Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering
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Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, & Nuclear Engineering

Graduate: Masters Program Requirements

To receive a Masters Degree you must:

  1. Have a QPA greater than or equal to 3.0.

  2. Submit your Graduate Plan of Study (GPS) by the end of your first semester. To graduate, the courses you have taken must agree with the GPS. You can file a revised GPS to ensure agreement.

  3. File a degree application with the Registrar's Office by the date specified in the academic calendar for the semester in which you plan to graduate.

    Degree candidates who at any point in their tenure at Rensselaer are, or become, full-time students must maintain continuous full-time registration throughout their Rensselaer academic career to be eligible to graduate. You must be registered full-time during the semester in which you intend to graduate, and be in good academic and disciplinary standing.

    In addition to these requirements, you should be familiar with the information in the Rensselaer Catalog and the Institute Graduate Tuition Policy in order to plan out your Master's study appropriately.

Master of Science (MS)

(by perception, more scholarly or fundamental):

  • Number of credits: 30

  • Required Thesis credits: 6

  • Out of the 24 credits of course work, a minimum of 12 credits must be at the 6000-level with a minimum of 9 credits of these 6000-level courses from MANE*. All other coursework must be at least at the 4000 level.

  • Out of the 24 credits of course work, a minimum of 15 credits must be from MANE*. No courses required for the undergraduate degree program, or the equivalent of these courses, may count towards a graduate degree in that same program.

  • Maximum of 6 credits from outside of Engineering or Science; such courses require prior approval by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies if furthermore outside of Management.

  • Maximum of 3 credits of Individual Project/Independent Study.

  • Each full-time student must register each semester for Graduate Seminar MANE-6900 and attend the required number of seminars.

Master of Engineering (MEng)

(by perception, more practical):

  • Number of credits: 30 credits

  • Project may be done (but not required)

  • If no project, of the 30 credits of coursework a minimum of 18 credits must be at the 6000-level with a minimum of 12 credits from MANE*; if project taken, of the 24 credits of coursework a minimum of 12 credits must be at the 6000- level with a minimum of 9 credits from MANE*. All other coursework must be atleast at the 4000-level.

  • A minimum of 21 credits from MANE*. No course required for the undergraduate degree program, or its equivalent, may count towards a graduate degree in that same program.

  • A culminating experience consisting of ONE of the following:

    • An approved sequence of three integrated or related courses; at least two courses must be in MANE; only one 4000-level course accepted. One of the courses must involve a project or design experience which integrates or synthesizes knowledge from the other courses taken in the Masters program.
    • A 6 credit project
    • An internship/practicum - minimum of one summer/one semester full-time work in an approved setting

  • Maximum of 6 credits from outside of Engineering or Science; such courses require prior approval by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies if furthermore outside of Management.

  • Each full-time student must register each semester for Graduate Seminar MANE-6900 and attend the required number of seminars.

*MANE prefix or cross-listed with a MANE course, or approved by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.