Graduate Programs FAQs

We offer three graduate degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: a Master of Engineering degree (MEng), a Master of Science degree (MS), and a PhD degree. See the University of Virginia Graduate Record here for more information. Applicants for these degrees have a wide range of backgrounds. A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field, or comparable background, is required for admission to our graduate program. Outstanding undergraduate students in MAE may accelerate completion of a Master of Engineering degree by taking graduate courses under the UVAccelerate Program.

• Outstanding undergraduate students in MAE may accelerate completion of a Master of Engineering degree by taking graduate courses under the UVAccelerate Program.
• UVAccelerate students may need to fill out the internal transfer request form to ensure that graduate courses are appropriately used toward the ME degree requirements.

• Appointment of PhD Advisory Committee
  • You should form this committee as early as possible after entering the program; this can be changed later, but having a committee in place early gives you access to faculty members in addition to your advisor who can help you through the program. Committee appointments must be approved by the university registrar no later than two weeks before any event for which the committee is needed.
• Report of PhD Qualifying Exam
  • Immediately after you take your qualifying exam.
• Appointment of Proposal Committee
  • This form must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to your proposal defense. Keep in mind that you should have had this committee in place well before this form is due.
• PhD Exam Assessment
  • Immediately after you take your qualifying exam.
• PhD Dissertation Proposal & Admission to Candidacy
  • Immediately after you complete your proposal defense.
• Appointment of PhD Dissertation Defense Committee
  • This form must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to your proposal defense. Keep in mind that you should have had this committee in place well before this form is due.
• PhD Dissertation Defense Report & Assessment
  • Immediately after your proposal defense.
• Dissertation Embargo (if needed)
  • Immediately after your proposal defense.

• MS Committee Appointment
  • You should form this committee as early as possible after entering the program; this can be changed later, but having a committee in place early gives you faculty members in addition to your advisor who can help you through the program. Committee appointments must be approved by the university registrar no later than two weeks before any event for which the committee is needed.
• MS Thesis Defense Report & Assessment
  • Immediately after your thesis defense.

• Plan of Study Assessment
  • Near the end of your last semester. You will receive a deadline by email.
• Analysis Assessment
  • Near the end of your last semester. You will receive a deadline by email.
• Writing Assessment
  • Near the end of your last semester. You will receive a deadline by email.

Credits you have earned while enrolled in a graduate program may be used to satisfy graduate degree requirements if they have not been used to fulfill the requirements of a different degree.

• External transfer
  • Request approval of external transfer credits to the current plan with the transfer request form
• Internal transfer (transferring 5000+ level classes taken while an UG to graduate plan)
  • Cannot have been used toward your undergraduate degree
  • Submit internal transfer request form

• 30 credits of graduate coursework
  • 18 credits from MAE graduate classes
• No more than 9 credits from 5000 level classes
• No more than 6 credits from 5000 level MAE classes
• One semester of the MAE Department Research Seminar (MAE 7510)
• Three assessment forms (Analysis Assessment, Technical Writing Assessment, Plan of Study Assessment)

• 24 credits of graduate coursework
  • At least 6 hours of MAE 8999 Master Thesis Research
  • Completion of core courses:
    • At least 1 course from the “analytical math” category
      • MAE 6410 – Engineering Mathematics 1
      • MAE 6420 – Engineering Mathematics 2
      • MAE 6430 – Statistics for Engineers and Scientists
    • At least 1 course from the “numerical” category
      • MAE 6250 – Multibody Mechanical Systems
      • MAE 6710 – Finite Element Analysis
      • MAE 6720 – Computational Fluid Dynamics 1
    • At least 2 courses from the “topical” category
      • Any 6000-level MAE course, including Special Topics courses. This does not include Independent Study Courses. All topical courses that fulfill the core requirements must be approved by both the advisor and the advisory committee.
• No more than 9 credits from 5000 level classes
• No more than 6 credits from 5000 level MAE classes
• Two semesters of the MAE Department Research Seminar (MAE 7510)

• 36 credits of graduate coursework (21 hours of graduate coursework beyond the core). Courses used to satisfy the requirements for an MS degree in MAE are included in this total.
  • 24 hours of MAE 9999 Dissertation Research
    • Completion of core courses:
      • At least 1 course from the “analytical math” category
        • MAE 6410 – Engineering Mathematics 1
        • MAE 6420 – Engineering Mathematics 2
        • MAE 6430 – Statistics for Engineers and Scientists
      • At least 1 course from the “numerical” category
        • MAE 6250 – Multibody Mechanical Systems
        • MAE 6710 – Finite Element Analysis
        • MAE 6720 – Computational Fluid Dynamics 1
      • At least 3 courses from the “topical” category
        • Any 6000-level MAE course, including Special Topics courses. This does not include Independent Study Courses. All topical courses that fulfill the core requirements must be approved by both the advisor and the advisory committee.
• No more than 9 credits from 5000 level classes
• No more than 6 credits from 5000 level MAE classes
• 6 semesters of the MAE Department Research Seminar (MAE 8591 or MAE 7510)

• Students must successfully pass the PhD Qualifying Exam to become a PhD candidate. The goal of the PhD Qualifying Exam is to assess the student’s capability to perform independent research for their dissertation. The MAE PhD Qualifying Exam is tailored to match the background and research plan for each student, so the format of the exam is determined by the student’s Qualifying Exam Committee with the approval by the MAE Director of Graduate Studies (DOG). Example formats include a written exam, a critique of a research paper, the development of a research plan, or investigation of a specific topic or question.
• The Chair of the Qualifying Exam Committee will notify the DOG of the designated date and format of the PhD Qualifying Exam at least 6 weeks before the exam. Upon approval by the DOG, the Chair will give the exam requirements to the student 4 weeks prior to the exam date. The PhD Qualifying Exam must be conducted during normal business hours. The Program-specific Qualifying Exam form for MAE (“Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Qualifying Exam Assessment” form) uses the following criteria to assist the Committee in determining if the student passes the exam:
  • Understanding the problem,
  • Understanding the approach,
  • Understanding the context,
  • Summarizing key points,
  • Considering limitations,
  • Knowledge of the field,
  • Understanding the impact of the work,
  • Presentation quality, and
  • Ability to answer questions.
• Based on the PhD Qualifying Exam results, the Qualifying Exam Committee will determine if the student is qualified to continue with the PhD degree program. If the Qualifying Exam Committee determines the student did not pass the exam, the Qualifying Exam Committee will determine the format and schedule for the student to retake the exam, should the student elect to retake the exam. A student is given one opportunity to retake the PhD Qualifying Exam.
• The PhD Qualifying Exam should be taken as soon as a student completes all core coursework with the required GPA, and makes other preparations, as determined jointly by the Advisor and the student. This will typically occur between the student’s first and second years (12 and 24 months) after starting the PhD program and must occur before the end of the third year (36th month). Under no circumstances shall a student be admitted to PhD candidacy before successfully completing the PhD Qualifying Exam.

• The Master of Engineering (ME) degree is a course-based degree that does not require the student to perform research or write a thesis. The Master of Science (MS) degree requires both course work and the completion of a thesis reporting original research performed by the student under the direction of a research advisor.
• Either degree will give you access to more interesting and challenging job opportunities, accelerated career advancement, and higher earning potential throughout your career. UVA Engineering graduate students report an average starting salary $30,000 higher than bachelor’s graduates in their first job after finishing their degree.
• Students may choose an ME or an MS degree based on several criteria, including the availability of research assistantships and funding. ME students are typically self-funded or funded by their employer, while MS students may be funded by fellowships, research assistantships, or other mechanisms. A student may also be more interested in learning about specific topics covered by our courses, which is facilitated by the ME degree requirements and may position them for promotion or advancement in their career, or in performing research in a laboratory and reporting those results in the scientific literature, which is part of the MS degree requirements and can help prepare a student to enter a PhD program or a research-focused career.

ME students may apply for admission to the MS or PhD program at any time, and an MS student may apply for admission to the PhD program at any time. MS and PhD students will not be granted admission to the ME program without the permission of the DOG, and such permission will be granted only in cases of extenuating circumstances. PhD students will not be granted admission to the MS program without the permission of the DOG, and such permission will be granted only in cases of extenuating circumstances. Any change in degree program should be discussed with the student’s advisor.

You can check in the Student Information (SIS) and Stellic.

This is a written document proposing a plan for your MS thesis research. The length, content, and format of the document will be specified by your advisor and committee. This document must be approved by your committee before you complete your research.

This is an oral presentation wherein you defend and get feedback on your proposed research plan.  This will occur in the weeks following the completion of your written MS thesis proposal.

This is a written document proposing a plan for your PhD dissertation research.  The length, content, and format of the document will be specified by your advisor and committee.  This document must be approved by your committee before you complete your research.

• This is an oral presentation wherein you defend and get feedback on your proposed research plan.  This will occur in the weeks following the completion of your written PhD dissertation proposal.
• All of your committee members must attend this defense, so be sure the leave plenty of time for scheduling this event.  It can be challenging to align schedules if you try to do it at the last moment.

• This is a written document wherein you report your MS research.  This document must be completed, approved by your committee, and uploaded to LIBRA for publication prior to graduation.  The deadlines for completing that process and graduating are distributed each semester.
• You should give your committee plenty of time to read your draft thesis before your defense (typically at least 4 weeks).

• This is an oral presentation wherein you defend your MS thesis research.  Your committee must approve your defense prior to graduation.  The deadlines for completing that process and graduating are distributed each semester.
• All of your committee members must attend this defense, so be sure the leave plenty of time for scheduling this event.  It can be challenging to align schedules if you try to do it at the last moment.
• You should not wait until the last moment to complete your defense.  Many committees will require changes to a student’s thesis following the oral defense. You should make sure you have time to complete those changes, and possible complete additional oral defenses, prior to the deadline for graduation in the desired semester.

• This is a written document wherein you report your PhD research. This document must be completed, approved by your committee, and uploaded to LIBRA for publication prior to graduation. The deadlines for completing that process and graduating are distributed each semester.
• You should give your committee plenty of time to read your draft dissertation before your defense (typically at least 4 weeks).

• This is an oral presentation wherein you defend your PhD dissertation research. Your committee must approve your defense prior to graduation. The deadlines for completing that process and graduating are distributed each semester.
• All of your committee members must attend this defense, so be sure the leave plenty of time for scheduling this event. It can be challenging to align schedules if you try to do it at the last moment.
• You should not wait until the last moment to complete your defense. Many committees will require changes to a student’s dissertation following the oral defense. You should make sure you have time to complete those changes, and possible complete additional oral defenses, prior to the deadline for graduation in the desired semester.

Dissemination of research findings is a key requirement of all academics, and publication in the scientific literature is the primary means of that dissemination. The number, scope, publication venue, and content of the papers you publish should be discussed regularly with your advisor and research collaborators. It is expected that all MS and PhD students will publish papers in relevant venues. Thesis and dissertation committee may require acceptance of a published paper as a condition of approving a thesis or dissertation.

• Thesis Defense Committee
  • Must consist of at least 3 UVA faculty members, at least 2 of whom must be SEAS faculty. All faculty with a primary appointment in Biomedical Engineering are considered SEAS faculty for this purpose.
  • Additional members may serve on this committee, including individuals outside of UVA (“external members”). External members must submit a brief biosketch and a CV for approval by the registrar no later than 2 weeks before any action taken by the committee.
  • You should form this committee as early as possible after entering the program; this can be changed later, but having a committee in place early gives you access to faculty members in addition to your advisor who can help you through the program. Committee appointments must be approved by the university registrar no later than two weeks before any event for which the committee is needed.

• Advisory Committee
  • Must include a minimum of 3 SEAS faculty, one additional UVA faculty member from outside the student’s home department (“outside member”), and a minimum of 4 total members. The outside member must be UVA faculty. In other words, an “outside member” is not the same as an “external member”.
  • Additional members may serve on this committee, including individuals outside of UVA (“external members”). External members must submit a brief biosketch and a CV for approval by the registrar no later than 2 weeks before any action taken by the committee.
  • You should form this committee as early as possible after entering the program; this can be changed later, but having a committee in place early gives you access to faculty members in addition to your advisor who can help you through the program. Committee appointments must be approved by the university registrar no later than two weeks before any event for which the committee is needed.
• Qualifying Exam Committee
  • Must include a minimum of 3 SEAS faculty. Must include one UVA faculty member from outside the student’s home department (“outside member”). The outside member may be from SEAS. The committee must include a minimum of 4 total members.
  • External members may not serve on this committee unless approved by the DOG.
• Proposal Committee
  • Must include a minimum of 3 SEAS faculty, one additional UVA faculty member from outside the student’s home department (“outside member”), and a minimum of 4 total members. The outside member must be UVA faculty. In other words, an “outside member” is not the same as an “external member”.
  • Additional members may serve on this committee, including individuals outside of UVA (“external members”). External members must submit a brief biosketch and a CV for approval by the registrar no later than 2 weeks before any action taken by the committee.
  • You should form this committee as early as possible after entering the program; this can be changed later, but having a committee in place early gives you access to faculty members in addition to your advisor who can help you through the program. Committee appointments must be approved by the university registrar no later than two weeks before any event for which the committee is needed.
• Defense Committee
  • Must include a minimum of 3 SEAS faculty, one additional UVA faculty member from outside the student’s home department (“outside member”), and a minimum of 5 total members. The outside member must be UVA faculty.
  • The proposal committees will typically be a subset of the defense committee.
  • Additional members may serve on this committee, including individuals outside of UVA (“external members”). External members must submit a brief biosketch and a CV for approval by the registrar no later than 2 weeks before any action taken by the committee. 

• Class instructors make decisions about consent, enrollment, and accommodations for course conflicts. You must contact the instructor for any issues of that type.
• Your advisor is your primary contact for other academic issues.
• The MAE Student coordinator can help you with forms or general questions about student life at UVA.

• Your advisor is your primary contact for financial aid issues.
• Student Financial Services (sfs@virginia.edu) can provide general information about funding options, payments and logistics, and other administrative issues.

• Mental: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
  • Non-urgent: studenthealth.virginia.edu/CAPS
  • Urgent: 434-243-5150
• Physical: Student Health
  • HealthyHoos patient portal
  • 434-924-5362

• UVA Information Technology Services (ITS) can provide general IT support.
• Your advisor may provide additional technical resources to support specific hardware and software used for your research work.

• The department chair is available to help resolve conflicts or facilitate your graduate program success by leveraging department, SEAS, and university resources. Stop by the admin office any time or email maeoffice@virginia.edu to schedule a face-to-face meeting with the chair.
• Dean’s office
• The University of Virginia Ombuds acts as a trusted navigator for current faculty, staff and students seeking guidance, information, insight, and potential options to overcome an existing conflict or concern.
• The University Registrar exists to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and security of your academic records, and provides a range of services to students.
• MAE Student Coordinator

• ME students receive academic advising from the MAE Associate Director of Graduate Programs, or another faculty member. This includes input on course and degree requirement, course selection and timing, and general graduate student life.
• MS and PhD students must have an advisor to supervise their graduate research. A student’s faculty advisor is their mentor, supervisor, research guide, resource on curricular decisions, and representative to the MAE faculty. The advisor is also usually the principal investigator on the research projects that fund the student’s graduate studies. Ideally, this relationship is established prior to the start of a student’s graduate program, and admission decisions are typically made with input from a student’s intended advisor. MAE faculty and their areas of interest are listed on the MAE website. Any graduate student who does not have an advisor should use this information to identify faculty members whose research interests most closely match theirs and should approach those faculty members to discuss advisement.
• The graduate student-advisor relationship is perhaps the most important of a student’s graduate school experience, and the advisor is the student’s primary resource on most aspects of their program. Ideally, and in almost all instances, a student will have the same advisor for their entire graduate program. If circumstances dictate that a student-advisor relationship should not or cannot continue, the student must find another advisor to continue in the graduate program. MAE, SEAS, and the university have resources to match students and advisors, but it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to find a faculty member who will serve as their advisor.
• When a faculty member accepts and agrees to advise an MS or PhD student, that faculty member intends to provide financial support until that student completes their program of study. That financial support is not guaranteed, as detailed in UVA policy PROV-001 and the SEAS Graduate Record, but it is anticipated by the faculty member and expected by the student when the student is admitted.
• The forms of that financial support are typically research assistantships (GRAs) and/or fellowships. These forms of funding facilitate graduate student research, which is a departmental priority.
• Communication is a key feature of effective graduate student mentorship. Faculty should develop processes that facilitate regular communication with advisees, alignment of expectations, and feedback on an advisee’s research performance. Such processes should include regular meetings and documented performance reviews. Topics such as coursework and degree requirements, progress on funded projects, conference attendance, publication plans, professional development, and goals should be discussed regularly. Faculty have broad latitude to implement these processes in the manner most appropriate for their research group.
• UVA policy PROV-001 outlines supervisory responsibilities, including those related to the suspension or termination of a graduate assistantship for cause, incompetence, poor performance, and other reasons. 

A student and their advisor should develop a plan for regular communication and expectations for the appropriate response time to correspondence such as emails. Students and advisors should work to align those expectations without the need for additional oversight.

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) Office for Research and Graduate Programs is a student’s primary resource for broader procedures and regulations related to the SEAS graduate programs. There are also several university resources available to assist students, including the University of Virginia Ombudsman. The University Ombudsman is an independent, confidential resource available to assist faculty, staff, and students in resolving problems, complaints, conflicts, and other issues when normal processes and procedures have not worked satisfactorily. The normal track for academic dispute resolution is the course instructor, then the advisor, then the DOG, then the Office of Graduate Programs, and finally the Dean. The office of the Dean of Students can assist with problems not of an academic nature. UVA Student Health and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is also available for consultation and education.

The MAE administrative staff and departmental leadership are always available to meet with and support students. This includes the Chair, the Director of Operations, the Student Coordinator, and the DOG. MAE faculty are also important resources for graduate students, and students are encouraged to develop a large faculty network by attending seminars, visiting labs and offices, and participating in departmental events.

Please have your advisor contact maeoffice@virginia.edu to request a new key or swipe access to a room.

MAE provides designated TA space for holding office hours. Each semester, TAs will receive a request to submit preferred times to be added to the TA schedule for that space. If you are not able to find a time on that schedule, MAE staff can work with you to explore other options such as unscheduled classrooms or public meeting spaces.

• When you matriculate into our program, you will be assigned laboratory and office space by your advisor.
• Your advisor will provide the resources necessary for you to complete your research.
• If you have questions or need a resource your advisor is unable to provide, you can contact the MAE staff and leadership at maeoffice@virginia.edu.

• Virtually all graduate students at UVA belong to relevant external academic or professional societies, such as ASME, SAE, ASB, and SWE. These provide important outlets for your research, networking opportunities, and the career development.
• Dozens of UVA student groups exist and are frequently recruiting new members.

Students whose graduate work is funded by a Research Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship, or Fellowship should ensure that they satisfy the work requirements for those funding sources.  It is expected that graduate students receiving financial support are working full time on their academic and research matters affiliated with their graduate school responsibilities at the University of Virginia.  Full-time students typically do not do an internship during the academic semesters for which they receive funding.  Students may opt to do summer internships.

Students whose graduate work is funded by a Research Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship, or Fellowship should ensure that they satisfy the work requirements for those funding sources. It is expected that graduate students receiving financial support are working full time on their academic and research matters affiliated with their graduate school responsibilities at the University of Virginia. Full-time students should be working diligently toward the completion of their academic and research programs, which makes an additional job difficult. Funded students should discuss with their advisor if they are considering an additional job.

GRAs receive tuition coverage and a stipend to support their research work. Upon admission, GRAs will sign a document outlining the work requirements and expectations of their GRA. A GRA workds under the supervision of their advisor.

GTAs receive tuition coverage and stipend to support their work to assist a course instructor. The course instructor will supervise the GTA. GTAs are expected to work diligently on their research with their advisor, wihle also support that course instructor.

All ordering can be done via the MAE order form. MAE finance staff are available to answer any order-related questions.

• Talk to your advisor first to discuss approval and details for your travel.
• MAE discourages students from using personal funds/reimbursements to initiate travel costs. We have department payment options available that can be expensed directly to a worktag provided by your PI. Please stop by our finance office or contact maeoffice@virginia.edu and we will help guide you in booking travel.
• International travel must be requested and approved by UVA. Please use the International Travel Registry to submit your travel for review.

The MAE admin staff offices are located in MEC 323-326. Most faculty offices are located on the 3rd floor as well. Some faculty offices are on the 2nd floor. Technical support staff, machine shop, and many maker spaces are located on the basement floor.

Please follow all emergency alerts sent from UVA. If you are in an MAE building at the time of an emergency, any staff can help answer questions about how to respond to the situation.