Pathway to Admissions

choose a degree and field of study

The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers programs leading to the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. with a specialization in any of the following six areas of research:

• Bioengineering and Systems Biology
• Computational Science and Engineering
• Dynamic Systems, Control and Robotics
• Micro and Nanoscale Engineering
• Solid Mechanics, Materials and Structures
• Thermal Sciences and Fluid Mechanics 

UCSB Mechanical Engineering Degrees Offered:

• Mechanical Engineering, MS
• Mechanical Engineering, PhD
• Optional emphasis in Computational Science & Engineering
• Optional emphasis in Bioengineering
• Optional emphasis in Neuroscience

Degree Requirements

Understand the degree requirements for a MS and/or a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at UCSB before applying.

CHOOSE A FACULTY ADVISOR

Read about choosing an advisor and area of research. Reach out to the UCSB Mechanical Engineering professors with whom you would like to study and ask them about their goals and their personal style of mentorship. Faculty in the department look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with talented and motivated graduate students. Important goals we envision for our PhD students include:

1. A thorough understanding of current literature and the identification of fundamental research problems;
2. The development of a strong theoretical and experimental background and the proposal of innovative solutions to challenging problems;
3. The presentation and publication of research in the most prestigious journals and conferences; and
4. The development of teaching, laboratory, personal communication, team work and presentation skills.

Graduate Fellowships

The Department invites applications from keen students and offers a number of attractive fellowships and teaching and research assistantships. All applicants will be considered for financial aid during the review process. Our Department strives to create an environment attractive to all students, independently of race, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and more. We strongly encourage underrepresented minorities and people with different cultures and backgrounds to apply.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering graduate tuition and financial support. It is our experience that students enjoy UC Santa Barbara’s tradition of open collaboration and interdisciplinary research. Santa Barbara is a beautiful coastal campus with many cultural and recreational opportunities to augment student life. The overall environment is very supportive of scholarly and creative work.

UCSB GRADUATE DIVISION

The UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division office is a central campus resource for students seeking admission for graduate degrees. Carefully review their admissions information, the academic services offered for admitted students, and financial information about fees and costs to attend UCSB as a graduate student.

Diversity

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is committed to promoting excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion, including our graduate program.  Please see our statement on this commitment here.

Please also see the statement from the College of Engineering here.