WPI’s groundbreaking and comprehensive mechanical engineering program has been leading the industry for more than 150 years. As a student in the online Mechanical Engineering masters, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to push the boundaries of analysis, design, and manufacturing as you customize a program that leverages your professional expertise in mechanical engineering and meets career and lifestyle goals.
Students can earn their online master's degree in mechanical engineering in only two years. Working closely with their faculty advisors, will develop a customized and relevant plan of study for the MS in Mechanical Engineering online program, allowing them to:
- Perform detailed stress analysis to create designs that are both structurally robust and cost-effective
- Select materials to maximize functionality and performance while minimizing costs
- Model the kinematics and dynamics of complex multi-axial mechanical systems for more efficient and reliable designs
- Execute advanced analyses of fluid dynamics to improve process efficiency and properly size the components of a fluid system.
- Produce designs which are optimized for manufacturing so that they can be made more quickly at lower cost
Also available online: Mechanical Engineering for Technical Leaders (METL) Graduate Certificate. Take your managerial and technical skills to another level with our graduate certificate. This program is perfect for engineers looking to advance into leadership roles.
If you prefer to complete your master’s in mechanical engineering on campus, we invite you to explore our campus MS program. Our on-campus mechanical engineering masters enables students to connect with expert faculty and like-minded students.
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Mechanical Engineering Info Session
View our on-demand webinar to be introduced to our online graduate programs in Mechanical Engineering. Get an overview of program logistics, what online learning looks like, the application process, and more!
Graduate Studies Series
Learn from our enrollment team members and other guests by attending quick and convenient 30-minute webinars we designed to highlight popular topics when starting grad school. Take a deep dive into specific areas of interest such as how to funding, how to ace your application, student services, and more!
What our students have to say
"I’m more than halfway through the mechanical engineering graduate program at WPI and I’ve already seen an increase in my responsibilities at work and earned a job promotion… WPI is flexible and it’s been very worthwhile. I only wish I had started earlier."
Jim Daniel
Flow Engineer, ALDEN
"The WPI name speaks for itself and pursuing a graduate degree here has given me a competitive edge over other engineers….WPI has certainly led me down the path of career success with my employer."
John Courtney
Manufacturing Engineer
Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts
"The WPI online graduate program allowed me to pursue my career goals while working on a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. During my 5th year of a BS/MS program I was offered an internship opportunity at Apple that I couldn't refuse. The online graduate program allowed me to continue working on my degree, while providing an environment that made me feel as though I hadn't left the classroom. Participating remotely on a project team for SYS 501. Core Concepts of Systems Engineering, taught me how to be an effective member of an internationally distributed project team. "
Brad Mello
Senior Field Applications Engineer, Veo Robotics
Waltham, MA
Admissions Qualifications for MS in Mechanical Engineering Online
Applicants to the MS in Mechanical Engineering online should have a BS in mechanical engineering or a related field, such as other engineering disciplines, physics, or mathematics. Major GPA greater than 3.0 is preferred. Test scores, and other required application documents, can be found here.
For specific application requirements, visit our admissions for online programs page
If you need to obtain your bachelor's first, check out WPI's BS in Mechanical Engineering.
Curriculum
Program Requirements
The online Master's in Mechanical Engineering is a non-thesis degree with a minimum of 30 credit hours, including:
- 18 graduate credits in mechanical engineering
- 3 graduate credits in mathematics
- 9 graduate credits of electives within or outside of mechanical engineering
Thesis option: Currently, WPI’s online graduate programs do not offer a thesis option, as theses cannot be completed online. If you wish to pursue a thesis on campus, it is the student’s responsibility to find an advisor. Please note that depending on the project’s subject and timeframe, there might not be a faculty member willing or able to advise.
Courses
View academic term start dates for online courses.
View the current course schedule for availability of online courses in Mechanical Engineering.
Two-Credit Courses in Specialization Areas
AEROSPACE
AE 5101. Fluid Dynamics
AE 5102. Advanced Gas Dynamics
AE 5103. Computational Fluid Dynamics
AE 5200. Mechanical Vibrations
AE 5220. Control of Linear Dynamical Systems
DYNAMICS & CONTROL
ME 5103. Computational Fluid Dynamics
ME 5200. Mechanical Vibrations
ME 5203. Introduction to Control of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems
ME 5000. Applied Analytical Methods in Engineering
ME 5001. Applied Numerical Methods in Engineering
ME 5202. Advanced Dynamics
ME 501. Robots Dynamics *Three Credit Course
DESIGN & MANUFACTURING
ME 5001. Applied Numerical Methods in Engineering
ME 543. Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Process *Three Credit Course
ME 5441. Design for Manufacturability
ME 5420. Fundamentals of Axiomatic Design of Manufacturing Processes
ME 593 ST: Design & Optimization of Thermal Systems
STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS
ME 593. Special Topics
ME 5303. Applied Finite Element Methods in Engineering
ME 5311. Structure and Properties or Engineering Materials
ME 5312. Properties and Performance of Engineering Materials
FLUID ENGINEERING
ME 5101. Fluid Dynamics
ME 516. Heat Transfer *Three Credit Course
ME 5102. Advanced Gas Dynamics
ME 5103. Computational Fluid Dynamics
For additional course offerings to satisfy your degree requirements, click here.
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After Graduation
Graduates find opportunities in the manufacturing, professional, scientific, and technical services industries, as well as in government and academia. Alumni of WPI’s Mechanical Engineering program work for GE Aircraft Engines, Keurig, Wyman-Gordon Company, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Bose Corporation, Sikorsky, and more.
The Mechanical Engineering Department is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
