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Mechanical Engineering



	Description

	Degrees Offered

	Admission

	Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

		Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track

		Mechanical Systems Track

		Miniature Engineering Systems Track

		Professional Track

		Thermofluids Track

	Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

	Contact Info

Description

The Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.) is intended primarily for a student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline obtained from a recognized accredited institution. The master’s program offers the following tracks: Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Systems, Miniature Engineering Systems, Professional, and Thermofluids.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is intended for a student with a master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline. The doctoral program is intended to allow a student to study in depth, with emphasis on research in Aerospace Systems, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Systems, or Thermofluids.

Degrees Offered

Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track
Mechanical Systems Track
Miniature Engineering Systems Track
Professional Track
Thermofluids Track

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)

The Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.) is intended primarily for a student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline obtained from a recognized institution. Minimum requirements for admission to regular status are a 3.0 grade point average (A=4.0) in the last 60 attempted hours of undergraduate study from an accredited institution, a combined score of 1000 on the quantitative and verbal portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and for international students (except those who are from countries where English is the only official language or those who have earned a degree from an accredited U.S. college or university), a score of 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

In certain circumstances a provisional admission may be extended to students who have a grade point average below 3.0 but otherwise meet university requirements. Additional courses may be required to correct deficiencies. Students should contact the M.M.A.E. graduate program coordinator for further information.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that you fill out a pre-application form (www.graduate.cecs.ucf.edu) before you complete the application for graduate admission. The deadlines for the pre-application form can be found on the Prospective Student Page on the College of Engineering and Computer Science website.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Mechanical Systems Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Miniature Engineering Systems Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Professional Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

Thermofluids Track Feb 1 Jul 15 Dec 1 Apr 15

International Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Mechanical Systems Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Miniature Engineering Systems Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Professional Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Thermofluids Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Mechanical Systems Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Miniature Engineering Systems Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Professional Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Thermofluids Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Degree Requirements

General College Requirements

All students are expected to identify an adviser and file an official degree program of study prior to the completion of 9 credit hours of study. Students should consult with the M.M.A.E. graduate program coordinator for assistance in filling out a program of study. The M.S.M.E. degree is offered as a thesis or a non-thesis program in each of the five departmental tracks: Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Systems, Miniature Engineering Systems, Professional, and Thermofluids. A program of study, satisfying track requirements, must be developed prior to the completion of 9 credit hours and meet with departmental approval.

The thesis option requires 30 credit hours, at least half of which must be at the 6000 level and will include 6 credit hours of thesis credit. A student pursuing the thesis program may not register for thesis credit hours until an advisory committee has been appointed and the committee has reviewed the program of study and the proposed thesis topic.

The non-thesis option is primarily designed to meet the needs of part-time students and requires 36 credit hours of course work, at least 15 of which must be at the 6000 level. In addition, students pursuing the non-thesis option are required to pass a final comprehensive exam and to take EML 6085 Research Methods in MMAE as part of their 36-credit-hour course requirement.

A student with an undergraduate degree outside of the selected departmental discipline may be required to satisfy an articulation program. Substitutions to the program of study must meet with the approval of the adviser and the department. Further information is available in the Master’s Degree General Procedures manual available from the M.M.A.E. Department (http://www.mmae.engr.ucf.edu).

Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering Track

Prerequisites (or equivalent)

Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302)
Modeling Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (EML 3034)
Thermodynamics of Mechanical Systems (EML 3101)
Structure and Properties of Materials (EGN 3365)
Machine Design and Analysis (EML 3500)

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

All students must take the following four required courses.

EML 5060 Mathematical Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5211 Continuum Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5271 Intermediate Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 6067 Finite Elements in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering I (3 credit hours)

Students must take at least four courses from the track specialty courses below. Additional courses to satisfy total credit hour requirements (30 credit hours thesis option, 36 credit hours non-thesis option) may be taken from the list of representative electives below or from the remaining M.M.A.E. course offerings. Students should consult with their faculty adviser (or graduate program coordinator if they do not have a faculty adviser) prior to registering for classes. Note that thesis option students must take 6 credit hours of thesis and non-thesis option students must take Research Methods in MMAE. Thesis students must continue to enroll in one credit hour of thesis course work (XXX 6971) until the thesis requirement is satisfied, beyond the minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis.

Track Specialty Courses—12 Credit Hours Minimum

EGN 5858C Prototyping and Product Realization (3 credit hours)
EML 5025C Engineering Design Practice (3 credit hours)
EML 5532C Computer-Aided Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours)
EML 6062 Boundary Element Methods in Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6725 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer I (3 credit hours)
EML 6547 Engineering Fracture Mechanics in Design (3 credit hours)
EML 6305C Experimental Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5237 Intermediate Mechanics of Materials (3 credit hours)

Representative Electives—6-12 Credit Hours

EAS 6138 Advanced Gas Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EAS 6185 Turbulent Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 5105 Gas Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 5402 Turbomachinery (3 credit hours)
EML 6155 Convection Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6712 Mechanics of Viscous Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 5066 Computational Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5131 Combustion Phenomena (3 credit hours)
EML 5152 Intermediate Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 5713 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5532C Computer-Aided Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours)
EML 6154 Conduction Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 5237 Intermediate Mechanics of Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 5546 Engineering Design with Composite Materials (3 credit hours)
EMA 5106 Metallurgical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EMA 5108 Surface Science (3 credit hours)
EMA 5326 Corrosion Science and Engineering (3 credit hours)
EMA 6628 Materials Failure Analysis (3 credit hours)
EML 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
EML 6085 Research Methods in MMAE (required for non-thesis option) (3 credit hours)

Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Hours Required for M.S.M.E.—30 (thesis option) or 36 (non-thesis option) Credit Hours

Mechanical Systems Track

Prerequisites (or equivalent)

Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302)
Modeling Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (EML 3034)
Machine Design and Analysis (EML 3500)
Vibration Analysis (EML 4220)
Experimental Techniques in Mechanics and Materials (EMA 3012C)
Feedback Control (EML 3312C)

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

All students must take the following four required courses.

EML 5060 Mathematical Methods in Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5271 Intermediate Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 5211 Continuum Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 6067 Finite Elements in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering I (3 credit hours)

Students must take at least four courses from the track specialty courses below. Additional courses to satisfy total semester hour requirements (30 credit hours thesis option, 36 credit hours non-thesis option) may be taken from the list of representative electives below or from the remaining M.M.A.E. course offering. Students should consult with their faculty adviser (or graduate program coordinator if they do not have a faculty adviser) prior to registering for classes. Note that thesis option students must take 6 credit hours of thesis and non-thesis option students must take Research Methods in MMAE. Thesis students must continue to enroll in one credit hour of thesis course work (EML 6971) until the thesis requirement is satisfied, beyond the minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis.

Track Specialty Courses—9 Credit Hours (Minimum)

EML 6305C Experimental Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5237 Intermediate Mechanics of Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 6223 Advanced Vibrational Systems (3 credit hours)
EML 6653 Theory of Elasticity (3 credit hours)
EML 6XXX Plates and Shells (3 credit hours)
EML 6547 Engineering Fracture Mechanics in Design (3 credit hours)

Representative Electives—12-18 Credit Hours

EML 5311 System Control (3 credit hours)
EML 5546 Engineering Design with Composite Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 6068 Finite Elements in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering II (3 credit hours)
EML 6062 Boundary Element Methods in Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6227 Nonlinear Vibrations (3 credit hours)
EMA 5104 Intermediate Structure and Properties of Materials (3 credit hours)
EMA 5504 Modern Characterization of Materials (3 credit hours)
EMA 6628 Materials Failure Analysis (3 credit hours)
EML 5025C Engineering Design Practice (3 credit hours)
EML 5066 Computational Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5224 Acoustics (3 credit hours)
EML 5228C Modal Analysis (3 credit hours)
EML 5245 Tribology (3 credit hours)
EML 5532C Computer-Aided Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours)
EML 5572 Probabilistic Methods in Mechanical Design (3 credit hours)
EML 6808 Analysis and Control of Robot Manipulators (3 credit hours)
EML 6226 Analytical Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 6971 Thesis (3 credit hours)
EML 6058 Research Methods in MMAE (for non-thesis option) (3 credit hours)

Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Hours Required for M.S.M.E.—30 (thesis option) or 36 (non-thesis option) Credit Hours

Miniature Engineering Systems Track

Required Courses

EML 5060 Mathematical Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5290 Introduction of MEMS and Micromachining (3 credit hours)
EML 6296 MEMS Mechanism and Design (3 credit hours)
EEL 6326C MEMS Fabrication Laboratory (3 credit hours), or EEL 5355C Fabrication of Solid-State Devices (3 credit hours)

Track Specialty Courses (at least 6 credit hours)

EML 5292 Fundamental Phenomena and Scaling Laws in Miniature Engineering Systems (3 credit hours)
EML 5291 MEMS Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 6299 Advanced Topics on Miniaturization (3 credit hours)
EML 6297 MEMS Characterization (3 credit hours)
EML 6295 Sensors and Actuators for Micro Mechanical Systems (3 credit hours)

Elective Courses (3 courses from the following list or from Specialty List)

EML 5211 Continuum Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5025C Engineering Design Practice (3 credit hours)
EMA 5104 Intermediate Structure and Properties of Materials (3 credit hours)
ENG 5858C Prototyping and Product Realization (3 credit hours)
EML 5271 Intermediate Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 5152 Intermediate Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6712 Mechanics of Viscous Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 6155 Convective heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 5713 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 6725 Computational Fluid Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 6104 Classical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 5402 Turbomachinery (3 credit hours)
EML 5532C Computer-Aided Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours)
EAS 5407 Mechatronics (3 credit hours)
EML 6157 Radiation Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 5245 Tribology (3 credit hours)
EMA 5108 Surface Sciences (3 credit hours)
EMA 5504 Modern Characterization of Materials (3 credit hours)
EMA 5584 Biomaterials (3 credit hours)
EML 5311 System Control (3 credit hours)
EML 5105 Gas Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EEL 5625 Applied Control System (3 credit hours)
EML 5546 Engineering Design with Composite Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 6203 Advanced Vibrational Systems (3 credit hours)
EML 6027 Finite Element Modeling I (3 credit hours)

Students on the thesis option will take at least 6 credit hours of thesis. Students with non-thesis option need to (1) take three more courses from the Track Specialty or Elective lists, (2) take EML 6085 (Research Methods), and (3) pass the MS Comprehensive Examination.

Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Hours Required for M.S.M.E.—30 (thesis option) or 36 (non-thesis option) Credit Hours

Professional Track

Prerequisites (or equivalent)

Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302)
Modeling Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (EML 3034)
Thermodynamics of Mechanical Systems (EML 3101)
Structure and Properties of Materials (EGN 3365)
Mechanics of Materials (EGN 3331)

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

All students must take the following four required courses.

EML 5060 Mathematical Methods in Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5211 Continuum Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 5271 Intermediate Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 6067 Finite Elements in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering I (3 credit hours)

Students must take at least four courses from the track specialty courses below. Additional courses to satisfy total semester hour requirements (30 credit hours thesis option, 36 credit hours non-thesis option) may be taken from the list of representative electives below or from the remaining M.M.A.E. course offering. Students should consult with their faculty adviser (or graduate program coordinator if they do not have a faculty adviser) prior to registering for classes. This track is intended mainly for part-time students and may be taken under non-thesis or thesis options. Thesis option students must take 6 credit hours of thesis and non-thesis option students must take Research Methods in MMAE. Thesis students must continue to enroll in one credit hour of thesis course work (EML 6971) until the thesis requirement is satisfied, beyond the minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis.

Track Specialty Courses—12 Credit Hours Minimum

EMA 6628 Materials Failure Analysis (3 credit hours)
EML 5131 Combustion Phenomena (3 credit hours)
EML 5402 Turbomachinery (3 credit hours)
EML 5532C Computer-Aided Design for Manufacture (3 credit hours)
EML 6062 Boundary Element Methods in Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6155 Convection Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6226 Analytical Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 6305C Experimental Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 6547 Engineering Fracture Mechanics in Design (3 credit hours)
EML 6712 Mechanics of Viscous Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 6725 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer I (3 credit hours)

Representative Electives—6-12 Credit Hours

EML 5025C Engineering Design Practice (3 credit hours)
EML 5105 Gas Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EAS 6138 Advanced Gas Dynamics (3 credit hours)
EAS 6185 Turbulent Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 5066 Computational Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5131 Combustion Phenomena (3 credit hours)
EML 5152 Intermediate Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 5713 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 6068 Finite Elements in Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering II (3 credit hours)
EML 6726 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer II (3 credit hours)
EML 5237 Intermediate Mechanics of Materials (3 credit hours)
EML 5546 Engineering Design with Composite Materials (3 credit hours)
EMA 5106 Metallurgical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EMA 5108 Surface Science (3 credit hours)
EMA 5326 Corrosion Science and Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
EML 6085 Research Methods in MMAE (required for non-thesis option) (3 credit hours)

Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Hours Required for M.S.M.E.—30 (thesis option) or 36 (non-thesis option) Credit Hours

Thermofluids Track

Prerequisites (or equivalent)

Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302)
Modeling Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (EML 3034)
Thermodynamics of Mechanical Systems (EML 3101)
Measurements in Thermal Systems (EML 4304C)
Fluid Mechanics II (EML 4703)
Heat Transfer (EML 4142)

Required Courses—12 Credit Hours

All students must take the following four required courses.

EML 5060 Mathematical Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6712 Viscous Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 5152 Intermediate Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6104 Classical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)

Track Specialty Courses—9 Credit Hours Minimum

EML 5402 Turbomachinery (3 credit hours)
EML 6155 Convection Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6157 Radiation Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6725 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer I (3 credit hours)
EML 5131 Combustion Phenomena (3 credit hours)
EML 6154 Conduction Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EAS 6185 Turbulent Flow (3 credit hours)
EAS 6138 Advanced Gas Dynamics (3 credit hours)

Representative Electives—12-18 Credit Hours

EAS 5302 Direct Energy Conversion (3 credit hours)
EAS 5315 Rocket Propulsion (3 credit hours)
EML 5025C Engineering Design Practice (3 credit hours)
EML 5066 Computational Methods in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 5105 Gas Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)
EML 5713 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics (3 credit hours)
EML 6062 Boundary Element Methods in Engineering (3 credit hours)
EML 6124 Two-Phase Flow (3 credit hours)
EML 6158 Gaseous Radiation Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6144 Boiling and Condensation Heat Transfer (3 credit hours)
EML 6726 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer II (3 credit hours)
EML 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)
EML 6085 Research Methods in MMAE (required for non-thesis option) (3 credit hours)

Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Hours Required for M.S.M.E.—30 (thesis option) or 36 (non-thesis option) Credit Hours

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is intended for students with a master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline. The program is designed to allow students to study in depth, with emphasis on research in Aerospace Systems, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Systems, or Thermofluids.

Admission Requirements

In addition to satisfying the admission requirements for the M.S.M.E. degree, admission to the Ph.D. program requires that the student possess a master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution. Students must submit an application for graduate admission, including a resume, goals statement, and three letters of recommendation.

Admission to doctoral status requires that the student (1) pass a Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in one of the four departmental disciplines of Aerospace Systems, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Systems, or Thermofluids; (2) establish a Doctoral Advisory Committee; and (3) submit a departmentally approved Program of Study. These steps are normally completed within the first year of study beyond the master’s degree.

International students, except those who are from countries where English is the only official language or those who have earned a degree from an accredited American college or university, are required to submit a score of at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Application Deadlines

Degree Requirements

General College Requirements

Graduate Student Entering the Ph.D. Program with a B.S.

For a graduate student with a B.S. degree, the following are the minimum Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. program requirements: 72 credit hours of graduate course work, of which 57 credit hours are the minimum hours of course work (may include up to 12 credit hours of directed research with approved Program of Study) and 15 credit hours are the minimum hours of dissertation. The rest of the hours in the Ph.D. program can be chosen by the student in consultation with the adviser and the dissertation committee and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator. These may include doctoral directed research hours or doctoral dissertation hours.

Minimum Course Work (may include up to 12 credit hours of directed research)—57 Credit Hours

Doctoral Dissertation—15 Credit Hours

Minimum Hours Required for Ph.D.—72 Credit Hours

Graduate Student Entering the Ph.D. Program with an M.S.

For a graduate student with an M.S. degree the following are the minimum Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. program requirements: 36 credit hours of graduate course work beyond the masters degree, of which 21 credit hours are the minimum number of hours of course work and 15 credit hours are the minimum hours of doctoral dissertation hours. The rest of the hours in the Ph.D. program can be chosen by the student in consultation with the adviser and the dissertation committee and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator. These credit hours may include doctoral directed research hours or doctoral dissertation hours. Non-thesis M.S. degree students may take up to 9 credit hours of directed research, while M.S. thesis option students may take up to 12 credit hours of directed research toward fulfillment of additional minimum course work beyond the M.S.

Minimum Course Work (may include up to 12 credit hours of directed research)—21 (27) Credit Hours*

Doctoral Dissertation—15 Credit Hours

Minimum Hours Required for Ph.D.—36 (42) Credit Hours*

* For students who have completed a thesis option and a total of 30 credit hours at the master’s level, the minimum requirement for course work will be 27 hours.

NOTES:

UCF requires that a full-time Ph.D. student be registered for 9 hours Fall and Spring semesters and 6 credit hours Summer semester.
The University of Central Florida requires that a Ph.D. student be registered for at least 3 hours of doctoral dissertation hours upon completion of the candidacy exam and every semester thereafter until graduation.
The M.M.A.E. department requires that a Ph.D. student submits his/her candidacy exam the academic semester immediately following his/her successfully passing the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam.
No more than 12 credit hours of directed doctoral research may be taken toward fulfilling degree program of study course work requirements.
Unless a completed (signed) program of study (POS) itemizing the study plan is approved prior to the end of the first semester of studies, the graduate program coordinator of the M.M.A.E. department may choose not to accept any part of the course work (including independent studies and/or directed research) taken by the student on a program of study subsequently submitted by the student.

Examinations

In addition to the Qualifying Examination discussed above, the student must pass a Candidacy Examination and a Dissertation Defense Examination. The Candidacy Examination is taken near the end of the course work and consists of a written and oral presentation of a research proposal. The Dissertation Defense Examination is an oral examination taken in defense of the written dissertation. Further information on these examinations and other requirements of the Ph.D. program are contained in the Ph.D. Degree General Procedures manual available from the M.M.A.E. Department (http://www-mmae.engr.ucf.edu ).

Dissertation Committee

The Dean, through the Chairs, is responsible for committee formation, additions, and deletions. The doctoral committee must consist of a minimum of five members: three must be faculty members from within the student’s department, and one must be at large from outside the Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering Department. The committee Chair must be a member of the department graduate faculty approved to direct dissertations. Joint faculty members serve as department-faculty committee members as well as chairs of dissertation committees. Adjunct faculty and off-campus experts may serve as the outside-the-college person in the committee. Program areas may further specify additional committee membership. UCF Graduate Studies reserves the right to review appointments to advisory committees, place a representative on any advisory committee, or appoint a co-ser.
In unusual cases, with approval from the program Chair, two professors may chair the committee jointly. Joint faculty members may serve as committee chairs, but off-campus experts and adjunct faculty may not serve as committee chairs.
All members vote on acceptance or rejection of the dissertation proposal and the final dissertation. The dissertation proposal and final dissertation must be approved by a majority of the advisory committee.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

If you're interested in financial assistance, you're strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.