Overview

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers graduate work leading to an MS and PhD degree in mechanical engineering and in materials science.
 
Applicants for admission typically have a general background in one of the following areas:
  • Engineering
  • Physics
  • Applied physics
  • Applied mathematics
  • Materials science
  • Mechanics
  • Metallurgy
  • Chemistry
 
Faculty research in the department falls into two broad categories: solid mechanics-materials science, and fluid mechanics-plasma physics.
 
Much of this work is interdisciplinary and takes advantage of links between the department and the:

 

For more information visit our research page.

Fellowships

A wide range of fellowships are available, including the prestigious Robert L. And Mary L. Sproull University Fellowships, the Dean’s and Hopeman Fellowships, and the Horton Fellowship.
The Provost Fellowship and The LLE HEDP Minority Scholarships are also available to attract outstanding women and underrepresented minority students.

Diversity

The University of Rochester has historical links to pivotal US social movements, including women’s suffrage (Susan B. Anthony) and abolitionism (Frederick Douglass).
The faculty and staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering are deeply committed to creating an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environment for graduate students. We strive to have a diverse and representative student body by actively recruiting and nurturing students from diverse backgrounds, including women and LGBTQ students, and students who identify as Black, Hispanic/LatinX and Native American.

Living in Rochester

The city of Rochester is a thriving and affordable, low-stress, medium-sized metropolis (metro area population ~1 million) with excellent public services and amenities.
 
It enjoys a vibrant performing arts culture thanks in part to University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, often ranked as the top music school in the US, and several small colleges that focus on the arts.
For outdoors enthusiasts, there are many well-maintained parks that offer sanctuaries within the city and many gorgeous state parks that are less than a one-hour drive. Many of the beaches along Lake Ontario are within 15-30 minutes from the city, and the Adirondack mountains are within a three-hour drive.