Get a Master's in Mechanical Engineering

The mechanical engineering graduate program at Florida Tech provides a course of study that advances engineers in their professional careers or prepares them for further study in a doctoral program.

Offered with both a thesis and a non-thesis option, a master’s in mechanical engineering gives graduates advanced knowledge in the analysis, design, and fabrication of machines, engines, products, and technologies. This multidisciplinary approach mimics the expertise and problem-solving capabilities that graduates are expected to have once in the workplace.

The mechanical engineering master’s program can be earned on either a full-time or part-time basis. Students in the master’s in mechanical engineering program must choose one of the following areas of specialization:

• Automotive Engineering
• Dynamic Systems—Robotics and Controls
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology
• Structures: Solid Mechanics and Materials
• Thermal Fluid Sciences

Gain Practical Experience

Because Florida Tech is a top-tier research institution, students in the master’s in mechanical engineering program participate in rigorous scientific research—both faculty-led research and projects of their own choosing.

In addition, mechanical engineering majors build leadership and professional experience through internships, graduate research/student assistantships, and research scholarships from organizations such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, Boeing, the University Graduate Scholarship, and the Society of Women Engineers.

The learning experience includes system/system design, manufacturing and testing, computational fluid dynamics and simulation, and research and development of complex systems. The university is surrounded by thriving organizations such as NASA/Kennedy Space Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Embraer, GE, Harris, and Piper Aircraft, who provide internship and employment opportunities.

The university’s reputation is built on a solid record of graduate education and faculty and student research. Graduate students at Florida Tech benefit from a wide range of advanced courses to learn the latest body of knowledge in the field. Excellent research facilities and infrastructure where students conduct state-of-the-art research include the National Center for Hydrogen Research, the Florida Center for Automotive Research, and the Institute for Energy Systems.

Dedicated, Experienced Faculty

Florida Tech’s highly distinguished faculty holds a wide range of research interests in instrumentation and control, mechatronics, robotics, biomechanics, computer-aided design, alternative energy, and more. A low student-to-faculty ratio allows professors a chance to mentor students in the mechanical engineering master’s program. NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation, the State of Florida, and the Department of Energy have recently funded faculty research projects.

Faculty members are professional engineers who also conduct research in which graduate students can participate and contribute including such projects as:

• Design of robotic mechanical systems
• Theoretical kinematics
• Laser material processing
• Bio-heat transfer
• Automobile aerodynamics
• Thermodynamic power cycles

The faculty members offer a rich and varied background including professional consulting and military experience.

Great Florida Location

While many graduate students are already working professionals in the local area, other master’s candidates choose the mechanical engineering master’s program at Florida Tech for its prime location in the heart of Florida’s Space Coast near one of the nation’s largest high-tech workforces.

Excellent Career Potential

Graduates find a wide range of career options with a degree from Florida Tech’s mechanical engineering master’s program. Mechanical engineers work in industries such as aerospace, electronics, railway, government and defense, materials and metals, and construction and automotive, to name a few. Demand for mechanical engineers is growing through 2022 with new job opportunities in alternative energy, nanotechnology and automotive. Employers such as Harris Corp., GE, the US Air Force, and Pratt & Whitney have hired Florida graduates.

From faculty-led research opportunities, internships, and assistantships to peer networking, one-on-one mentorship and more, this diversified learning environment makes Florida Tech one of the top mechanical engineering programs in the country.

Hands-on experience is a valuable part of the experience at Florida Tech. Mechanical engineering internships, assistantships and participation in research projects provides students with real-world experience outside the classroom. These opportunities give students new insight of the field and allow students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world experiences.

Florida Tech students have completed civil engineering internships with scores of consulting companies and government agencies, including NASA, Harris Corp., Mainstream Engineering, and Boeing.

Research Facilities

Mechanical engineering internships or assistantships aren’t the only learning opportunities outside of classroom study. Florida Tech students can take part in real-world research that prepares them for a future career or doctoral program.

Major research facilities and laboratories at Florida Tech include:

• National Center for Hydrogen Research
• Florida Center for Automotive Research
• Wireless Center of Excellence
• College of Engineering Center for Space Commercialization
• Wind and hurricane impacts research laboratory
• Laser, optics, and instrumentation laboratory
• Institute for energy systems
• Low-speed wind tunnel
• Dynamic systems and controls laboratory
• Drop tower
• Shaker table
• Materials testing machine
• Composite manufacturing lab
• Cascade tunnel, laser
• Optics and instrumentation laboratory
• Robotics and spatial systems laboratory
• Thermal plasma spray and high heat-flux testing laboratories
• Automotive engineering testing laboratory

In addition to potential mechanical engineering internships or teaching and research assistantships, Florida Tech graduate students undertake their own research project if they choose to complete a master’s thesis. Graduate students are often published in respected engineering journals including Aerospace America, ASME and AIAA Journals, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and Physics of Fluids.

Students often collaborate with numerous organizations for mechanical engineering internships or research projects including:

• NASA
• Department of Energy
• Department of Defense
• Florida Department of Transportation
• Federal Aviation Administration
• Air Force Research Laboratory

Mechanical engineering careers involve a variety of job skills and typically include research, design, development, building and testing of mechanical devices, tools, engines and machines. According to the US Department of Labor, mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines, giving graduates many different career opportunities.

Career Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things. According to the bureau, mechanical engineering careers are the second-largest engineering occupations in the country, providing jobs in engineering services, research and development, manufacturing, and the federal government.

Many Florida Tech master’s graduates continue their education in a doctoral program. For those that choose to enter the workforce, the BLS reports that employment growth for mechanical engineers is expected to grow 9% from 2010–2020, with job prospects best for those who find jobs in the newest growth sectors including nanotechnology, alternative energy, and automotive (hybrid vehicles).

Career Options

• Materials engineer
• Mechanical engineering technician
• Design engineer
• Project engineer
• Petroleum engineer
• Aerospace engineer
• Chemical engineer
• Electrical and electronic engineering technician
• Electrical and electronics engineer

Potential Employers

Employers who have hired Florida Tech graduates include:

• Raytheon
• Northrop Grumman
• Boeing
• Harris Corp.
• GE
• US Air Force
• US Navy
• US Army
• NASA

Doctoral Program

Graduates from the mechanical engineering master’s program are ready to enter the workforce or pursue a doctoral degree at Florida Tech. The program is designed for further research and specialization. Graduates with a PhD become subject matter experts, increasing their earning potential and leadership opportunities in their career.