The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate study leading to the Master of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with specializations in dynamics and controls in aerospace engineering, fluid and thermal sciences, applied mechanics, and design and manufacturing. 

A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred, and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in major course work is required. Each graduate department may have additional “special admission requirements” which are noted on this page.

• Completed on-line application and signature page or
• Download the paper application (HTML) | (Acrobat)
• The non-refundable $45 application fee (Waivers accepted for FAMU Feeder Program and McNair Scholars)
• Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar’s Office from ALL colleges and universities attended
• GRE Scores (Only official score reports are accepted within 5 years of the test date) www.gre.org
• Statement of Academic and Research Interest
• Autobiographical Sketch (Personal biography)
• Resume
• Three letters of recommendation Word

For International Applicants

In addition to the requirements listed above you must meet the following:

• Official transcripts, certificates and/or mark/grade sheets must be sent directly from the college or university to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, and must show proof of degree(s) earned, courses taken and marks/grades received. Also, ALL transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) or AACRAO (www.aacrao.org) and be forwarded to Graduate Recruitment and Admissions.
• TOEFL Scores (Minimum computer-based score of 213 is required and only official score reports are accepted within 2 years of the test date) www.toelf.org

Students admitted into the graduate program must have at least a bachelor's degree and a GPA of 3.0 in their undergraduate program. 

Applicants with inadequate preparation in mechanical engineering will be required to take the necessary undergraduate courses to remove any deficiencies. Special cases will be addressed on an individual basis by the departmental Executive and Graduate Program Committees.

Master of Engineering

Students admitted to the program normally will have completed a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a closely allied field (physics, mathematics, or other engineering disciplines ). There is no single criterion for admission; consideration is given to all aspects of an applicant's academic and/or career history, grades, recommendations, special examinations, and other sources of information.

Students having less than a 3.0 out of a 4.0 undergraduate cumulative average may be admitted provisionally for one semester, provided there is other evidence of aptitude for further study.

Doctor of Philosophy

All graduate students are required to enroll in the Graduate Seminar course offered each year. The seminar requirement is in addition to the minimum number of approved credit hours of course work, and cannot be used as a substitute for course work.

In addition to the above requirements, new entrants to both the master's and doctoral programs are required to demonstrate their competency in the English language by successful completion of the graduate school's English Proficiency Examination in Expository Writing.

Master of Engineering

The Master's program consists of 24 or 30 hours of course work for the thesis or non-thesis option respectively. These credit hours must include the following courses or their equivalent: MEEG-503, MEEG-505, MEEG-507, MEEG-512, ELEG-502 and ELEG-503. The remaining courses must be selected from the elective options of the various areas of specializations.

Candidates are offered the option to write a thesis or to complete a project. Students choosing to write a thesis must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work, of which 24 must be in graduate or approved undergraduate courses in mechanical engineering or related fields, and a minimum of 6 in research for the thesis.

A student can elect to apply for enrollment in the non-thesis option. Such students must complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of course work, of which 30 must be spent in graduate or approved undergraduate course work in mechanical engineering or allied fields, and at least 3 in project work culminating in a written project report. These students must pass a comprehensive examination after successfully completing 24 credit hours of course work with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Doctor of Philosophy

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must complete a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate, of which a minimum of 60 must be spent in course work and 12 in dissertation work. The 60 credit hours must include the following courses or their equivalent: MEEG-503, MEEG-505, MEEG-507, MEEG-512, MATH-245 and MATH-246. The remaining credit hours are to be selected from the elective options for the various areas of specialization, in consultation with the student's advisor and in accordance with the individual's needs and interests.

Candidates must receive a passing grade on a comprehensive examination and also demonstrate reading skills in French, German, Russian, or another language approved by the Graduate Program Committee. As an alternative, students must successfully complete approved courses in technical writing and speech, with a grade of B or better.

Students with no previous graduate work experience may be required to complete the academic requirements for the master's program during the first 30 semester hours in the doctoral program.

Students must complete a minimum of six semesters of full-time residence, or the equivalent, beyond the bachelor's degree, of which at least four must be completed in the graduate school of Howard University . Two of the four semesters must be consecutive. At least nine credit hours per semester constitute full-time study.

The Graduate Committee may pass one of the following resolutions regarding the student's performance on the qualifying exam: Pass. The student may proceed to complete the other requirement for the Ph.D.

Pass with Stipulations. The student has passed a majority of the areas covered in the examination but in lieu of reexamination in certain area(s), the student will be required to complete additional specified course(s) with a specified minimum grade at the earliest opportunity.

Reexamination. The student must appear for a reexamination to be given the following semester. The Committee may request the student to strengthen his/her knowledge in a specific area and then to appear for reexamination in that area, or the student may be asked to take the entire examination again. Any student who fails the qualifying examination twice will be automatically dropped from the Ph.D. program.

Termination. The student is not eligible to work towards the Ph.D. but may complete work for a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. If the candidate already holds a master's in Mechanical Engineering, it will be recommended that the student terminate graduate studies in the department.