All standards of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School apply (see the General Application Instructions). Department requirements may exceed the Graduate School requirements in certain cases.

GRE scores are required for admission into the department. Successful applicants usually have GRE scores of Verbal Reasoning ³ 150, Quantitative Reasoning ³ 155, and Analytic Writing ³ 3.5. All students are considered for admission based on their overall application of which the GRE is one component.

Prospective students must have a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Students with a Bachelor of Science in other engineering or physical and natural science disciplines will be considered for admission on an individual basis. Upon acceptance, students without Mechanical Engineering Bachelor of Science degrees may be required to complete one or more courses in addition to degree requirements to satisfy any deficiencies.

Students need a minimum grade point average of 3.2 based on the 4.0 point system or equivalent for the last 60 credits taken towards the undergraduate degree. Applicants with GPAs greater than 3.0 but less than 3.2 may be considered for admission. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average below 3.0 may be considered based on years spent performing related engineering work.

For International Applicants

International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. For detailed requirements see the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

International applicants are required to have adequate financial resources to cover expenses for the duration of their studies at UW–Madison. Do not send any financial statements to the program. The Graduate School will request the documents through your online status check page. For more information see the Graduate School International Applicant Financial Information.

International applicants are required to identify three Mechanical Engineering faculty members whose research topics are of interest. Please check our website to locate the faculty (only those listed with titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, can serve as graduate student advisors). Find three faculty who have research interests that align closely with your own. You will need to list the last names of the faculty you have selected in your supplementary application. Please only list the last names. Do not list faculty that are listed as Professor Emeritus. You are encouraged to check the websites of faculty and contact faculty members directly by email to enquire about funding opportunities. If a faculty member offers to be your advisor, ask them to email their acceptance to (megradadmission@engr.wisc.edu).

Minimum TOEFL requirement: 92 internet (iBT); 580 paper-based test (PBT)

Minimum IELTS requirement: 7.0

Minimum MELAB requirement: 82

The master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in engineering mechanics are offered within a graduate program covering contemporary areas in both theoretical and applied mechanics. With the guidance of a major professor, a program can be designed to meet an individual student’s needs and interests.

The program is broadly structured into several main areas of instruction and research interests in mechanics of materials and astronautics: continuum mechanics, computational mechanics, dynamics and vibration, fluid mechanics, nanomechanics, solid mechanics, and biomechanics. Related fields in which minor work may be done include civil and environmental engineering, chemical and biological engineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering and engineering physics, physics, geological engineering and geology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

Current faculty research interests include adhesive-bonded joints; composites; failure criteria; analytical and computational solid mechanics; analytical and computational dynamics; multibody dynamics; analytical and computational active and passive space-structure control systems; dynamic stability; nonlinear fracture mechanics of traditional and advanced materials; continuum mechanics; modal analysis; nanomechanics and nanotribology; fluid-structure interaction; non-Newtonian fluid flow; structural mechanics; viscoelasticity; viscoplasticity; cell mechanics; and biomechanics.

Laboratories are well equipped for experimental testing and research; these include holography, Moire, atomic force microscopy, vibration testing, and other optical methods for experimental mechanics research. The department has access to collegewide facilities. The Wisconsin Laboratory for Structures and Materials Testing has facilities for testing large structures, fatigue and vibration labs, and complements the department’s laboratories. The Materials Science Center provides state-of-the-art instrumentation, support facilities, and expert technical assistance for research and education in materials. Its facilities include scanning and transmission electron microscopes, image processing and analysis systems, surface and thin film characterization facilities, and x-ray diffraction facilities.