Master of Applied Science (MASc)
Candidates for the Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering can enroll either on a full-time or part-time basis.
The MASc program emphasizes high level independent research by candidates. The topic of the thesis and the choice of courses are decided by the student and their supervisor(s). Each student's program is subject to the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Candidates will participate in a research program generally involving either theory or experimentation, or both.
Degree requirements - MASc
In order to receive an MASc degree you must complete all of your program's degree requirements. For a complete list of your program's degree requirements you should consult the Graduate Academic Calendar for the term in which you were admitted.
Degree requirements are as follows:
- Academic Integrity Quiz
- Four one-term graduate level courses (or courses acceptable for graduate credit)
- Only one of the courses used for credit in a candidate's program can be taken from the 500 series of courses.
- At least two-thirds of the courses used for credit in a candidate's program must be taken from the 600 and 700 series.
- No more than half of the courses used for credit may be taught by the candidate's supervisor.
- At least half of the courses used for credit must normally be Faculty of Engineering courses.
- The candidate must obtain a pass in all courses credited to his or her program, with a minimum overall average of 70% (A grade of less than 65% in any course counts as a failure (F).
- Graduate Safety Workshop - The Department requires all graduate students to complete the MME Safety Training course offered by the University Safety Office. The Safety Training is a degree requirement and must be completed by the end of the student's second registered term. Your supervisor is aware of this policy. This course is now fully online on LEARN. If you have difficulties accessing this content, please contact the MME Graduate Office. safety link
- MASc thesis
- Steps to submitting the MASc thesis can be found on the Faculty of Engineering MASc degree completion web page
- A MASc Defence (pdf)
- Attend at least eight MME Department research seminars (effective only for students starting their degree in fall 2022 and all future students)
When student's have completed all their degree requirements they should Apply to Graduate through Quest. Student's will need to select the expected graduation term. Please select the term in which you expect all your degree requirements to be met.
Master of Engineering (MEng)
The regular MEng program may be taken by full-time candidates or those who wish to study on a part-time basis while remaining in full-time employment external to the university. The candidate in this program is expected to be financially self-supporting.
Degree requirements - regular MEng
In order to receive an MEng degree you must complete all of your program's degree requirements. For a complete list of your program's degree requirements you should consult the Graduate Academic Calendar for the term in which you were admitted.
Degree requirements are as follows:
- Academic Integrity Quiz
- Eight, one-term graduate level courses (or courses acceptable for graduate credit)
- At least two out of the eight one-term graduate level courses must be taken from the approved list of core graduate courses.
- Only two of the courses used for credit in a candidate's program can be taken from the 500 series of courses.
- All courses must come from the Faculty of Engineering to count toward the degree while four of the eight courses should be from the department of Mechanical Engineering.
- The candidate must obtain a pass in all courses credited to his or her program, with a minimum overall average of 70% (A grade of less than 65% in any course counts as a failure (F).
- An English for Multilingual Speakers (EMLS) technical/professional course is normally required for all students who were not English Language Proficiency (ELP) exempt at the time of admission. This course is normally taken in the first term of the program.(ELP exemptions). (English for Multilingual Speakers (EMLS)
- Attend at least four MME research seminars
- All seminar attendance forms are to be completed using the MME Research Seminar form or they will not count toward your milestone
When student's have completed all their degree requirements they should Apply to Graduate through Quest. Student's will need to select the expected graduation term. Please select the term in which you expect all your degree requirements to be met.
MEng with a Graduate Diploma
Students must satisfy all above requirements for the general MEng while also meeting the graduate course requirements to earn one of the three specific graduate diplomas. MEng students completing 1 of the GDip program options are allowed to use their GDip mandatory course(s) to count toward 2 of the 8 core course requirement.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
This degree is awarded after candidates have satisfied the Examining Committee that their thesis is a substantial original contribution to knowledge and have also demonstrated a high degree of competence in areas of knowledge related to their specialization. Each PhD candidate must successfully complete at least three graduate courses (600 or 700 level). The actual program is decided by the student and the supervisor(s), subject to the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. The student's program is also assessed formally by the Examination Committee at the time of the Comprehensive Examination as described below.
The thesis topic is decided by the student and supervisor(s), in consultation with an advisory committee. The proposed research program is also examined during the Comprehensive Examination.
Degree requirements - PhD
In order to receive a PhD degree you must complete all of your program's degree requirements. For a complete list of your program's degree requirements you should consult the Graduate Academic Calendar for the term in which you were admitted.
The requirements for the PhD degree are as follows:
- Academic Integrity Quiz
- Satisfactory completion of three one-term graduate-level courses (600 or 700 level) with an overall average of at least 70%
- No more than one of the courses used for credit towards a PhD degree may be taught by the candidate's supervisor.
- A grade of less than 65% in any course counts as a failure (F)
- Candidates admitted to the PhD program who do not possess a recent and relevant Master's degree or have transferred directly to the PhD program without a Master's degree, are required to complete a minimum of 7 courses, at least 5 of which must be at the 600 or 700 levels (0.50 unit weight).
- Satisfactory performance in a Comprehensive Examination
- Full details on how to achieve a successful completion of a PhD Comprehensive Exam can be found on the Faculty of Engineering web page.
- Submission and defense of a thesis, embodying the results of original research
- Steps to submitting the PhD thesis can be found on the Faculty of Engineering PhD degree completion web page
- Graduate Safety Workshop - The Department requires all graduate students to complete the MME Safety Training course offered by the University Safety Office. The Safety Training is a degree requirement and must be completed by the end of the student's second registered term. Your supervisor is aware of this policy. This course has 2 parts: online and in-class. The online portion must be completed BEFORE attending the in-class portion.
When student's have completed all their degree requirements they should Apply to Graduate through Quest. Student's will need to select the expected graduation term. Please select the term in which you expect all your degree requirements to be met.
PhD comprehensive examination
The Comprehensive Examination should be conducted about one year, but in any case not later than sixteen months, after the student has been admitted to the PhD program.
In preparation for this examination candidates will submit a written research proposal which consists of a double spaced report of no more than 50 pages including tables, diagrams, and references.
Your proposal should:
- identify the research problem
- review the relevant literature
- describe the tasks planned to solve the problem, and
- propose a timetable for the completion of the project, including the defense of the PhD thesis.
With approval from your supervisor, you may wish to distribute background working papers to members of the Committee to provide further evidence of background preparation.
You must submit your proposal to your committee, one copy to each member, at least two weeks before the date of examination.
You can distribute the proposal electronically through e-mail.
The Comprehensive Examination Committee, on the advice of the candidate's supervisor(s), should examine:
- The adequacy of the course of study being undertaken,
- The student's performance during the first year both in the coursework and in the research studies,
- The proposal for research program as presented by the student, and
- The adequacy of the student's technical background in related areas of knowledge.
The main decision to be reached is whether the candidate should proceed with the proposed study or change the emphasis in the research work. Advice about taking additional graduate courses may also be given. A complete statement regarding subject and content of this examination is given in the Engineering Graduate Studies Manual.
Examination of the PhD thesis
Regulations governing the submission and examination of the PhD thesis are found in the Graduate Studies Calendar in the section entitled Academic Regulations - Minimum Requirements for the PhD Degree.
The Examining Committee consists of the supervisor(s), and four other members nominated by the supervisor(s) and approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee. One of these is appointed from outside the University, another one from outside the department (often from Mathematics or Physics).