ME Grad Links
Apply to the ME Graduate Program
The Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department (MIE) is one of eight engineering departments at LSU. Currently, there are 27 full-time faculty members in the Mechanical Engineering (ME) program within the MIE department. Graduate student enrollment, which includes both mechanical engineering and engineering science students under ME faculty supervision, is around 60, with most pursuing a PhD degree.
Degrees Offered
The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) program offers both thesis and non-thesis options. The thesis option requires a minimum of 24 hours of approved coursework, six hours of thesis research and submission of a thesis defended in a final examination. The non-thesis option requires a minimum of 30 hours of approved coursework and a six credit-hour project for a master report, which needs to be defended in a final examination.
The Accelerated Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering can be pursued by LSU juniors with a minimum GPA of 3.5 who are working towards a BSME. While the non-thesis option is open to all eligible students, the thesis option is reserved for exceptional students invited by the department after having completed a prescribed portion of the BSME coursework. The requirements are the same as for the regular MSME, and the program is structured so that completion of this degree is possible one year after receiving the BSME.
The PhD in Mechanical Engineering (PME) requires candidates to conduct research with original outcomes and produce a dissertation with creative scholarship. Candidates must complete 18 hours of dissertation research. Candidates must also complete 36 hours of approved coursework directly from a Bachelor of Science degree or at least 18 hours of approved coursework from a Master of Science degree. The program also requires passing a qualifying examination, a general examination (dissertation proposal), and a final examination (dissertation defense).
Full-time graduate students register for a one-credit-hour class every semester, the Dr. Robert “Bob” W. Courter Graduate Seminar Series lectures.
Research
Mechanical Engineering faculty members span general areas of expertise ranging from robotics, control, materials science & engineering, and thermal-fluid science and combustion, to micro/nano-systems (design and fabrication) and molecular-level engineering. The Mechanical Engineering faculty is primarily involved in research related to Energy, Materials & Manufacturing, Aerospace and Bio-Technology applications. Research is funded through grants from federal agencies (NSF, NASA, DoD, DoE, NIH etc.), state government (Louisiana Board of Regents), national laboratories, and various industries. The graduate faculty works closely with graduate students in research projects that cover both traditional and nontraditional areas. Graduate students are engaged in experimental, numerical, modeling, and theoretical studies and can select their coursework from mechanical engineering and other departments, in consultation with their advisory committees. Students have access to excellent laboratory facilities and equipment, as well as to extensive computer systems, both in the department and on the LSU campus. Mechanical engineering graduates are prepared for employment in industry, universities, state and federal government, and the private sector.
Contact
Graduate Program Director: Dr. Ingmar Schoegl
Coordinator: Elise Bridgewater, [email protected]