Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is a diverse subject that derives its breadth from the need to design and manufacture everything from small individual parts and devices (e.g. microscale sensors and inkjet printer nozzles) to large systems (e.g. spacecraft and machine tools). The role of a mechanical engineer is to take a product from an idea to the marketplace. To accomplish this, a broad range of skills are needed. The mechanical engineer needs to acquire particular skills and knowledge. He/she needs to understand the forces and the thermal environment that a product, its parts, or its subsystems will encounter; to design them for functionality, aesthetics, and the ability to withstand the forces and the thermal environment they will be subjected to; and to determine the best way to manufacture them and ensure they will operate without failure. Perhaps the one skill that is the mechanical engineer's exclusive domain is the ability to analyze and design objects and systems with motion. The Mechanical Engineering Department at Columbia was established in 1897. It has enjoyed a national and international reputation for much of its history. Between 1950 and 1980, professors Dudley D. Fuller, Harold G. Elrod, and Vittorio Castelli were the foremost leaders in the field of lubrication theory and practice. In the 1960s, Professor Ferdinand Freudenstein (known as the "Father of Modern Kinematics"), revolutionized the field of mechanical design by ushering in the computer age in kinematics synthesis and the design of the mechanism. In more recent times,... [-]

M.S. Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate work leading to both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering and in materials science. Applicants for admission typically have a general background in one of the following areas, depending on degree program and interest: engineering, physics, applied physics, applied mathematics, materials science, mechanics, metallurgy, or chemistry.

Faculty research in the department falls into two broad categories: solid mechanics-materials science, and fluid mechanics-plasma physics. Much of this work is interdisciplinary and takes advantage of links between the Department and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), the Rochester Center for Biomedical Ultrasound (RCBU) and the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD), as well as the Departments of Physics and Astronomy (DPA) and Biomedical Engineering (BME) in the College.... [-]

Program Overview

The graduate program in Mechanical Engineering is designed to provide advanced studies for the graduate engineer who wishes to continue preparation for effective participation in the professions of mechanical engineering. The program also provides continuing education in advanced subjects for the working engineer who acknowledges the need to stay abreast of the rapidly changing technological world. Emphasis is placed on the development of the engineer’s capacity for independent study and continued professional growth.

What Makes Us Different

The program has a thesis or project options to complete the course, appropriate direction assessed b the director. Professional Track, or Work-Study Option Available to students who academically excel in the program. Personally work with your advisor to find a track that best suits your areas of interest and strength. ... [-]