024-25.

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Interested in transferring to Saint Martin’s?

Contact our transfer admissions counselor today at cgordon@stmartin.edu. Scholarships are available.

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Hear it from a Saint

Engineered for Success: Grad Program prepares for career at NASA
All of my professors were invested in me and I built great relationships with them. Honestly, because of the size and culture of Saint Martin’s I loved that learning, growth, and even career advice takes place everywhere, even in the hallways!
Kelsey Buckles MSME '20
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Class of 2020
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To offer warmth, acceptance and joy in welcoming others. “Let all...be received as Christ.” — Rule of Benedict 53
Engineered for Success: Grad Program Prepares for Career at NASA
Kelsey Buckles MSME '20
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Class of 2020
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Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering

The Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering seeks to provide our graduates with an education that will prepare them for successful careers in engineering practice and serve as preparation for advanced graduate studies, all while keeping with our Benedictine tradition as the guiding principle.

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