Master of Engineering

Program Overview

The Master of Engineering distance education program serves the needs of students whose schedule or location does not allow for on-campus study, working professionals wishing to obtain an advanced degree, or those who are seeking to change fields within engineering. It is a 30-credit-hour degree program which does not require a thesis, final oral exam or on-campus residency. Students design the plan of study which best meets their career or educational goals, taking courses from at least two engineering disciplines to create a general degree program.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics or related sciences, with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0. Individuals who do not have an undergraduate degree in these areas or do not meet the GPA requirement may have to complete certain prerequisites before being admitted to the program.
• An engineering-based calculus series including differential equations must be completed prior to applying to the program.
• GRE scores are not required but are highly preferable.
• All international applicants from non-English-speaking countries must take the TOEFL or IELTS exams unless they have completed one year or more of study in the United States, Canada or Great Britain.
• All international applicants must provide an officially translated transcript certifying course-by-course equivalence with the US grading system and showing the cumulative GPA. A list of accredited foreign credential evaluation services can be found via the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

In addition to the above documentation, the Graduate School application requires:

• Official transcripts of all Universities or colleges attended
• Personal statement
• Three (3) letters of recommendation

Degree Requirements

• Completion of 30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework with an overall grade-point average of 3.0. All 30 hours must be graded status (not audited).
• Completion of 21 hours of engineering classes with at least 18 hours taken from the College of Engineering. The remaining 9 hours can be taken from engineering or from related fields (such as science, business, math, etc.) with advisor approval.
• Students must identify an area of concentration from which they will complete 3 to 6 classes. All concentration area classes MUST be taken from the College of Engineering at NC State University. The concentration will appear on the student’s transcript if 5 or 6 courses are taken in that specialty area. No more than 6 classes will be allowed in a single area.
• The Master of Engineering program will accept up to 12 hours of transfer credit or non-degree-studies credit, with advisor approval. Transferred classes will not count toward the concentration requirement.
• The concentration areas available for the Master of Engineering degree are:
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering Management
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Nuclear Engineering

*Please note: there is no concentration in Civil Engineering

• The degree program must be completed within six years, and except for summer sessions, students must remain continuously enrolled (a minimum of one course per semester). A leave of absence can be granted for up to two semesters with reasonable justification.

Course Registration

Students who wish to take only a few courses and not pursue a degree do not need to apply for formal program admission to NC State University. Qualified individuals may enroll in engineering courses as a Non-Degree Studies (NDS) student.  However, students who wish to earn the Master of Engineering degree must formally apply for admission to the Graduate School. It is preferable to seek admission to the Master of Engineering program as soon as possible to ensure integration into the advising process.  After being admitted to NC State as either a degree student or NDS student, students may complete the registration form on the Engineering Online website. Students cannot register through the University MyPack Portal system for Engineering Online courses.

Course Offerings

A list of distance education courses available for each semester can be found on the Engineering Online website. Students employed full-time may only enroll in two online courses per semester. It is highly recommended that new students enroll in only one course during their first semester.

Graduation

NC State University holds commencement exercises for both fall and spring terms, and all graduates are welcome to participate. The Master of Engineering Program holds only a spring graduation reception each year. All graduates from the entire academic year are invited to participate.

Program Contact Information

Email is the recommended means of communication for all queries as it is an official record.

• For more information about the Master of Engineering program, contact:
  • Dr. Mohamed A. Bourham, Professor
    Department of Nuclear Engineering
    Email: bourham@ncsu.edu
• For more information about the registration process, course offerings, and course logistics, contact:
  Dr. Linda Krute, Director of Distance Education Programs
  College of Engineering
  Telephone: 919.515.5440
  Email: linda_krute@ncsu.edu
  Engineering Online website: https://www.engineeringonline.ncsu.edu