The Master of Science is an academic degree that requires students to complete rigorous coursework and write a thesis. Some universities, such as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offer a nonthesis option that requires students to take additional courses. Students seeking admission to a Master of Science program in mechanical engineering must have completed a bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field. Courses in a Master of Science program focus on research methods, design, materials, advanced mathematics and energy conversion. Students who matriculate through this degree program are eligible to apply for doctoral studies.
The Master of Engineering degree prepares students to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. A bachelor's degree in engineering or mathematics is the primary admission requirement for Master of Engineering programs. Students take many of the same courses as Master of Science students, although Master of Engineering students conduct projects instead of writing a thesis and have greater flexibility in their electives. At the Rochester Institute of Technology, master's students may enroll concurrently in the school's accelerated Master of Business Administration program. Students who matriculate through a Master of Engineering program are usually ineligible for doctoral course work.
The Master of Engineering Management is a versatile degree that students can complete through an academic track or a professional track. The degree prepares graduates for upper-level management positions that also require extensive knowledge of design. Students applying to one of these programs must hold a bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, engineering management or a related science majors. Students who already hold an advanced degrees in physics, mechanical engineering or similar fields may pursue this degree for advancement in their current careers. Students in Master of Engineering Management programs may choose from several focus areas such as manufacturing, health care or the environment.
The doctor of philosophy in mechanical engineering requires advanced coursework, defense of a dissertation and demonstrated success in research. Applicants to these programs usually hold a Master of Science in mechanical engineering or a related scientific field. Doctoral programs in mechanical engineering require specialization in one of a variety of subfields, such as bioengineering, materials or design. Doctoral students work individually with an adviser to develop research projects they can continue in their professional careers following graduation. Graduates of doctoral programs in mechanical engineering may seek employment in industry or academia.