Mission Statement
The Accelerated Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering program is designed to provide Citadel undergraduate students an accelerated route to obtain a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. The purpose of this program is to offer advanced undergraduate students the opportunity to begin taking graduate-level courses during their senior year, and have those courses be applied toward an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree.
After earning a Bachelor’s degree, students in this program will continue their graduate course work until completing the requirements for the M.S. in Mechanical Engineering program. It is expected that students in this program would complete the requirements for both the Bachelor’s degree and the Master’s degree in about 5 years. Undergraduates in this program will acquire a broader and deeper education in mechanical engineering through additional advanced coursework. An advanced degree in mechanical engineering can provide employment opportunities that the Bachelor’s degree alone cannot provide. This program is for students seeking advanced engineering techniques and professional development skills in the field of mechanical engineering.
Admission Requirements
The program is available to Citadel undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering. Students interested in this program should apply during their junior or senior year. However, students are encouraged to apply by the end of their junior year to help ensure that they have the full subsequent year, including the summer, to begin taking courses for graduate credit. This program is not available to undergraduates enrolled at other institutions, or those who have completed a Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree at another institution.
1. Complete and return an online application form along with the non-refundable application fee to The Citadel Graduate College.
2. Undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher in the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree program at The Citadel.
3. Senior (1A) classification.
4. Submission of a one-page letter of intent that provides concise description of your post BSME graduation plans.
5. Approval of mechanical engineering Department Head.
Program Requirements
Program requirements for the Accelerated Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering are identical to that of the MSME program. A student enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s Program can register for up to two graduate level courses during the summer and one graduate level course during each of the fall and spring semesters. Undergraduate students enrolled in graduate classes will be held to The Citadel Graduate College policies in those classes, including Academic Standards, Grades, and Attendance. Cadets in graduate classes will continue to be subject to the honor system as prescribed by “The Honor Manual of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets.” Following successful completion of the requirements for the Bachelor’s degree, students would be classified as graduate students by The Citadel Graduate College and follow all of their policies and procedures.
Graduation Requirements (non-credit bearing)
- Darkness to Light Training
- The Citadel’s Principled Leadership Seminar
Graduation Requirements (Course Requirements)
All degree candidates must:
- Complete a total of 30 credit hours of course work.
- Complete the 4 mechanical engineering core courses (12 hours).
- Complete 6 courses (18 hours) of elective courses. At least 2 electives (6 hours) must be chosen from the mechanical department. The remainder (up to 4 courses) may be selected from other technical (ECE or CE) or non-technical course list below. Other electives will be considered on a case-by-case basis with approval from the department head.
Mechanical Engineering Areas of Study