The Department of Mechanical Engineering does not normally support incoming graduate students. Based on availability, teaching assistantships are distributed to students currently in the program. Faculty members with research grants may provide support for graduate students based on the needs of their research. The faculty members should be contacted directly to determine the availability of support.
**ALSO NOTE**
THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING IS NO LONGER OFFERING MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AS A MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM. Courses in manufacturing will be offered through the ME department and are shown in the graduate course listing.
Graduate Catalog Information
The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Science with major in Mechanical Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with major in Mechanical Engineering.
The Master of Science program has both thesis and non-thesis options. The thesis option requires a minimum of 24 semester credits of course work and a thesis (6 additional credits). The non-thesis option requires a minimum of 33 semester credits of course work (no thesis). Requirements for the Ph.D. program are described later in this section.
Master's Degree with Major in Mechanical Engineering:
Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering is to provide students with the in-depth background necessary for advanced work in mechanical engineering, and to continue their education at the doctoral level; to conduct basic and applied research; and to provide service to the engineering profession and to the community.
Educational Outcomes
Upon graduation, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an ability to perform research, and/or perform advanced engineering analysis in their area of specialty.
2. Formulate and analyze engineering problems, and synthesize and develop appropriate solutions, based on fundamental and advanced principles.
3. Design mechanical systems to meet desired specifications using advanced engineering tools and techniques.
Each student must complete a comprehensive and coordinated plan of study requiring depth in one or more of the following areas: Mechanical Systems, solid body mechanics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermal/fluid systems, helicopter dynamics, materials, controls, robotics and CAD/CAM.
Admission Requirements:
Usual admission requirements are as follows:
1. The student must have a baccalaureate degree in engineering, natural science, or mathematics, but preferably in Mechanical Engineering and from an approved institution. A student who does not have a background in Mechanical Engineering should expect to take additional undergraduate Mechanical Engineering course work.
2. The student must produce two positive letters of reference attesting to the student's potential for graduate studies in his/her chosen field.
3. The student must demonstrate proficiency in both written and spoken English. A student from a non-English speaking country is required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam and achieve a score of at least 550.
4. The student must have at least 3.0 (of a 4.0 maximum) grade point average in the last 60 semester hours attempted prior to graduation.
5. The student must have a combined score of 1000 or higher on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). GRE score more than five years old will not be accepted.
6. Petitions for admission to the program will not be accepted when more than five courses are being requested for inclusion in the student's program.
Admission to Candidacy:
A student is eligible to apply for candidacy when:
1. He/she has completed a minimum of 9 semester hours as a graduate student.
2. He/she has maintained a minimum of 3.0 GPA in all courses attempted as a graduate student.
3. He/she has filed an approved plan of study for the degree program.
Students should file for candidacy as soon as they are eligible. Usually, no more than 20 semester credit-hours of completed work before admission to candidacy will be accepted toward a degree program. A student should be admitted to candidacy prior to beginning work on thesis.
Degree Requirements:
Students must satisfy all of the University Graduate Requirements.
Master of Science with Major in Mechanical Engineering (Thesis Option)
Candidates for the Master of Science degree with the thesis option must complete an approved program of at least 30 semester credits including:
1. four (4) courses (12 semester credits) at the 5000 or 6000 level from the Mechanical Engineering course list shown in the catalog,
2. PHS 4113, Mathematical Physics (3 semester credits) or its equivalent. Students are advised to take this course in the first semester of their graduate programs,
3. one (1) math/computer elective* (3 semester credits), and
4. two (2) technical electives* (6 semester credits) and
5. a Master's Thesis (6 semester credits) which must be defended at an oral examination.
*Electives must be at the 4000 level or higher.
Master of Science with Major in Mechanical Engineering (Non-thesis Option)
Candidates for the Master of Science degree with non-thesis option must complete an approved program of at least 33 semester credits including:
1. five (5) courses (15 semester credits) at the 5000 or 6000 level from the Mechanical Engineering course list shown in the catalog,
2. PHS 4113, Mathematical Physics (3 semester credits) or its equivalent. Students are advised to take this course in the first semester of their graduate programs, and
3. five (5) technical electives* (15 semester credits).
* Electives must be at the 4000 level or higher. Only two of the five technical electives
may be at the 4000 level and must be approved by the graduate advisor.
Master of Science with Major in Mechanical Engineering (Non-thesis Option) with Minor in Business
Candidates for the Master of Science degree with non-thesis option and a Minor in Business must complete an approved program of at least 33 semester credits including:
1. five (5) courses (15 semester credits) at the 5000 or 6000 level from the Mechanical Engineering course list shown in the catalog,
2. PHS 4113, Mathematical Physics (3 semester credits) or its equivalent. Students are advised to take this course in the first semester of their graduate programs, and
3. five (5) Business courses (15 semester credits) as described at the beginning of the College of Engineering section of this catalog.
See your advisor for further details.
Doctor of Philosophy with Major in Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D.):
Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering is to provide students with the fundamental background necessary for advanced work in industry, and/or a career in higher education; to conduct advanced research in their area of specialty; and to provide service to the engineering profession and to the community.
Educational Outcomes
Upon graduation, students will be able to:
1. Perform original research in their area of specialty.
2. Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge in mathematics and engineering fundamentals relevent to their discipline.
3. Effectively communicate an advanced technical concept to their peers.
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering is conferred by the University primarily in recognition of a demonstrated ability for independent and original research in the discipline. This ability must be supported by a comprehensive and coordinated plan of advanced study designed to provide a strong background in the fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering and related areas.
Admission to Doctoral Study:
Minimum requirements for admission to doctoral studies in Mechanical Engineering are as follows:
1. The student must have a baccalaureate in engineering or a related field from a recognized institution.
2. The student must have an average of "B" or better in the last 60 semester hours of work attempted.
3. The student must have a combined score of 1000 or higher on the verbal and quantitative section of the Graduate Record Exam.
4. The student must demonstrate proficiency in both written and spoken English. A student from a non-English speaking country is required to take the test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and achieve a score of at least 550.
5. Three letters of reference attesting to the student's potential for graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering.
6. The student must attain approval of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Usually, an applicant admitted will have a strong record of achievement which exceeds the minimum requirements. It is anticipated almost every applicant will already have a Master's degree, but it is not an absolute requirement. Approval for admission by the Department will be based on an evaluation of the student's record in terms of likelihood of success in the Ph.D. program.
Admission to doctoral studies does not constitute admission to candidacy for the degree.
Admission to Doctoral Status:
Admission to doctoral status is granted after the student has:
1. successfully completed the Department's Qualifying Examination,
2. been accepted by a Department faculty member willing to serve as his/her dissertation advisor, and
3. had his/her plan of course work approved by his/her Advisor, by the Department Graduate Coordinator, and by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.
Admission to Candidacy:
Admission to candidacy requires formulation of a Supervisory Committee approved by the Department Graduate Coordinator as well as successful completion of the Preliminary Examination.
Degree Requirements:
A central requirement for the Ph.D degree in Mechanical Engineering is submission and defense of dissertation based upon original research in an area of specialization acceptable to the student's Supervisory Committee. The completed dissertation must be approved by the Committee, the Department Chair, and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.
Additional requirements are:
1. a minimum of 60 semester hours of course work beyond the Baccalaureate Degree, or 30 semester hours beyond the Master of Science degree,
2. doctoral thesis research of not less than 24 semester hours, and
3. satisfaction of all University regulations and requirements for the Ph.D. degree.
Residency Requirement:
Students are required to spend two semesters of full-time study beyond the Master's degree in residence at Florida Atlantic University.
Transfer Credit:
A maximum of 12 semester hours beyond the Master's degree can be transferred into the student's program of study.
Time Limits:
No credit which is more than seven years old at the time a graduate degree is awarded may be counted toward that degree at Florida Atlantic University. In addition, the Final Examination must be completed within five calendar years of the Admission to Candidacy; otherwise, the Qualifying Examination must be repeated.
COURSES - Mechanical Engineering
SOLID BODY MECHANICS
Introduction to Finite Element Methods
(EGM 5351) 3 credits
Prerequisites: Senior of Graduate Standing, MAD 3400 or equivalent
Application of finite element programs to problems in heat transfer, fluid mechanics, vibration, stress analysis and machine design.
Advanced Strength of Materials
(EGM 6533) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Elements of plane elasticity, failure theories, and advanced topics in bending and torsion of structural elements. It serves as an introduction to finite element methods and applications in machine design.
Theory of Elastic Stability
(EGM 6736) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Introducing the principles and theory of structural stability and the buckling characteristics of structures such as beams, columns, thin plates, etc., and postbuckling of structures.
Mechanical Vibrations
(EML 6223) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Step and impulse loads, multiple degrees of freedom, influence coefficients, matrix methods, vibration of continuous systems, Lagrange's equations. This course serves as an introduction to nonlinear and random vibrations.
Applied Structural Reliability and Random Vibrations
(EML 6225) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EML 6223 or equivalent
Random variables. Reliability of structures described are by a single random variable and multiple random variables. Random processes. Spectral analysis of randomly excited single and multi-degree-of-freedom linear systems.
Advanced Random Vibrations
(EML 6229) 3 credits
Prerequisites: EML 6225 Applied Structural Reliability and Random Vibrations
Spectral analysis of linear discrete and continuous systems. Theory of diffusive Markov process as applied to nonlinear problems. Stability and bifurcation of randomly excited systems. Excursion and fatigue failures.
Advanced Engineering Dynamics
(EML 6271) 3 credits
A course in three dimensional kinematics and kinetics of particles and rigid bodies, Langrangian mechanics, Hamilton's principle, and engineering application to discrete and continuous systems.
Methods of Analysis in Mechanical Engineering
(EML 6529) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Solution of boundary value, eigen value, and initial value problems in mechanical engineering by approximate methods, finite difference, finite element, and boundary element methods.
Computer Aided Design
(EML 6532) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
A study of interactive computer graphics applied to the design of mechanical systems; hardware, data structures, graphical techniques, interpolation of curves and surfaces, transformations and projections, and graphic systems.
Advanced Robotics and Automation
(EML 6665) 3 credits
The modeling, mechanics, and control of robotic manipulators and their applications to automated tasks.
Theory of Plates
(EOC 6153) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EOC 3150 or EML 3524
Plate elements in ocean structures and analysis and design of plate structures. It includes linear theory, large deflection theory, and the effects of shear deformation.
Theory of Elasticity
(EOC 6154) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EOC 3150 or EML 3524
Classical formulation of the mathematical expressions for state of stress and strain in a three-dimensional medium. It looks at constitutive relations for linearly elastic materials, solid bodies as boundary value problem, plane stress and plane strain, and deep submergence effect on yield surface.
Finite Element Methods
(EOC 6155) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EOC 3150 or EML 3524
The finite element approach to the solution of elasticity problems. The emphasis is on the displacement method, use of direct stiffness approach for generation of overall stiffness matrix of a structure, and energy method for elemental stiffness matrices.
MATERIALS
Mechanics of Composite Materials
(EGM 6562) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
An introduction to composites, basic principles of elasticity, unidirectional composites, short-fiber composites, laminated composites, strength analysis, composite designs, joint criteria, and test methods.
Experimental Composite Mechanics
(EML 6231C) 3 credits
Analysis of mechanical response of advanced composites. Experimental stress analysis. Fracture Mechanics. Execution and assessment of experiments on composites.
Failure Prevention
(EML 6233) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Modes of mechanical failure, strength and deformation of metals, theories of failure, fatigue and fracture, life prediction, statistics, fretting, wear, and corrosion.
Mechanical Properties of Polymers
(EML 6235) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EGM 3524 or equivalent
Review structure and processing of methods of engineering plastics. Structure-property relationships, analysis of creep and stress relaxation. Viscoelastic models. Dynamic-mechanical response. Rubber elasticity.
Fracture Mechanics
(EML 6239) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
An introduction to linear elastic fracture mechanics. It studies deformation response of materials, toughness, fatigue and fracture, environmentally assisted cracking, experimental methods, and data reduction.
HELICOPTER MECHANICS
Helicopter Dynamics
(EAS 6155) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Helicopter configurations, actuator disc theory, ducted fans and actuator discs, blade element theory, autoration, axial flight and forward flight conditions, flapping dynamics, stability in axial and forward flights, and multiblade coordinates and trimming.
Aeroelasticity
(EAS 6156) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
An introduction to deformations of airplane and helicopter structures under static and dynamic loads, approximate methods for determining natural modes and frequencies, two-dimensional incompressible flow, and flutter of simple systems.
THERMAL/FLUIDS
Fluid Dynamics I
(EML 6125) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Basic equations governing inviscid and viscous flows, potential flows, conformal transformation, inviscid jet and wakes, panel method, exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation, boundary layer concept and its ramifications, matched asymptotic expansions, approximate solution of the boundary layer equation.
Conduction Heat Transfer
(EML 6154) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Steady state and transient conduction heat transfer in one- and multi-dimensional geometries. It emphasizes analytical methods, exact and approximate. Numerical techniques are also included.
Convection Heat Transfer
(EML 6155) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EML 6715
The solution of equations governing momentum and heat transfer. Applications include convective heat transfer for internal and external flows.
Turbomachinery
(EML 6402) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
\Performance characteristics of turbomachines, basic laws, the cascade theory, the thin airfoil theory, inviscid flow in three dimensions, boundary layers, and axial flow turbines.
Solar Energy Engineering
(EML 6417C) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
The fundamentals of solar radiation, transmission, and absorption; flat plate and focussing collectors, thermal storage, heating and cooling of structures, distillation, process heat generation, and power generation. 2 hours lecture and 6 hours lab are required.
Fluid Dynamics II
(EML 6715) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EML 6125
Continue the discussion of inviscid and viscous flow. Similar and non-similar solutions of the boundary later equation, compressible boundary layers, Von Mises transformation, Stewartwon's transformation, Crocco integral, hydrodynamic instability and transition, elementary turbulent flows, turbulence modelings, hypersonic interaction, slip flows.
Experimental Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
(EML 6735C) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Development of diverse topics of experimental research in fluid mechanics and heat transfer, discussion of tools needed in the description and analysis of experimental data, individual experimental methods such as hot wire anemometry, laser-doppler anemometry etc., data acquisition techniques and computer data analysis, design of experimental apparatus utilizing the above techniques.
Turbulent Flow
(EOC 6190) 3 credits
Prerequisites: PHS 4113; (EOC 6185, EOC 6186, or EML 6715)
An introduction to turbulent transport of momentum and heat, the dynamics of turbulence, wall-bounded shear flow, boundary-free shear flows, turbulent diffusion, and shear flow dispersion.
CONTROLS
Optimum Control Systems
(EEL 6672) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
The optimization theory is applied to continuous and discrete dynamic systems.
Systems Control
(EML 6311) 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
The analysis and design of control systems and digital control. Applications include stability analysis, feedback control, and systems. JU/systems design for linear and non-linear systems.
MANUFACTURING
Inventory Control
(EIN 6345) 3 credits
The study of inventory theory, deterministic models, probabilistic models, and multi-product models in both the single and multi-period models.
Manufacturing Systems
(EIN 6392) 3 credits
Concepts of manufacturing systems including their design and planning and the different functions of the organization.
Industrial Automation
(ESI 5446C) 3 credits
Prerequisite: EML 4312 or its equivalent
Design of pneumatic and hydraulic systems for automation, use of programmable logic controller for combinational and sequential systems implementation, computerized numerical control machine tools and robotics, and integration of manufacturing stations into a system.
Computer Control of Manufacturing Systems
(ESI 6155) 3 credits
Design, operation, and software development of computer controlled machine tools and robots as well as conceptual studies of factories of the future.
Inspection, Quality Control and Reliability
(ESI 6222) 3 credits
The application of probability theory, statistics and control theory and problems in product inspection, and processes control and product reliability.
Design of Experiments/Regression Analysis
(ESI 6247) 3 credits
Statistical design an analysis of experiments and experimental models in engineering using regression and analysis of variance.
Operations Research for Engineering
(ESI 6306) 3 credits
The fundamentals of linear programming and duality and parametric programming and decomposition. It serves as an introduction to numerical and computational aspects of solving large-scale problems.
Modeling of Manufacturing Systems
(ESI 6524) 3 credits
An introduction to the concepts of simulation modeling and analysis with applications to manufacturing and production systems
Master's Thesis
(EGM 6971) 1-6 credits
SPECIAL TOPICS, THESIS AND DISSERTATION
Directed Independent Study
(EML 6908) 1-3 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Study of advanced topics related to special needs and interests of the individual student. May be taken for repeated credit.
Special Topics
(EML 6930) 1-3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
A course in specialized area not adequately covered in other courses. It may be repeated for credit.
Master's Thesis- Mechanical Engineering
(EML 6971) 1-6 credits
Dissertation-Mechanical Engineering
(EML 7980) 1-15 credits
Last updated: 10/03
