Degree Requirements

Students must choose a major field from among five STEM areas presently offered by the department:

Significant flexibility exists in the requirements for each of these stem areas, and students are encouraged to gain expertise in modern cross cutting fields like: manufacturing; reliability engineering; microscale systems; design; aerostructures; composite technology; energy and transportation; environmental sensing; integrated sensors, actuators and control systems; computational simulation and others. Two plans of study are offered, each requiring the successful completion of 42 quarter units of credit. Plan 1 is a combination of coursework and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis; Plan 2 involves coursework and the completion of a written project.  For official study plans for Plans 1 and 2, please see the UCSB General Catalog:

Plan I (Thesis)

The department requires 42 units with the thesis: 18 units of approved coursework in the major field, 9 units of approved elective courses in science and engineering, 3 units of graduate seminar, 12 units of ME 598, and completion of a thesis. No more than 9 units may be at the 100 level.

Plan II (Project)

The department requires 42 units without a thesis: 18 units of approved coursework in the major field, 18 units of approved elective courses in science and engineering, 3 units of graduate seminar, and completion of a 3-unit project dealing with a topic in the major field. No more than 12 units may be at the 100 level.