Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics PhD

Major: Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 90.0 
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional (CIP) code: 14.1901
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 17-2141

About the Program

The PhD degree offered by the Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics (MEM) Department offers courses often associated with one or more areas of specialization: design and manufacturing, mechanics, systems and control, and thermal and fluid sciences. The mechanical engineering field is rapidly changing due to ongoing advances in modern science and technology. Effective mechanical engineers must possess expertise in mechanical engineering core subjects, interdisciplinary skills, teamwork skills, as well as entrepreneurial and managerial abilities. The degree programs are designed so students can learn the state-of-the-art knowledge now, and have the foundation to acquire new knowledge as they develop in future.     

The PhD degree program is offered for full-time students only and is a research intensive program. The research areas include, but are not limited to, bio-engineering, energy systems, high performance materials, nanotechnology, plasma science and engineering and robotics. 

For more information, please visit the PhD in Mechanical Engineering webpage.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the graduate requirements for admission to Drexel University. Students holding a bachelor's degree in a science or engineering discipline other than mechanical engineering are advised to take several undergraduate courses as preparation for graduate studies. Though these courses are not counted toward the required credits for the degree, they also must be listed in the student's plan of study. Outstanding students with a GPA of at least 3.5 in their master’s program will be considered for admission to the program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics.

Degree Requirements 

Outstanding students with a GPA of at least 3.5 in their master’s program will be considered for admission to the program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics.

PhD Program Requirements

Candidacy Requirements

The PhD candidacy exam consists of two parts: a course examination part and an oral examination part.

  • For the course examination part, an earned grade of A- or higher on 2 courses from the MEM Selected Core Course list is required. These 2 courses should be from a two-course sequence (or any two of a three-course sequence, such as MEM 611 / MEM 612 / MEM 613) in (1) Mechanics, (2) Thermal and Fluid Sciences, and/or (3) Dynamic Systems and Controls Cores. Note that grades earned in (4) Design and Manufacturing Courses cannot be the basis for fulfilling this requirement. However, completion of MEM 619, MEM 687, MEM 678 and MEM 679 may be counted towards the core courses.
  • For the oral examination part, the research component examination consists of a written report and an oral presentation. The Candidacy Committee selects three or more research papers in the student’s declared research area for student to conduct a critical review and identify areas for future research and development. In three weeks after the papers have been assigned to the student, the student submits a written report not exceeding 15 single-spaced pages, excluding references. One week after the written report is submitted the student makes an oral presentation. The presentation is followed by questions by the Committee. The goals of the questions are to evaluate the student’s knowledge in the scientific fields related to the research area, including related background and fundamental material, and to assess the student’s ability to integrate information germane to success in research.

The candidacy may be completed at any time following matriculation but must be attempted no later than the end of the second academic year, for full-time students, and successfully completed not later than the end of the third academic year, for full-time students. The composition of the Candidacy Committee should be selected with the approval of the Program Manager of Graduate Studies. Special circumstances should also be discussed with the Program Manager.

Students Entering with MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University

PhD Tailored Requirements †36.0
Technical Electives
Electives Approved by Program Manager of Graduate Studies and Student's Thesis Advisor
MEM 998Ph.D. Dissertation9.0-144.0
Total Credits45.0-180.0
†

Because the nature of the research is wide ranging and instruction should be selected to be tailored to the needs of the students, the student must determine the number and selection of courses in a Plan of Study. This plan should encompass the total number of required credit hours. Both the Program Manager of Graduate Studies and the student's thesis supervisor must approve this plan.

 Students Entering with an BS degree in Mechanical Engineering or other STEM field but not an MS degree

PhD Tailored Requirements †36.0
Technical Electives
Electives Approved by Program Manager of Graduate Studies and Student's Thesis Advisor
MEM 998Ph.D. Dissertation9.0-144.0
MEM Requirements
MEM Graduate Courses ***
MEM Core Courses (select 2 courses in each of 2 Core Areas)12.0
Core Area: Mechanics
Subject Area: Solid Mechanics
Theory of Elasticity I
Continuum Mechanics
Subject Area: Advanced Dynamics
Advanced Dynamics I
Advanced Dynamics II
Core Area: Systems & Control
Subject Area: Robust Control Systems
Robust Control Systems I
Robust Control Systems II
Subject Area: Non-Linear Control Theory
Theory of Nonlinear Control I
Theory of Nonlinear Control II
Core Area: Thermal & Fluid Sciences
Subject Area: Heat Transfer
Conduction Heat Transfer
Convection Heat Transfer
Radiation Heat Transfer
Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics **
Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
Boundry Layers-Laminar & Turbulent
Core Area: Manufacturing
Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip
Manufacturing Processes I
Nondestructive Evaluation Methods
Data Analysis and Machine Learning for Science and Manufacturing
Mathematics Courses
MEM 591Applied Engr Analy Methods I3.0
Select one of the following3.0
Applied Engr Analy Methods II
Applied Engr Analy Methods III
Technical Electives (including 9.0 credits for thesis option)27.0
Total Credits90.0-225.0
*

All students take core courses in the department's areas of specialization as part of a comprehensive and flexible program. Further details can be obtained from the department's Graduate Program Manual.

**

Consult the Thermal and Fluid Sciences area advisor for other options.

***

MEM Graduate Courses

  • Students must take 18 MEM course credits (6 courses). Among these credits, 2 courses must be selected from MEM Core Course list and must be in one of the two-course sequences.
  • Any MEM graduate course is eligible to serve as MEM courses. This includes those core courses that you do not use as core courses but use as elective courses.  
  • This also includes MEM I699 Independent Study and Research.
  • Graduate courses at the 600- level from these four College of Engineering Departments (CAE, CBE, ECE and MSE) are automatically approved to serve as non-MEM technical elective courses.  
  • Students may register for MEM I699 Independent Study and Research (3.0 credits per term) to serve as electives, up to 9.0 credits.
†

Because the nature of the research is wide ranging and instruction should be selected to be tailored to the needs of the students, the student must determine the number and selection of courses in a Plan of Study. This plan should encompass the total number of required credit hours. Both the Program Manager of Graduate Studies and the student's thesis supervisor must approve this plan.

Students Entering with an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or other STEM field from an institution other than Drexel University

PhD Tailored Requirements †18.0
Technical Electives
Electives Approved by Program Manager of Graduate Studies and Student's Thesis Advisor
MEM 998Ph.D. Dissertation9.0-144.0
MEM Requirements
MEM Graduate Courses ***12.0
MEM Core Courses (Select 2 courses in one of the Core Areas)6.0
Core Area: Mechanics
Subject Area: Solid Mechanics
Theory of Elasticity I
Continuum Mechanics
Subject Area: Advanced Dynamics
Advanced Dynamics I
Advanced Dynamics II
Core Area: Systems & Control
Subject Area: Robust Control Systems
Robust Control Systems I
Robust Control Systems II
Subject Area: Non-Linear Control Theory
Theory of Nonlinear Control I
Theory of Nonlinear Control II
Core Area: Thermal & Fluid Sciences
Subject Area: Heat Transfer
Conduction Heat Transfer
Convection Heat Transfer
Radiation Heat Transfer
Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics **
Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
Boundry Layers-Laminar & Turbulent
Core Area: Manufacturing
Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip
Manufacturing Processes I
Nondestructive Evaluation Methods
Data Analysis and Machine Learning for Science and Manufacturing
Total Credits45.0-180.0
*

All students take core courses in the department's areas of specialization as part of a comprehensive and flexible program. Further details can be obtained from the department's Graduate Program Manual.

**

Consult the Thermal and Fluid Sciences area advisor for other options.

***

MEM Graduate Courses

  • Students must take 18 MEM course credits (6 courses). Among these credits, 2 courses must be selected from MEM Core Course list and must be in one of the two-course sequences.
  • Any MEM graduate course is eligible to serve as MEM courses. This includes those core courses that you do not use as core courses but use as elective courses.  
  • This also includes MEM I699 Independent Study and Research.
  • Graduate courses at the 600- level from these four College of Engineering Departments (CAE, CBE, ECE and MSE) are automatically approved to serve as non-MEM technical elective courses.  
  • Students may register for MEM I699 Independent Study and Research (3.0 credits per term) to serve as electives, up to 9.0 credits.
†

Because the nature of the research is wide ranging and instruction should be selected to be tailored to the needs of the students, the student must determine the number and selection of courses in a Plan of Study. This plan should encompass the total number of required credit hours. Both the Program Manager of Graduate Studies and the student's thesis supervisor must approve this plan.

Further details can be obtained from the department's Graduate Programs Manual.

Sample Plan of Study

Students entering with MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Spring
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Second Year
Fall
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
MEM 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 9.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits45

Students Entering with and MS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or another STEM field from an institution other than Drexel University

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Graduate Courses 6.0
 Credits9
Winter
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Graduate Courses 6.0
 Credits9
Spring
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Second Year
Fall
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
MEM 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 9.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits45

Students entering with BS degree in Mechanical Engineering or other STEM field but not an MS degree

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
MEM 591 Applied Engr Analy Methods I 3.0
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Technical Elective 3.0
 Credits9
Winter
MEM Math Elective 3.0
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Technical Elective 3.0
 Credits9
Spring
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Selected Core Course 3.0
MEM Technical Elective 3.0
 Credits9
Second Year
Fall
MEM Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
MEM 898 Master's Thesis 9.0
 Credits9
Spring
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Third Year
Fall
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Spring
Graduate Technical Electives 9.0
 Credits9
Fourth Year
Fall
MEM 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 9.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits90

Program Level Outcomes

  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research on a timely topic of modern Mechanical Engineering.
  • Acquire a broader and deeper knowledge in the student’s sub-discipline/field of specialization.
  • Demonstrate the ability to express research content and findings orally and in writing.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of their work to published literature.
  • Demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with colleagues.
  • Demonstrate the ability to utilize experimental, theoretical, and computational tools for one’s research. 

Mechanical Engineering Faculty

Jennifer Atchison, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Teaching Professor. Engineering Education, Functional Fabrics, and Nanofibers
Jonathan Awerbuch, DSc (Technion, Israel Institute of Technology). Professor. Mechanics of composites; fracture and fatigue; impact and wave propagation; structural dynamics.
Ania-Ariadna Baetica, PhD (California Institute of Technology). Assistant Professor. Control theory and systems biology for biotechnological and medial applications.
Bor-Chin Chang, PhD (Rice University). Professor. Computer-aided design of multivariable control systems; robust and optimal control systems.
Wesley Chang, PhD (Princeton University). Assistant Professor. Electrochemical energy technologies.
Young I. Cho, PhD (University of Illinois-Chicago). Professor. Heat transfer; fluid mechanics; non-Newtonian flows; biofluid mechanics; rheology.
Juan De la Fuente-Valadez, PhD (Arizona State University). Assistant Teaching Professor. Mechatronics, control and automation.
Genevieve Dion, MFA (University of the Arts) Director, Center for Functional Fabrics. Professor. Industrial designer, wearable artist, new materials technology research.
Arvin Ebrahimkhanlou, PhD (University of Texas at Austin). Assistant Professor. Robotic-based and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based infrastructure assessment; computer vision, machine learning, Internet of Things and mixed reality for structural health monitoring and non-destructive evaluation; ultrasonics and acoustic emission.
Dimitrios Fafalis, PhD (Columbia University). Associate Teaching Professor. Mathematical modeling of natural and synthetic materials; computational mechanics, biomedical engineering and biomechanics.
Bakhtier Farouk, PhD (University of Delaware) Billings Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Professor. Heat transfer; combustion; numerical methods; turbulence modeling; materials processing.
Alexander Fridman, DSc, PhD (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) John A. Nyheim Endowed University Chair Professor, Director of the Drexel Plasma Institute. Professor. Plasma science and technology; pollutant mitigation; super-adiabatic combustion; nanotechnology and manufacturing.
Michael Glaser, MFA (The Ohio State University). Associate Professor. Product Design
Yury Gogotsi, DSc, PhD (National Academic of Sciences, Ukraine). Distinguished University & Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Professor. affiliate faculty. Synthesis and surface modification of inorganic nanomaterials.
Li-Hsin Han, PhD (University of Texas at Austin). Assistant Professor. Polymeric, micro/nano-fabrication, biomaterial design, tissue engineering, rapid prototyping, free-form fabrication, polymer micro actuators, photonics
Andrei G. Jablokow, PhD (University of Wisconsin, Madison) Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Affairs, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics. Associate Teaching Professor. Engineering education; kinematics; geometric modeling.
Euisun Kim, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology). Associate Teaching Professor. Engineering education; robotic rehabilitation systems; bio-inspired designs.
E. Caglan Kumbur, PhD (Pennsylvania State University) Associate Department Head for Graduate Affairs. Professor. Next generation energy technologies; fuel cell design and development.
Alan Lau, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Professor. Deformation and fracture of nano-devices and macroscopic structures; damage-tolerant structures and microstructures.
Matthew McCarthy, PhD (Columbia University). Associate Professor. Micro- and nanoscale thermofluidic systems, bio-inspired cooling, smart materials and structures for self-regulated two-phase cooling, novel architectures for integrated energy conversion and storage.
David L. Miller, PhD (Louisiana State University). Frederic O. Hess Endowed Professor. Gas-phase reaction kinetics; thermodynamics; biofuels.
Ahmad Najafi, PhD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Associate Professor. Multiscale computational solid mechanics, fracture mechanics, design of bioinspired materials, mechanics of biological composites and biomaterials, computational biology and biophysics.
Moses Noh, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology). Associate Professor. MEMS; BioMEMS; lab-on-a-chip; microfabrication; microfluidics.
Jonathan E. Spanier, PhD (Columbia University) Department Head, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics. Hess Family Chair Professor. Materials science; acoustics; light-matter interactions; ferroelectric, electronic and magnetic materials; inelastic light scattering; thin-film growth; energy-efficient sensors and other devices.
Wei Sun, PhD (Drexel University) Albert Soffa Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Professor. Computer-aided tissue engineering; solid freeform fabrication; CAD/CAM; design and modeling of nanodevices.
Tein-Min Tan, PhD (Purdue University). Professor Emeritus. Mechanics of composites; computational mechanics and finite-elements methods; structural dynamics.
Maureen Tang, PhD (University of California, Berkeley). Associate Professor. Batteries and fuel cells; nonaqueous electrochemistry; charge transport at interfaces.
James Tangorra, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Professor. Analysis of human and (other) animal physiological systems; head-neck dynamics and control; balance, vision, and the vestibular system; animal swimming and flight; robotics; system identification; bio-inspired design.
Ajmal Yousuff, PhD (Purdue University). Associate Professor. Optimal control; flexible structures; model and control simplifications.
Antonios Zavaliangos, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) A.W. Grosvenor Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Advanced manufacturing, computing, computational science, translational engineering, health sciences, mechanics and structure of materials
Jack G. Zhou, PhD (New Jersey Institute of Technology). Professor. CAD/CAM; computer integrated manufacturing systems; rapid prototyping; system dynamics and automatic control.

Emeritus Faculty

Leon Y. Bahar, PhD (Lehigh University). Professor Emeritus. Analytical methods in engineering, coupled thermoelasticity, interaction between analytical dynamics and control systems.
Nicholas P. Cernansky, PhD (University of California-Berkeley) Hess Chair Professor Emeritus of Combustion. Combustion chemistry and kinetics; combustion generated pollution; utilization of alternative and synthetic fuels.
Harry G. Kwatny, PhD (University of Pennsylvania) S. Herbert Raynes Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Professor Emeritus. Dynamic systems analysis; stochastic optimal control; control of electric power plants and systems.
Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE (University of Pennsylvania). Professor Emerita. Orthopedic biomaterials; acellular regenerative medicine, biomimetic proteoglycans; hydrogels.
Roger Marino, PhD (Drexel University). Professor Emeritus. Engineering education; land development; product Development
Gordon D. Moskowitz, PhD (Princeton University). Professor Emeritus. Biomechanics, dynamics, design, applied mathematics.
Sorin Siegler, PhD (Drexel University). Professor. Orthopedic biomechanics; robotics; dynamics and control of human motion; applied mechanics.
Donald H. Thomas, PhD (Case Institute of Technology). Professor Emeritus. Biocontrol theory, biomechanics, fluidics and fluid control, vehicle dynamics, engineering design.
Albert S. Wang, PhD (University of Delaware). Professor Emeritus. Treatment of damage evolution processes in multi-phased high-temperature materials, including ceramics and ceramic-matrix composites.