Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D.

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Contact Information

Dr. Pierre Larochelle
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Civil Mechanical 133
(605) 394-2477
E-mail: Pierre.Larochelle@sdsmt.edu

Dr. Karim Muci
Department of Mechanical Engineering
ECML 171
(605) 394-2430
E-mail: Karim.Muci@sdsmt.edu

Faculty

Professors Abata, Larochelle, and Muci-Kuchler; Associate Professors Ash, Shahbazi, and Widener; Assistant Professors Bruno, Degen, Fekrmandi, Huang, Lessani, and Romkes; Professors Emeritus Buck, Chiang, Dolan, Gnirk, Kjerengtroen, Krause, Langerman, and Pendleton.

Curriculum

The following discussion assumes students are entering the program with a Bachelor’s of Science degree. Students entering with a Master of Science degree will design their program of study in accordance with their graduate committee input, the department, and CGE policy.

Students entering the PhD program will be required to submit a plan of study and choose an advisor by the mid-term of the second semester of coursework. The degree requirements include a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the Bachelor of Science degree. The 72 credit hours include a minimum of 36 credit hours of coursework (see below) and a minimum of 20 credit hours of research (ME 898D ), such that the sum of course credits and research credits adds up to the minimum total of 72 credits. Of the minimum 36 course credits, the ME department requires a minimum of 18 ME department credits from the list below or equivalent courses approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The remaining 18 course credits may be taken from outside the ME department, with the approval of the student’s graduate advisory committee. The ME courses must be from the following courses or equivalent courses approved by the graduate student advisory committee. Of these ME courses, ME 673 and ME 773 (Engineering Analysis I and II) are mandatory (core) courses for all ME graduate students.

The department also adopts the CGE policy in counting limited undergraduate course credits (not applied toward the baccalaureate) toward the Ph.D. degree (see the CGE policy for details) and in transferring the relevant M.S. course and research credits to the Ph.D. credits.

In addition to the successful completion of the curriculum, the program of study requires passing a qualifying exam, submitting a research topic proposal, passing a comprehensive exam, and successfully defending the dissertation.

Course Credits

Minimum of 36 course credits is required. (Note that the sum of research and course credits must add up to at least 72 total credits.)

Mandatory ME Courses

ME 673 Applied Engineering Analysis I Credits: (3-0) 3 (Mandatory for all Ph.D. students)
ME 773 Applied Engineering Analysis II Credits: (3-0) 3 (Mandatory for all Ph.D. students)

Total: 6 Credits

Other ME Courses

ME 612 Transport Phenomena: Momentum Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 613 Transport Phenomena: Heat Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 616 Computations in Transport Phenomena Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 618 Conduction Heat Transfer Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 619 Convection Heat Transfer Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 620 Radiation Heat Transfer Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 623 Advanced Mechanical Vibrations Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 625 Smart Structures Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 680 Advanced Strength of Materials Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 683 Advanced Mechanical System Control Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 691 Independent Study Credits: 1 to 3
ME 692 Topics Credits: 1 to 3
ME 713 Advanced Solid Mechanics I Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 715 Advanced Composite Materials Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 736 Advanced Finite Element Methods Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 770 Continuum Mechanics Credits: (3-0) 3
ME 781 Robotics Credits: (3-0) 3

Minimum: 18 Credits

Non-ME Courses

Out of the minimum 36 course credits required, a maximum of 18 credits may be taken from outside the ME department, with the approval of the student’s graduate advisory committee.

Research Credits, Dissertation

A minimum of 20 research credits is required. (Note that the sum of research and course credits must add up to at least 72 total credits.) All the research credits taken by the Ph.D. student must be ME 898D Dissertation with the exception of 6 research credits which may be transferred from the M.S. degree with the approval of the student’s graduate advisory committee. The 6 M.S. research credits transferred must be ME 798 or equivalent research credits.