Skip To Main Content
self driving vehicle
Message from Department Head
Welcome to The J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University!

FAQs

Degree Plans

  1. What are the requirements for a Masters or a Ph.D.?
  2. What is the difference between the M.S. and M.Eng. degree?
  3. What is the difference between the 64 hr. Ph.D. and 96 hr. Ph.D.?
  4. I have taken a graduate level course in which I got a C. This course is already present on my degree plan. Can I keep the course on the degree plan?
  5. Can I change the courses on my degree plan once it is filed?
  6. Can I change my degree status once I've been admitted?
  7. Can I change my degree status once a degree plan is filed?
  8. I do not have a BS degree in mechanical engineering. Are there courses I will be required to take before I start my degree plan?
  9. Are leveling courses to be included in the degree plan even though they cannot be counted towards the required number of credits?
  10. Who should be on my degree plan committee?
  11. When should I file the degree plan?
  12. I already have a M.S./Ph.D. degree. Can I transfer some of the credits toward my current degree plan?
  13. If I qualify to transfer some of my M.S./Ph.D. credits to my current degree plan, how many class hours are allowed?

Admission Requirements

  1. I have a GPA and GRE score of #. Will I be admitted?

Assistantships

  1. There are two different sessions for the summer--two 5-week terms and one 10-week term. How can I register to satisfy the full-time status for my RA/TA?
  2. How do I apply for a Teaching Assistant (TA) position in Mechanical Engineering?
  3. How do I apply for a Research Assistant (RA) position?
  4. I am a foreign student and English is my second language. Can I apply for a TA? What is the requirement?

Probation

  1. What is the criteria on probation?
  2. What happens after one semester on probation if my GPR is not back up to 3.0?
  3. What if the GPR requirement is satisfied after one semester, but falls again below 3.0 in another semester?
  4. My current GPA is around 3.0. Now I am taking a course that is not going well. Can I drop the course so that I will not fall into the category of probation?
  5. I understand that an “I” (incomplete) is changed into an F after one semester if nothing is done. How do they count the summer as one semester or two semesters?
  6. I took a course in which I got an “I” for incomplete. After one semester, it becomes an F. Now I am on probation. What can I do to change the F back to a better grade?
  7. Does I (incomplete) in 691 (research) 684 (professional internship), or 692 (Professional study) become an F after one semester?
  8. Does an “I” (incomplete) of 685 (problems) become an F after one semester?

 

Degree Plans - Answers

  1. What are the requirements for a Masters or a Ph.D.?

  1. What is the difference between the M.S. and M.Eng. degree?

  • M.Eng. (Master of Engineering) - non-thesis option requiring 30 hrs. of graduate credit
  • M.S. (Master of Science) - thesis option requiring 32 hrs. of graduate credit

The M.S. degree is more research oriented and M.Eng. is more course oriented.

  1. What is the difference between the 64 hr. Ph.D. and 96 hr. Ph.D.?

  •  The Ph.D. requires a total of 64 hours. The degree is obtained by completing 64 hours beyond the M.S. hrs. requirement. The Ph.D. also requires a written and oral exam, plus a final exam on the dissertation.
  • The 96 hr. Ph.D. is for students seeking a Ph.D. directly after their Bachelor’s without a Master’s degree.

  1. I have taken a graduate level course in which I got a C. This course is already present on my degree plan. Can I keep the course on the degree plan?

  •  Yes. The requirement for graduate students is to maintain a GPA of 3.0 on the degree plan.
  •  The intent of the degree plan is to identify the appropriate course of study for your chosen degree as determined by your faculty advisor. Once the courses have been chosen and place on an approved degree plan, it is the student's responsibility to maintain a 3.0.
  •  ** It is NOT the intent of the degree plan to allow students to take courses and then, after taking the courses and receiving a grade, to choose whether or not the courses are to be included in the degree plan.
  • A student is NOT to choose only those courses for inclusion in the degree plan for which he/she may receive grades of A or B!

  1. Can I change the courses on my degree plan once it is filed?

  •  Yes, the student can change the courses by filing a Petition. The Petition must be signed by ALL committee members AND the department head. The Petition must subsequently be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) and approved.  This petition is submitted online through the Document Processing Section located on the Graduate and Professional Students website at  https://ogsdpss.tamu.edu/. Click on the tab “Current Students” from the drop down box select “Student forms and information”.

  1. Can I change my degree status once I've been admitted?

  • Yes, once admitted to graduate school, a student may file a Petition to change a degree status. The Petition must be signed by the department head and then filed with the Graduate and Professional School and approved. Email grad@tamu.edu
  •  International students must check with the International Student Services Office to maintain legal status. Go to: https://global.tamu.edu/isss/students/maintain_status

  1. Can I change my degree status once a degree plan is filed?

  •  Yes, the student must file a Petition. The Petition will include any changes needed to the degree plan. The Petition must be signed by ALL committee members AND the department head. The Petition must subsequently be filed with the Graduate and Professional School and approved.
  •  This petition is submitted online through the Document Processing Section located on the Graduate and Professional School website at https://ogsdpss.tamu.edu/. Click on the tab “Current Students” from the drop down box select “Student forms and information”.

  1. I do not have a BS degree in mechanical engineering. Are there courses I will be required to take before I start my degree plan?

  •  The student is required to complete leveling courses that are the basic requirements for an undergraduate. Some of the leveling courses may have prerequisites; if so, the student is required to complete those also.
  •  ****The program director and/or your faculty advisor will determine your leveling courses once you are admitted into the program and after reviewing your academic transcripts.
  •  Once the leveling courses are completed, the student will have a basic background to begin graduate courses.

  1. Are leveling courses to be included in the degree plan even though they cannot be counted towards the required number of credits?

  •   Leveling courses may be listed at the bottom of the degree plan as prerequisites.

  1. Who should be on my degree plan committee?

M.Eng. degree committee:

  • Faculty Advisor as chairman (The Graduate Program Director is the faculty advisor for all M.Eng degree seeking students unless otherwise noted.)

M.S. and Ph.D. degree committee:

  • Faculty Advisor from the MEEN department as chairman
  • A professor from the student's area of study
  • A professor from mechanical engineering outside student's area of study
  • A professor from outside the Mechanical Engineering department.

*** Ph.D. degree also includes: A Graduate Council Representative (GCR) assigned by the Office of Graduate Studies.

  1. When should I file the degree plan?

For Ph.D.: Before 36 completed hours

M.S. and M.Eng.: Before completion of 1 academic year

  1. I already have a M.S./Ph.D. degree. Can I transfer some of the credits toward my current degree plan?

  •  The courses that have been used towards a previous M.S./Ph.D. CANNOT be transferred.
  •  This transfer must be approved by the student's degree plan faculty advisor and by the committee.
  •  An official transcript containing these courses must be on file with the Graduate and Professional School. List these courses, their prefix and title, on the degree plan as listed on the transcript.

  1. If I qualify to transfer some of my M.S./Ph.D. credits to my current degree plan, how many class hours are allowed?

  •  Transfer up to a maximum of ½ of the degree course requirement
  •  Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours or equated to semester credit hours. An official transcript from the university at which the transfer coursework was taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

*****Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses*****

The following restrictions apply:

  • Coursework in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit.
  • Credit for thesis research or the equivalent is not transferable. No credit hours of 691 (Research) may be used.
  • Courses previously used towards a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit.
  • If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the Registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit towards the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.
  • Courses appearing on the degree plan with grades of D, F or U may not be absolved by transfer work.
  • Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPR, with the exception of courses taken at the Texas A&M Health Science Center.
  • Graduate or upper-level undergraduate courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution, or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the student was in degree-seeking status at Texas A&M University, or the Degree Information/The Degree of Master of Engineering student was in degree-seeking status at the institution at which the courses were taken; and if the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution.
  • The maximum number of credit hours taken in post-baccalaureate non-degree (G6) classification at Texas A&M University which may be considered for application to the degree plan is 12.
  • Any combination of 684, 685, 690 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan:
    • A maximum of 6 hours of 684 (Professional Internship) and/or
    • A maximum of 6 hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and
    • Up to 3 hours of 690 (Theory of Research), and
    • Up to 3 hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research).
    • A maximum of 2 hours of Seminar (681).
    • A maximum of 9 hours of advanced undergraduate courses (300- or 400-level)
  • For graduate courses of three weeks’ duration or less, taken at other institutions, up to 1 hour of credit may be obtained for each five-day week of coursework. Each week of coursework must include at least 15 contact hours.
  • Continuing education courses may not be used for graduate credit.
  • Extension courses are not acceptable for credit.
  • Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

  1. I am currently a graduate student in another department at Texas A&M University and would like to transfer to the Department of Mechanical Engineering. What must I do?

  • You will be treated as a new applicant. The previous department will need to send the complete file they have you. A new statement of purpose and resume will be required. Once this is received you will be entered into our graduate application database. Your application will be reviewed and a decision will be made. If accepted, you will be required to file a Petition (Graduate and Professional School website) with the change of departments and signed by each department. The petition will need to filed with the Graduate and Professional School, to change your degree status.

 

Admission Requirements - Answers

  1. I have a GPA and GRE score of #. Will I be admitted?

The Graduate Mechanical Engineering program is an extremely competitive program. The department does not have a minimum requirement on standardized test scores however successful applicants typically have very competitive scores. We do not publish scores. We do not make any admission decisions until a student has submitted a complete application and paid the application fee. Information about Admission Requirements can be found here.

 

Assistantships - Answers

  1. There are two different sessions for the summer--two 5-week terms and one 10-week term. How can I register to satisfy the full-time status for my RA/TA?

To be considered a full-time student for the Summer, a student must register for a total of 6 credit hours in one of the two following ways:

  • 6 credit hours during the 10-week summer term OR
  • 3 credit hours during each 5-week summer term

To hold an assistantship for the Spring and Fall semesters, the student needs to register for 9 hours in order to be considered full-time. No other combinations are allowed.

  1. How do I apply for a Teaching Assistant (TA) position in Mechanical Engineering?

About three months prior to a new semester, applications are distributed into all the graduate student through the Mechanical Engineering department newsletter. In order to apply for a TA, complete the application and submit it online through the link provided. Visit https://grad.tamu.edu/funding-your-education for more information.

  1. How do I apply for a Research Assistant (RA) position?

In order to apply for a RA, a student must contact the professors in their area of interest. The professors handle funding and will be able to inform students about openings for research positions. Visit https://grad.tamu.edu/funding-your-education

  1. I am a foreign student and English is my second language. Can I apply for a TA? What is the requirement?

International students whose native language is not English and who wish to apply for a TA position must fulfill an English proficiency requirement. The English Proficiency Certification is required before a graduate student is eligible to serve as a TA or in any other position considered to be a teaching position. It is best to meet this proficiency requirement early in a student's program. Contact the International Admissions Office at (979) 458-0427, to arrange a test. Visit https://global.tamu.edu/isss/ for more information

 

Probation - Answers

  1. What is the criteria on probation?

  • Mechanical Engineering graduate students are expected to maintain a Grade Point Ratio (GPR) equal to or better than 3.0 throughout the duration of their graduate study.
  • This requirement applies to each of cumulative, degree plan, and semester GPR. It is also a prerequisite for receiving a graduate degree in electrical engineering.
  • When a student's GPR (either cumulative, degree plan or semester) falls below 3.0, the student is placed on probation by the department and is blocked from pre-registration for the following semester.
  • Notifications are made by letter to the student, the advisor, and other pertinent offices within the university. The student will then be allowed one semester to return the GPR back up to 3.0.
  • A student who is on probation will not be allowed to hold a departmental assistantship, fellowship, or any other financial aid during the probation period.
  • A student will be allowed to register for the following semester only after official transcripts are issued indicating that the GPR has been brought back up to 3.0.

  1. What happens after one semester on probation if my GPR is not back up to 3.0?

  • If after one semester on probation a student's Cumulative or degree plan GPR is not back up to 3.0, the Office of Graduate Studies will be asked to remove the student from the graduate studies.
  • Notification will be made by letter to the student, the advisor, the Office of Graduate Studies, and other pertinent offices within the university.

  1. What if the GPR requirement is satisfied after one semester, but falls again below 3.0 in another semester?

  • The student will be dismissed by the department. No more than one semester with a GPR below 3.0 is permitted throughout the duration of graduate study in the electrical engineering program.

  1. My current GPA is around 3.0. Now I am taking a course that is not going well. Can I drop the course so that I will not fall into the category of probation?

The ability to drop a course depends on several things:

  • the approval of the Graduate Academic Advisor
  • the add/drop period dates
  • the Q-drop period requirements
  • whether or not a student holds an assistantship or a fellowship

*** A student who has filed a degree plan listing the course in question must file a Petition in order to remove the course from the degree plan.

  1. I understand that an “I” (incomplete) is changed into an F after one semester if nothing is done. How do they count the summer as one semester or two semesters?

The summer semester is counted as one semester. The I will be changed to an F at the end of the Fall semester unless the professor submits a grade change form.

  1. I took a course in which I got an “I” for incomplete. After one semester, it becomes an F. Now I am on probation. What can I do to change the F back to a better grade?

The student must complete the course work for which an “I” was received by submitting it to the professor. The professor will then submit a grade change form. This change may or may not change the student's GPR. The student will remain on probation until the registrar has changed the grade in the system.

  1. Does I (incomplete) in 691 (research) 684 (professional internship), or 692 (Professional study) become an F after one semester?

No, these courses are excluded from that rule.

  1. Does an “I” (incomplete) of 685 (problems) become an F after one semester?

Yes, if you receive an “I” in 685, it will turn to an F after one semester. The course 685 is a letter grade course and therefore is not excluded from the rule.