The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering program requires at least 34 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.
In addition, students are required to maintain acceptable performance; all master’s coursework must be completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0. A student receiving one “C’ in the course work will be warned that his/her performance is unacceptable and that the student will be reviewed by the Mechanical Engineering faculty which will suggest corrective. A student receiving two “C’s” will be dismissed from the program, pending review by the Mechanical Engineering faculty.
The student’s curriculum must be developed with his/her project advisor or Graduate Coordinator and filed with the Graduate Coordinator.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the UALR Graduate School admission requirements, the applicants for the M.S. program in Mechanical Engineering must also meet the following criteria:
Education: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or better in the last 60 credit hours. An applicant who has a bachelor’s degree-related discipline with an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or better in the last 60 credit hours may be admitted upon recommendation of the mechanical engineering faculty.
Standardized test scores: An applicant may submit the GRE test in support of the application.
English language requirement: International students must satisfy the Graduate School TOEFL or IELTS test requirements.
Statement of purpose: An applicant must submit a statement of purpose ( not to exceed one page in length) that indicates the applicant’s intended area of research and desired educational outcomes upon completion of the program. The student should include the courses that are directly relevant to the research area as part of the narrative to strengthen this statement.
Recommendation letters: An applicant must submit at least two letters from references who are qualified to evaluate the applicant’s academic potential.
The institution from which the bachelor’s degree is granted must be accredited by institutional or regional accrediting agencies recognized by the US Department of Education (https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/acred/accreditation_pg6.html)
Applicants who do not meet all the admission requirements may be recommended for conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students must fulfill the requirements of the UALR Graduate School and those specified in their letter of admission to achieve regular admission.
Early Admission Requirements
Undergraduate students may apply and be accepted provisionally into the MS program at any time after completing 75 or more hours of undergraduate coursework. However, at least 90 hours of undergraduate coursework must have been completed by the time the first graduate Mechanical Engineering course is taken.
- Students must satisfy the minimum university requirements for admission to an early graduate program
- All applicants must have at least a 3.2 overall GPA.
- All applicants must complete an application for and be accepted into the desired graduate program.
- All applicants must complete an Early Entry Program form and have it approved by the graduate coordinator and the Graduate School. This form must be approved before the student begins graduate coursework. Failure to obtain prior approval negates the ability to “double count” courses.
- Specific programs may have more rigorous admissions criteria.
- Students must be majoring in the BS in Mechanical Engineering
- Students must have completed SYEN 3371 (Dynamics I), SYEN 3373 (Mechanics of Materials I), SYEN 3374 (Fluid Mechanics I), and SYEN 3378 (Thermodynamics I) with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in those courses.
- Students must be recommended for admission by the Mechanical Engineering Engineering Faculty
Mechanical engineering students who have been admitted to the early entry graduate program in the MS in Mechanical Engineering may apply MEEG 5315, MEEG 5327, MEEG 5335, MEEG 5371, MEEG 5374, SYEN 5375, MEEG 5376, SYEN 5381, SYEN 5383, or MEEG 5384 as program core courses in the MS in Mechanical Engineering in addition to applying these courses towards the BS in Mechanical Engineering as described above
Transfer Credit
A maximum of six hours can be transferred from a graduate program to another university with a graduate coordinator’s approval.
