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Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

The 100% online Master of Science in Engineering with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering is ideal for working professionals interested in becoming industry leaders and innovators. This 30-credit-hour, non-thesis executive program imparts the skills, knowledge and experience needed to change the world through engineering. 

Ranked the No. 11 best mechanical engineering program in the country according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Graduate School Rankings, our program offers unparalleled online instruction to engineering students the world over. Earn your master’s degree in as little as two years from the Cockrell School of Engineering, one of the top engineering schools in the United States.

A machine is more than the sum of its parts. Every aspect of our online program has been designed to cater to the needs of graduate students. Our program is:

  • Clear-Cut: There are no thesis or project course requirements.
  • Current: Our course content is updated regularly in response to industry trends.
  • Efficient: Complete our program in as little as two years.
  • Flexible: Courses are 100% online and asynchronous.
  • Rigorous: Our program incorporates the same comprehensive curriculum taught on campus.

The Path to Limitless Opportunities

As a graduate of our online master’s degree in mechanical engineering, you’ll find yourself at the crossroads of diverse industries, each offering a unique landscape for your skills to flourish. This academic and professional pathway is not just a qualification, it’s a ticket to explore the limitless horizons of creativity, innovation and impact. 

Embarking on this journey means becoming a driving force behind progress and transformation. Moreover, you’ll gain access to career advancements across a wide array of industries, allowing you to choose a pathway that aligns with your goals and interests. 

Below are just a few of the diverse companies our online mechanical engineering alumni work for: 

  • Apple
  • Applied Materials
  • BP
  • Cummins
  • Intel
  • NASA
  • Microsoft
  • National Oilwell Varco
  • Proctor and Gamble
  • Samsung
  • SpaceX

Curriculum to Challenge and Inspire

Our executive master’s degree program is composed of 10 courses encompassing a wide range of mechanical engineering topics, including automatic control, applied thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. Through our program, you will learn to utilize emerging technology to solve engineering problems and design, analyze and produce products and design processes. One of your first assignments as a master’s degree student will be to find an innovative solution to an engineering-related problem in your personal or professional life, and that’s just one of the experiential learning opportunities you will find in our program. Our executive master’s degree provides an opportunity to engage with rigorous, industry-relevant course content that is immediately applicable to your career. 

Online Learning to Support and Empower

UT Austin’s online mechanical engineering graduate program is uniquely tailored for working professionals and incorporates the latest in best practices for online learning. Courses are entirely online and asynchronous, allowing you to participate on your own time, at your own pace. Lessons have clear learning objectives and consist of easily digestible units, including videos, exercises, quizzes and tests. Led by the same esteemed faculty and encompassing the same curriculum as its on-campus equivalent, our program offers an indispensable opportunity and experience to students regardless of where they call home. You don’t have to be a Texan to be a Texas Engineer. 

Under the guidance of our esteemed faculty, you will develop a degree plan, engage with online course materials and master mechanical engineering concepts. Feedback will be provided by not only your professors but the fellow Texas Engineers within your cohort, and group discussions and communication tools will help ensure that clarity, assistance and perspective are never out of reach. Every effort has been made to ensure that, as a working professional, you will be given the flexible scheduling and supportive learning environment you need to succeed in your education.

Upon completing our online program, you will receive the exact same degree awarded to graduates of our on-campus mechanical engineering program: a Master of Science in Engineering with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering. 

Master’s Degree Admission Requirements

The minimum requirements to apply to the master’s degree program are:

  • A Bachelor of Science in engineering or a related field.
  • A 3.0 GPA.*
  • A resume and statement of purpose.
  • Two professional letters of recommendation.
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable.

*Conditional admission may be possible if your GPA is below 3.0.

For more information about requirements, exceptions, conditional admission and applying with a non-U.S. degree, visit the Admissions page.

Master’s Degree Tuition

Tuition is $4,000 per course plus fees for all students, regardless of their location. In total, tuition is $40,000 plus fees. This tuition rate is subject to change.

Upon admission, a $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot, which will be applied to your first tuition payment.

For more information about options for funding your education, visit the tuition page.

Required Courses (30 Credit Hours)

Each of our courses has been carefully curated to provide the essential knowledge and skills required to excel in the dynamic realm of mechanical engineering. We’ve eliminated extraneous content, ensuring a streamlined learning experience. As you navigate through each course, you’ll feel confident that you’re acquiring a comprehensive wealth of knowledge that’ll help you master the intricacies of your discipline and propel your career forward. 

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Spring

An introduction to statistical monitoring of processes and design of experiments (DOE) techniques.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Spring

An examination of heat transfer systems with a focus on applying scale analysis to simplify heat transfer problems and solutions.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Summer

An in-depth look at fluid mechanics, this course focuses on fluid flow and related phenomena and enables students to better design and analyze fluid-based systems.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Fall

A course on the design and analysis of systems in which thermodynamic processes are essential, such as automobile engines, power plants and HVAC systems.


Learn more about this course.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Fall

An introduction to analyzing and creating mathematical and simulated models with an emphasis on predicting system behavior and performance.

Learn more about this course.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Spring

An introduction to automation, this program looks at controlling the behavior of open-loop (non-feedback) and closed-loop (feedback) control systems.

Learn more about this course.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Fall

A look at the interrelated properties of engineering materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. 

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Summer

A course that looks at optimizing manufacturing processes. Students learn to reduce process cycle times in order to decrease manufacturing costs, delivery times and defects.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Spring

A survey on design theory and methodology with an applied reverse engineering and redesign project.

Learn more about this course.

Credit Hours: 3            Enrollment: Fall

An introduction to engineering economics that explores risk and uncertainty in decision-making.

Course Schedule

CoursesCreditsSpringSummerFall
ME 381M – Statistical Methods for Process Control and Manufacturing3X
ME 383M – Heat Transfer in Industrial Systems3X
ME 384M – Fluid Mechanics in Industrial Processes3X
ME 385M – Applied Thermodynamics3X
ME 386M – Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Physical Systems3X
ME 387M – Introduction to Automatic Control3X
ME 389M – Materials Science and Engineering3X
ME 391M – Introduction to Manufacturing Systems3X
ME 397 – Product Design Lab3X
ENM 397 – Engineering Economics3X

Application Deadline

Application Deadlines

Fall 2025:

Spring 2026:

Completed applications and supporting materials must be received by the above dates to be considered for admission.

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