The Department of Mechanical Engineering in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering offers a program of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering.  This program provides an opportunity for students to complete advanced course work and conduct independent research in the following specialization areas: Biomechanics or Advanced Product Design and Development.

Completion of the program requires forty- eight (48) semester hours beyond a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or seventy- eight (78) semester hours beyond a baccalaureate degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Admission to the Doctoral Program

Unconditional admission into the Doctor of Philosophy program requires an earned mechanical engineering master's degree and the following credentials:

• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0; minimum graduate GPA of 3.25/4.0.
• Three letters of recommendation, with at least two addressing the applicant's ability to perform independent research successfully.
• A composite score (verbal and quantitative) on the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) of no less than 1100 (1500 preferred).  International students must show proficiency in English by scoring 550 or higher on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination, or by completing the University's Advanced Level of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program.

Qualified applicants may be admitted directly to the doctoral program after receiving a baccalaureate degree.  These students will be required to complete an additional 30 hours of coursework at the 500 and 600 level under an individual plan developed in conjunction with the Chair of the Department's Graduate Studies Committee.  Students with a B.S. in another branch of engineering, or in chemistry, mathematics, physics, or life sciences may be required to take up to 24 undergraduate units in mechanical engineering, and to demonstrate preparation comparable to that provided by an ABET accredited engineering program.

A complete faculty listing is on the following website: http://louisville.edu/speed/mechanical/.