MSESM Course Work Degree Requirements
- Credit Hours
- Core Courses
- Mathematics
- Specialization
- Time to Completion
- Undergraduate Background
- Residency
- Admission to Candidacy
- M.S. Comprehensive Exams
- Application
for Graduation
MSESM Coursework Degree Pol icies - Use of Undergraduate Courses for Graduate Program
The information contained on this page is subject to the requirements of the University of Alabama Graduate School , College of Engineering, and the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. Students should check all of these sources for information regarding the degree program. Every effort has been made to check the information contained on these pages, but the AEM Department can not be responsible for inadvertent omissions.
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Credit Hour Requirement
The credit hour requirements for a coursework master's degree are as
follows:
The student must earn a minimum of 33 semester hours of credit
of these:
- 18 hours must be in the major field (i.e. ESM courses)
- 6 hours must be in a minor field
- 9 hours of approved electives must be completed
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Core Course Requirement
MSESM students must take the following core courses:
- AEM 500 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics
- AEM 562 Intermediate Dynamics
- AEM 637 Theory of Elasticity
These courses satisfy 9 of the required 18 hours in the major
field (ESM).
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Mathematics Requirement
Six hours of mathematics (beyond the COE minimum) must be
completed. GES 554 Partial Differential Equations must be included.
Candidate courses with recommendation from the advisor include:
- GES 551 Matrix and Vector Analysis
- AEM/GES 585 Genetic Algorithms
- AEM/GES 587 Neural Networks
- GES 658 Numerical Methods
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Specialization Requirement
One of the following areas is selected by the student as the
Area of Specialization, and the student must take 2 additional courses
(i.e. 6 hours) beyond the core requirements in one of the following
categories. These courses are typically AE courses, but other approved
designations may also be acceptable.
- dynamics, or
- solid mechanics, or
- fluid mechanics.
Note: the classification of some courses are obvious; other courses may be classified in more than one category. Consult the course instructor and graduate program director to determine the classification of any particular course, or check the graduate teaching schedule.
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Time to Completion Requirement
The Graduate School enforces a time limit of six years for the
master's degree. The time limit is described from the Graduate Catalog as, "All
requirements for the master's degree must be completed during the six years
immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be
awarded."
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Undergraduate Background Requirement
Students may be considered for admission into the
MSESM program if
they hold a BS degree in engineering, math, physics, or a closely related area.
Students whose background is not Engineering Science and Mechanics may be
required to take preliminary coursework at the undergraduate level before
beginning to take graduate level courses. Typically, these courses are in the
engineering science and mechanics area, and are by subject: statics, dynamics,
mechanics of materials, and fluid mechanics. Differential equations is also
required if the student has not taken a course with similar content. Please
note that these courses are at the 200-300 level, and so can not be used as
credit toward the requirements of the master's degree. These courses may or
may not be offered via QUEST.
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Residency Requirement
Only up-to one-half of course credit can be taken by non-traditional
means (i.e. via QUEST courses).
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Admission to Candidacy
Admission to the Graduate School does not imply admission of a
student to candidacy for a degree. Admission to candidacy is contingent upon the
recommendation of the student's department and the approval of the graduate
dean, after the student has met the formal requirements for candidacy listed
below and demonstrated sufficient preparation to pursue the graduate study and
research required for the degree sought.
The application for admission to candidacy for the master's degree can be
filed after 12 semester hours of graduate credit have been earned at The
University of Alabama. It should be approved by the time of registration for the
semester in which requirements for the degree are completed. Approval will
depend on (a) the quality of the applicant's graduate work prior to the time the
application is made (see "Scholastic Requirements," in the graduate student
Catalog); (b) the removal of any special conditions; and (c) the certification
of the major department or school that the student is well qualified to
continue work toward a degree. Application forms will be supplied by the
Graduate School
office.
The departmental requirements for admission to candidacy are as follows:
MSESM students must earn a 3.0 average for the three required
courses plus the required mathematics course:
- AEM 500 Fluid Mechanics
- AEM 637 Theory of Elasticity
- AEM 562 Intermediate Dynamics
- GES 554 Partial Differential Equations
Students that do not meet these conditions will not be admitted to candidacy in the respective programs in the AEM department.
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MS Comprehensive Exams
Students pursuing the coursework degree option will have the two
following choices of comprehensive exam or culminating experience:
1) Written exams over the core areas.
2) If the student can identify an appropriate project and faculty mentor, the
student may take a special project course (AEM 594) with the faculty member and
submit a written project report.
The student must submit the written document after 27 hours of coursework
have been completed, but no later than the thesis deadline date during the semester the
student intends to graduate. An appropriate department area committee will
assign a pass/fail grade to the written document.
The comprehensive exams may only be attempted twice.
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Application for Graduation
Each candidate for a master's degree must apply for
graduation through the Office of the Graduate School no later than the
registration period for the semester or the first term of the summer
session in which requirements for the degree are to be completed. The
form "Application for Degree" is required for this purpose and must be
completed in duplicate.
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University Pol icy on the Use of Undergraduate Courses for Graduate
Program
With approval of the student's supervisory committee, a
maximum of 6 hours of 400 level courses may be accepted by the Graduate
School for the master's degree program. An Approval of 400-level
Coursework for Graduate Credit form must be completed and approved by
the graduate school prior to the semester in which the 400-level
coursework will be taken. To receive graduate credit, if the courses are
in the student’s major field (AE) the student must receive a minimum
grade of B, and if the courses are in another field, the student must
receive a minimum grade of C.