Grad student works with Caleb Rucker in Dougherty Engineering Lab

Mechanical Engineering, PhD

Mechanical engineering is one of the more general engineering disciplines with mechanical engineers found in nearly every industry, from electric power generation to computer manufacturing, and all levels of engineering and management. With a PhD in mechanical engineering, students have the opportunity to hone their expertise in a chosen field of study to advance knowledge and engage with groundbreaking research.

Program overview

Our mechanical engineering PhD program offers high level research opportunities to students, so they can develop expertise in their field of study.  Admission into the program will be granted to students who have demonstrated superior achievement in their engineering backgrounds.  

Concentrations

Students pursuing their graduate degree in mechanical engineering have several concentrations to choose from including:

Our mechanical engineering graduate program collaborates with national organizations like ORNL and university partners like the world class Reliability and Maintainability Center which is dedicated to improving industrial productivity, efficiency, safety, and profitability. It’s through hands-on research opportunities like this that make the Mechanical Engineering, PhD Program a leading mechanical research graduate program among other public universities.

What can you do with a MS in Biomedical Engineering after graduation?

A PhD in mechanical engineering creates opportunities for careers in a number of industries like academia, industry government, and more. Mechanical engineers with an advanced degree can work in project management, technical consulting, or in quality assurance and control. Naturally, many PhD candidates will continue in academia, pursuing a career as a research or teaching professor or leading research projects as a principal investigator.

Featured Courses

Below are some of the courses that students in our program can choose to take. For a list of all courses in mechanical engineering, visit the Graduate Catalog.

ME 605 Mechatronics II 

Introduction to designing microcontroller-based embedded computer systems using assembly and C programs. Examination of Real-time Operating Systems and their impact on performance. A/D and D/A interfacing. Engineering applications will be emphasized.

ME 613 Advanced Radiation Heat Transfer 

Radiation heat transfer in absorbing, emitting and scattering media; interaction of thermal radiation with conduction and convection heat transfer.

ME 621 Advanced Topics in Mechanical Systems 

Advanced theory and applications in control systems, dynamics, mechanics, strength of materials and vibrations.

ME 686 Human-Robot Systems 

Analysis of modern human-robot system concepts: review of current research and literature in telerobotics, human-robot cooperation and interaction, including internet integration, cloud computing, virtual reality and haptic interfaces.

Related Programs

Check out a list of related programs to look into based on your interest in mechanical engineering:

Admissions and Aid

Choosing the right university to pursue an engineering degree is an important decision—and a significant investment. We want to make sure that you have the information you need to both apply and make attending UT affordable.