The Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute allows qualified undergraduate students to accelerate their graduate studies through an integrated pathway. The program is designed for students seeking advanced training in mechanical engineering. This prepares students for careers in industry or for further academic study. Students may apply a limited number of credits toward both degrees through the double-counting option, as outlined in the Double Counting Rules section of this catalog. Students enrolled in the Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering must satisfy all the program requirements of their respective B.S. degree and all the program requirements of the M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering.
To earn the M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, students must complete a total of 30 graduate credits. This requirement may be met through either the non-thesis or thesis option and must include 3 graduate credits in mathematics, which may be satisfied by ME 500 or a graduate-level mathematics course (e.g., MA 501).
The non-thesis option is intended for students seeking advanced technical depth and breadth through coursework. Students pursuing this option complete the full 30 graduate credits through approved graduate-level courses and do not complete a thesis. This option is well-suited for students planning to enter industry or applied engineering roles upon graduation.
The thesis option is intended for students with a strong interest in research or those considering further graduate study, such as a PhD. Students pursuing the thesis option complete a portion of their required 30 graduate credits through thesis research (ME 599) under the supervision of a Mechanical Engineering faculty advisor. The thesis requires the completion of a written master’s thesis and a formal oral defense administered by a thesis committee, in accordance with department and university requirements.
Students indicate their intended option (non-thesis or thesis) at the time of application; however, changes between options may be permitted with appropriate faculty approval and coordination with the ME Graduate Committee.
Admissions Requirements
Eligibility Criteria:
- The Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering at WPI is designed for WPI undergraduate students who wish to pursue the M.S. program in an accelerated manner. Students who are enrolled in a B.S. program at WPI and have been admitted to the M.S. program through the Bachelor’s/Master’s pathway are classified as Bachelor’s/Master’s students. Applicants who earned their B.S. degree from other institutions are not eligible for the Bachelor’s/Master’s program and should apply through the standard M.S. admission process.
- WPI students from any undergraduate major may apply to the Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering.
Required Preparatory Coursework
There are no specific undergraduate or graduate courses required and no minimum number of courses required for eligibility for the Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering.
Application Timeline
Students are encouraged to apply during their junior year, so that they have sufficient time to plan their course selection and double-counting strategy in consultation with their academic advisors.
Recommendation Letters
WPI Students majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a GPA of 3.4 or higher (at the time of application) are not required to submit letters of recommendation. WPI students majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a GPA below 3.4 (at the time of application) are required to submit letters of recommendation. Students from other majors at WPI must submit two letters of recommendation regardless of GPA.
Double-Counting Courses
Students in the Bachelor’s/Master’s option are permitted to count units/credits towards both their B.S. and M.S. degrees. For the purposes of this double-counting, 1/6 WPI undergraduate unit is equivalent to 1 graduate credit. For regular courses, this means that term-long 4000-level courses (1/3 undergraduate unit) are worth 2 graduate credits, term-long graduate courses (2 graduate credits) are worth 1/3 undergraduate unit, and semester-long graduate courses (3 graduate credits) are worth 1/2 undergraduate unit.
A maximum of 2 undergraduate units (12 graduate credits) may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. The following rules apply:
- At most three 4000-level undergraduate courses (worth a total of 1 undergraduate unit or 6 graduate credits) can be double-counted. No courses lower than the 4000-level can be double-counted. No extra work is required in the double-counted 4000-level courses.
- 4000-level ME courses that are double-counted will be applied toward the M.S. as Mechanical Engineering credits (18 and 9 graduate credits of Mechanical Engineering are required for the non-thesis and thesis-based M.S., respectively), while 4000-level non-ME courses that are double-counted will be applied toward the M.S. as elective credits (9 and 6 graduate credits of electives are permitted for the non-thesis and thesis-based M.S., respectively).
- The remainder of the double-counted credits must come from graduate courses (at the 500- or 5000-level or higher).
- There is no minimum number of undergraduate or graduate courses required for double-counting.
- Credits that can be double-counted include those that come from regular courses, special topics courses, independent study and directed research.
- A grade of B or better is required for any course to be counted toward both degrees.
- MQP credits cannot be double-counted,
Restricted Course Pairs
There are no restricted course pairs within the Mechanical Engineering curriculum.