Advance your education in mechanical engineering with versatile graduate degrees that prepare you for industry or academic positions.
Note: Late applications may be accepted on a rolling basis. Please contact Matteo Aureli for information.
The Mechanical Engineering Department represents one of the broadest areas within engineering. Graduate students are exposed to fundamental and emerging research topics that reflect the diversity of our faculty's research interests and potential applications.
Incoming students should have a background in the core areas of mechanical engineering, including statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, dynamic systems and control, fluid mechanics, and solid mechanics. If you don't have background in one or more of these areas, faculty can help identify the additional courses you should take before completing our program.
M.S. applicants: A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
Ph.D. applicants: A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.25
M.S. and Ph.D. applicants: GRE is highly recommended, but not required, to apply. Candidates with a combined GRE verbal and quantitative score of at least 300 and quantitative scores above 155 are especially encouraged to apply.
For international applicants to both the M.S. and Ph.D. program: A minimum TOEFL of 79 or IELTS of 6.5
M.S. and Ph.D. applicants: Three letters of recommendation. The letters should be from faculty or other established professionals.
Please note you do not need to upload letters. Your recommenders will be notified by email after you complete your online application.
M.S. and Ph.D. applicants: A statement of purpose (approximately 1-2 pages), describing research interests and career goals. Candidates are expected to clearly indicate their research interests as well as the faculty members they are interested in working with.
You can start your application through The Graduate School website, which provides detailed instructions on the application process.
Deadline for applications and fellowship consideration is:
Note: Late applications may be accepted on a rolling basis. Please contact Matteo Aureli for information.
Questions? Contact the graduate program director
Matteo Aureli | Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director
maureli@unr.edu | (775) 784-6973
We offer two degree options for master's students:
All master's degree candidates are initially accepted into Plan B, but may be invited to complete Plan A in cooperation with a faculty research advisor. Admitted students are assigned a faculty advisor who will help you outline an individual program of study tailed to fit your background and interests.
In the Ph.D. program, you work closely with a thesis advisor to determine your course of study and dissertation topic. Near the end of your first year of coursework, you must pass a qualifying examination to demonstrate mastery of a wide range of topics in mechanical engineering.
Next, you establish a dissertation committee to aid your progress. You are required to take a comprehensive examination, during which you are examined on both your completed work and your proposed work towards completing your dissertation. Finally, during the Ph.D. defense, after all other requirements are met, you are examined on the dissertation itself and possibly on related topics. In addition to the dissertation, the degree requires a minimum of 60 graduate credits, comprising 40 credits of coursework and 20 credits of dissertation research.
Your faculty advisor plays a key role in your graduate education. All incoming students are assigned an initial faculty advisor who will help you outline your course of study tailored to fit your particular background and interests. You must declare your permanent faculty advisor by the end of your second semester.
Research assistantships are awarded by individual faculty. Students should contact faculty members with research programs that interest them to learn about available assistantships as early as possible.
Pictured here: Foundation Professor Miles Greiner conducting a fire experiment at Sandia National Laboratories.
Information about graduate student tuition and fees is available on The Graduate School website.
Our department offers both teaching and research assistantships to master's and Ph.D. students. Awards are made on the basis of scholarship and promise for outstanding achievement. Your GPA, GRE scores, statement of purpose and letters of recommendation are all factors when awarding assistantships. You do not need to submit a separate application to be considered for available teaching assistantships, but you should contact faculty directly to learn about available research assistantships.
Graduate students in mechanical engineering with research interests in nuclear power may be eligible to apply for a nuclear power fellowship, funded by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Details on graduate research assistantships funded by the College of Engineering are available on the College website.
The Graduate School maintains lists of additional funding opportunities from both University and external sources.
Information about scholarships and financial aid for international students is also available on the Office of International Students and Scholars website.
