Degree Requirements

The links below provide the general degree requirements in order to obtain a M.S. or a Ph.D. Specific details about the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program can also be found in the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Guide. The guide contains vital information pertaining to the program and will aid you in your pursuit of a Mechanical Engineering degree at Ohio State. The guide is listed below in PDF format for your convenience and will require Acrobat Reader to view it. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, then click here to download it.

University policies and guidelines can be found in the Graduate School Handbook on the Graduate School's website at www.gradsch.osu.edu.

M.S. Degree

The Graduate School at The Ohio State University specifies that at least 45 graduate credit hours are required for a Master's Degree. There are two options for students who wish to pursue a M.S. Degree: 

  • Thesis option
  • Non-Thesis option

Students who wish to pursue the Thesis option must meet the following credit requirements in order to graduate with a M.S. degree:

  • 6 credit hours of graduate level math
    • Students may take up to two 500-level Mathematics courses - except Math 504 and 568.
    • All Mathematics and Statistics Department 600-level courses and above will count for mathematics credit.
  • 12 credit hours of ME courses 600-level and above
  • 12 credit hours of courses 700-level and above
    • ME courses 700-level and above may be double counted to meet ME and 700-level requirements for the M.S. degree.
  • 15 credit hours of ME 999 (Research) or a combination of level-approved coursework and ME 999
  • Must take ME 888 (Seminar) every quarter until graduation

Students who wish to pursue the Non-Thesis option must meet the following credit requirements in order to graduate with a M.S. degree:

  • 6 credit hours of graduate level math
    • Students may take up to two 500-level Mathematics courses - except Math 504 and 568.
    • All Mathematics and Statistics Department 600-level courses and above will count for mathematics credit.
  • 18 credit hours of ME courses 600-level and above
  • 18 credit hours of courses 700-level and above
    • ME courses 700-level and above may be double counted to meet ME and 700-level requirements for the M.S. degree.
  • 3 credit hours of ME 993 (Individual Studies)
  • Must take ME 888 (Seminar) every quarter until graduation

Additional note regarding Math credits: Math credits cannot be double counted to meet other requirements.

Ph.D. Degree

The Graduate School at The Ohio State University specifies that at least 120 graduate credit hours are required after a B.S. degree for a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree. Students can pursue a Ph.D. one of two ways:

  • After earning a Master’s degree (M.S.-Ph.D. Track)
    • If a master’s degree has been earned by the student, then a minimum of 75 graduate credit hours beyond the master’s degree is required.
  • Directly after earning a Baccalaureate degree (B.S.-Ph.D. Track)

Students who have already acquired a M.S. degree must meet the following credit requirements in order to graduate with a Ph.D. degree: 

  •  A minimum of 27 hours of total course credit is required.  ALL hours must be from College of Engineering, Bio/MAPS or College of Medicine courses.
  •  6 - 8 credit hours of Math
    •  ALL hours must be 600-level and above Mathematics, Statistics or approved Math-Equivalency courses (Ph.D. level).
    • A minimum CPHR of 3.50 is required in all PhD-level Math credits
    • The Math requirement must be completed prior to Ph.D. Candidacy
  • A minimum of 19 – 21 credits 700/800-level courses
    • Up to 11 credits of non-ME 600-level or above can count toward fulfilling this requirement 
  • 48 credit hours of ME 999 (Research) or a combination of level-approved coursework and ME 999
  • Students must take ME 888 (Seminar) in every quarter until Candidacy.

Students who have earned a B.S. degree and wish to pursue a Ph.D. directly must meet the following credit requirements in order to graduate with a Ph.D. degree: 

  •  A minimum of 50 hours of total course credit is required.  ALL hours must be from College of Engineering, Bio/MAPS or College of Medicine courses.
  • 8 – 9 credit hours of Math
    • 6 hours must be 600-level and above Mathematics, Statistics or approved Math-Equivalency courses (PhD-level).
    • A minimum CPHR of 3.50 is required in all PhD-level Math credits
    • The Math requirement must be completed prior to Ph.D. Candidacy
  • A minimum of 33 hours of 700/800 level courses
    • Including at least 18 credits of Mechanical Engineering (or cross- listed). 
    • The remaining 9 hours may be 500 or 600 level courses if designated as Graduate level 
  •  70 credit hours of ME 999 (Research) or a combination of level-approved coursework and ME 999
  • Students must take ME 888 (Seminar) in every quarter until Candidacy.

Additional note regarding Math credits: Math credits cannot be double counted to meet other requirements.