Engineering Science (E SC)

Degree Conferred: M. Eng.

The Graduate Faculty

• Issam Abu-Mahfouz, Ph.D. (Case Western Reserve University) Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Sedig S Agili, Ph.D. (Marquette) Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Omid Ansary, Ph.D. (Akron) Director, School of Science, Engineering, and Technology; Professor of Engineering
• Katherine Baker, Ph.D. (Delaware) Associate Professor of Environmental Microbiology
• Ganesh P. Bal, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech) Assistant Professor of Engineering
• Amit Banerjee, Ph.D. (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Jeremy Blum, D.Sc. (George Washington) Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Eugene C. Boman, Ph.D. (Connecticut) Associate Professor of Mathematics
• Thang N. Bui, Ph.D. (MIT) Associate Professor of Computer Science
• Joseph J. Cecere, Ph.D. (North Texas State) Associate Professor of Engineering
• Sukmoon Chang, Ph.D. (Rutgers) Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Y. Frank Chen, Ph.D. (Minnesota) Professor of Civil Engineering
• Yen-Chih (David) Chen, Ph.D. (Purdue) Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering
• Richard C. Ciocci, Ph.D. (Maryland) Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Shirley Clark, Ph.D. (Alabama-Birmingham) Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering
• Balwant S. Chohan, Ph.D. (Massachusetts) Assistant Professor of Chemistry
• Xianghua (William) Deng, Ph.D. (Kansas State) Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Thomas H. Eberlein, Ph.D. (Wisconsin) Associate Professor of Chemistry
• Kerwin Foster, Ph.D. (North Carolina) Assistant Professor of Physics
• Ram Parkash Goel, Ph.D. (Michigan State) Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Robert Gray, Ph.D. (Ohio) Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Jubum Kim, Ph.D. (Washington) Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering
• Peter B. Idowu, Ph.D. (Toledo) Associate Professor of Engineering
• Harris E. Imadojemu, Ph.D. (N.C. State) Associate Professor of Engineering
• Hossein Jula, Ph.D. (USC) Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Anita Mareno, Ph.D. (Cornell) Assistant Professor of Mathematics
• Shashi Marikunte, Ph.D. (Michigan State) Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering
• Aldo W. Morales, Ph.D. (SUNY-Buffalo) Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Seroj Mackertich, Ph.D. (Penn State) Associate Professor of Engineering
• Linda Null, Ph.D. (Iowa State) Associate Professor of Computer Science
• Gautam Ray, Ph.D. (Penn State) Professor of Engineering
• Winston A. Richards, Ph.D. (Western Ontario) Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
• Sairam V. Rudrabhatla, Ph.D. (Osmania, India) Assistant Professor of Biology
• Howard G. Sachs, Ph.D. (Clark) Professor of Biology
• Jerry F. Shoup, Ph.D. (Penn State) Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Ilya Shvartsman, Ph.D. (Wayne State) Associate Professor of Mathematics
• Mohammad Tofighi, Ph.D. (Drexel) Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
• Sofia M. Vidalis, Ph.D. (Florida) Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering
• Ronald Walker, Ph.D. (Michigan) Assistant Professor of Mathematics
• Clifford H. Wagner, Ph.D. (SUNY-Albany) Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
• Seth Wolpert, Ph.D. (Rutgers) Associate Professor of Engineering
• Yuefeng Xie, Ph.D. (Tsinghua) Professor of Environmental Engineering
• Junjia (Jay) Zhu, Ph.D (Penn State) Assistant Professor of Mathematics

The Program

The program is designed to provide a broad, advanced education in the engineering sciences with some specialization permitted in the area of the student’s major interest. It is offered specifically to permit practicing engineers to pursue advanced studies through evening classes while in full-time employment in industry. Courses offered for the program are all established and authorized by the resident departments at the University Park campus.

Admission Requirements

Students with a 3.0 junior/senior grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) and with appropriate course backgrounds will be considered for admission. The best-qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of spaces that are available for new students. Exceptions to the minimum grade-point average may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests.

Applicants should submit the following:

• a graduate online application with the application fee;
• official copies of undergraduate transcripts;
• three (3) letters of reference, especially those from faculty who can evaluate academic potential;
• a personal statement of technical interest, goals, and experience;
• test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required for those indicating interest in an assistantship.

Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are not required for students holding baccalaureate degrees from accredited U.S. educational institutions. If you are applying for a fellowship or an assistantship, you must submit GRE scores to be considered for such an award.

Prerequisite Courses

Students may be admitted to the program from various disciplines. Students applying for admission are expected to have completed the following core courses:

• physics through modern physics;
• mathematics through differential equations;
• one course in engineering thermodynamics;
• one course in electrical circuits;
• basic courses in engineering statics, dynamics, and strength of materials;
• computer programming.

The Curriculum

Credit requirements will be satisfied by an appropriate combination of core courses and elective courses. The core courses include offerings in mathematics and in several branches of engineering that have been selected because of their general character and breadth of applicability to all engineering fields.

A minimum of 30 credits is required, of which at least 12 must be at the 500-level and 6 credits of mathematics at the 400 or 500 level. A scholarly written report is also required. Three of the above credits may be applied to this report.

Courses in the Master of Engineering program are offered on a rotating basis. Some courses are offered every year, but many are only offered every two or three years. This means students must plan their schedule carefully with regard to prerequisite courses. Certain specialty courses are offered on perceived need as well as in response to requests by students and faculty.

A representative list of courses includes those in mathematics, civil engineering, environmental engineering, engineering mechanics, computer engineering, electrical engineering, physics, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, nuclear engineering, environmental pollution control, and computer science. Please see the program office for a list of recommended courses and their tentative schedule.

The program requirements are summarized as follows:

• Five courses: 500-level course from Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering – 15 credits
• Two courses: 400 or 500-level course from Mathematics – 6 credits
• Two courses: 400 or 500-level course from Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering – 12 credits
• One course: M.Eng. paper – 3 credits
• Program total – 30 credits

Students can enroll in 400 or 500-level courses in: Civil Engineering (C E), Computer Science (COMP), Electrical Engineering (E E), Environmental Engineering (ENVE), Mathematical Science (MATH), and Mechanical Engineering (M E).

This program should be distinguished from the graduate program in Engineering Science at University Park campus, which offers the M.S. degree.

Transfer Credits and Course Substitutions

Up to 9 credits of graduate work may be transferred from other institutions provided (a) credits are suitable for the particular engineering discipline, and (b) students have earned a grade of B or better.

Grade-Point Average and Time Limit

Students must have a 3.00 grade-point average in core and elective courses approved by the program to graduate. While most students pursue the program on a part-time basis, it is possible to complete the program within two years, based on completion of two courses a semester.

Please note: This page is not a part of the official Penn State Graduate Bulletin.