10. Masters degree program

For Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering the overall credit requirement is a minimum of 30 semester credit hours. Three options exist in each program: a six-credit Thesis plus at least eight courses of three credits each; a three-credit Project plus at least nine courses of three credits each; or, the all-course option which consists of at least ten approved graduate courses of three credits each, plus a final comprehensive examination. Students receiving financial support (TA, RA or GA) through the department are required to do the Thesis option, except if they enter the Ph.D. program by passing the Ph.D. qualifying exam.

The Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering Master of Science programs have no core course requirements. However, at least five courses of the student's program must be MAE courses. For the Master of Engineering degree at least four MAE courses are normally required. Aerospace Engineering Masters students are also required to select at least three courses from the Aerospace Engineering program courses listed in Sec. 20 at the end of this manual. Exceptions to this require the permission of the Department Chair or the Director of Graduate Studies.

Although the M.S. programs have no formal core course requirements, students specializing in: Fluid and Thermal Sciences are normally expected to take the two-semester sequence in both Fluid Mechanics (MAE 515, 516) and Heat Transfer (MAE 545, 546); student in Mechanics and Materials are encouraged to take Elasticity Theory (MAE 524), and at least one basic course in both Applied Mathematics and Advanced Materials Science; students in Dynamics and Control are encouraged to take Systems Analysis (MAE 571) and Vibration and Shock (MAE 567); and students in Design are encouraged to take Optimization in Engineering Design (MAE 550) and Computer Aided Design (MAE 577).

Subject to the foregoing requirements, graduate courses may be taken from other departments in Engineering or the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (e.g. Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, etc.).

Graduate courses from other Faculties, such as Health Sciences, for example, might also be taken. However, students should have the explicit approval of their academic advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies before taking such courses.

As described in Section 8, above, M.S. students may undertake a maximum of two informal courses under faculty supervision, each study counting a maximum of three credit hours. Also, as noted previously in Sec. 8, a maximum of two advanced undergraduate (400-level) courses may be taken for graduate credit for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees upon petition to and approval by the Graduate School at the time of registration. Failure to petition at the time of registration will result in no credit being granted.

Students who have previously completed graduate courses at other universities may, at the discretion of the department, receive transfer credit for a maximum of two three-credit-hour courses. a) Master of Science Degree with Thesis: The minimum requirements consist of eight approved graduate courses (24 credit hours) and 6 credit hours of thesis registration, for a total of 30 credit hours. One semester before the degree is to be conferred, the student must submit an Application to Candidacy form. Informal courses listed in the Application to Candidacy must be accompanied by complete narrative descriptions signed by the instructors. The Application to Candidacy is then approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and submitted to the Graduate School for approval by the Executive Committee of the Graduate School.

The department must approve and notify the Graduate School in writing when major changes in the program, such as a change in Thesis title, are made.

The thesis may cover a variety of activities, including theoretical and experimental investigations, practical design projects, comprehensive reviews of engineering areas, and the like. The nature of these activities may vary greatly, but no essential difference should exist in equality and significance as a contribution to engineering. The thesis should be carefully prepared, and must be typed and bound as indicated below. Three people, qualified to render judgment in the area involved, constitute the thesis examination committee: the advisor plus two other faculty members. The candidate makes an oral presentation at which the examination committee is present in addition to other interested faculty and students. Advance notice of the oral defense must be sent to all department members at least one week prior to the presentation.

Following a successful oral defense, the examination committee certifies approval of the thesis by signing the Graduate School "M" form, and the advisor reports the thesis grade (if its needs to be changed) to the Office of Records and Registration.

The typing and detailed format and arrangement of the M.S. thesis as well as the hard-cover binding are to be the same as prescribed for the Ph.D. dissertation in Sec. 11. After final corrections have been made, the student submits onespiral-bound copy of the thesis to the department and usually at least one bound copy to the advisor. The student also submits the thesis electronically; see http://www.grad.buffalo.edu/etd/ for details. Costs of thesis typing, copying, and binding are paid by the student. The department sends the signed "M" form to the Graduate School. All materials must be in the Graduate School Office on or before the degree conferral deadlines established each year by the Graduate School. (See Section 13).

The typing and detailed format and arrangement of the M.S. thesis as well as the hard-cover binding are to be the same as prescribed for the Ph.D. dissertation in Sec. 11. Costs of thesis typing, copying, and binding are paid by the student.

b) Master of Science Degree with Project: The minimum requirements consist of nine approved graduate courses (27 credit hours) and 3 credit hours of project registration (under MAE 591 Project) for a total of 30 credit hours. One semester before the degree is to be conferred, the student must submit an Application to Candidacy form (see Section 13) which includes a summary of courses to be applied toward the degree. Informal courses listed in the Application to Candidacy must be accompanied by complete narrative descriptions signed by the instructor. The Application to Candidacy is then approved by the department Director of Graduate Studies and submitted to the Graduate School for approval by the Executive Committee of the Graduate School.

The project should be carefully prepared, and must be typed and bound as indicated below. Two people, qualified to render judgment in the area involved, constitute the project examination committee: the advisor plus one other faculty member. The candidate makes an oral presentation at which the examination committee is present in addition to other interested faculty and students. Advance notice of the oral defense must be sent to all department members at least one week prior to the presentation.

The requirements and procedures for the three-credit Project are as follows:

1. The Project must be done under the supervision or advisement of a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department graduate faculty member, although it can be initiated by a student.

2. A typed report of substantial length is required, written to a satisfactory standard as judged by the faculty advisor, with one copy to be submitted to the department (for permanent retention). The detailed format and arrangement of the report should be the same as prescribed for the M.S. thesis. The report is to be bound in three-ring binders, or their equivalent, which are obtainable in the bookstore.

Following a successful oral presentation, the advisor certifies approval of the project by signing the Graduate School "M" form.

c) All-Course Master of Science Degree with Comprehensive Examination: The requirements of this option are at least ten approved graduate courses of three credits each, plus a final comprehensive examination. The general regulations and guidelines governing program course content are the same as for the M.S. Thesis and Project options.

The comprehensive exam for the All-Course option is a one-hour oral exam in the area of the student's specialization conducted by a committee of at least two faculty members of the department. Upon approval from the Director of Graduate Studies the student forms the examination committee, and arranges for notice of the exam to be sent to all faculty members of the department at least one week in advance. Any faculty member may attend the exam. The result of the exam is to be communicated by the examination committee to the Director of Graduate Studies.

d) Master of Engineering Degree: Effective Fall 2006, no new students will be admitted to the M. Eng. program. It has been found that the MS degree offers sufficient flexibility for research-oriented and for generalist Master’s degree students. Details for current M.Eng students can be found in Appendix at the end of this Graduate Manual.

e) Dual M.S. Degrees: It is possible for a student to complete a program leading to two M.S. degrees, for example, the Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering degrees described, or one of those and a second degree from another engineering discipline and department. The guideline governing such a program is that the integrity of each degree must be observed. This will usually mean that a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit must be completed for each degree and that 6 or more semester hours may be applied to both programs. In some cases the curriculum will contain prescribed courses which are common to both programs. Such common courses may be counted for both degree programs. See also information on the Graduate School site at http://www.grad.buffalo.edu/academics/combined.php .

f) Deadlines: In order that students receive their degrees when expected it is necessary that certain deadlines be met in their programs. A summary of these deadlines is given in Sec. 13. It is the student's responsibility to be cognizant of these deadlines and ensure that they are met.