The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the world's preeminent universities for the study of mechanical engineering. MIT offers both undergraduate and graduate engineering degree programs. The school has a bachelor of science degree at the undergraduate level, including a specialized degree in mechanical and ocean engineering. At the graduate level, MIT offers master of science degrees and two different doctorate degrees, the Ph.D and the Sc.D (Doctor of Science). A joint-doctorate in ocean engineering is also possible through the mechanical engineering department.
Stanford University is also one of the top universities in the world for the study of mechanical engineering. Stanford's mechanical engineering department divides students up according to their intended area of specialization. Five different academic groupings exist: thermosciences, design, biomechanical engineering, computation and mechanics, and computational engineering and flow physics. Stanford offers both undergraduate and graduate studies, with primary emphasis on the graduate program and the development of new research in the field.
The University of California at Berkeley (UCB) is also regularly mentioned when it comes to the world's top engineering schools. The mechanical engineering program offers both bachelor of science and master of science degree programs, including a joint bachelor's and master's program that can be completed in five years. The school also offers a master of engineering, doctor of engineering and Ph.D. Like MIT and Stanford, the school is primarily known for its research-based programs, but it does regularly enroll a large class of undergraduate students.
The California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) is another top-rated program in the field of mechanical engineering. Known for much of its work in aerospace engineering through its ongoing relationship with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Cal Tech offers mechanical engineering students some unique opportunities to apply mechanical engineering to the aerospace industry. Students are not limited to this field, however. Instead, students can pursue studies in any area of mechanical engineering. At the graduate level, Cal Tech offers a master of science, master of engineering and Ph.D. The school also offers a bachelor's degree program.