FAQ

Prospective Applicants 

• How do I apply for admission?

  • Go to the following link for the admission process

    For Domestic Applicants

    For International Applicants

• Do I qualify for the MSME program?

  • To be eligible for the admission you must satisfy the ME department requirements along with the University requirements.

    Go to the SJSU admission requirements.

• My undergraduate degree is not in engineering, can I still get admission?

  • If your bachelor’s degree is in math or science and haven’t taken any engineering courses, you can qualify for a conditional admission if you satisfy the followings:

    Meet the minimum admission requirements as stipulated by the Graduate Admissions
    office.
    Complete the following courses prior to applying for the admission:
    Preparation for the major:
    Math 30, 31, 32, 133A
    Physics 50, 51, 52
    Chemistry 1A
    Engineering Courses for the Major:
    CE 95, CE 112, EE 98, Mat E 25 ME 20, 30, 101, 111, 113, 130
    Courses that can be completed after a conditional admission:
    ME 106, 114, 147, 154 

    NOTE: The lower level courses (below 100) can be completed at a community college. The
    upper level courses (above 100) can be taken at SJSU or any other institution.

• I have a Bachelor of Science (BS) in an engineering major other than mechanical, can I get admission?

  • If your bachelor’s degree isn’t in mechanical engineering, but you have graduated with some
    other engineering major, you can qualify for MSME admission if you satisfy the following:

    Meet the minimum admission requirements as stipulated by the Graduate Admissions office.
    After a conditional admission to the MSME program, complete the following courses prior to exceeding 12 units at SJSU:
    - ME 106
    - ME 114
    - ME 147
    - ME 154
    NOTE: If your undergraduate program is deficient in any of the fundamental engineering
    courses, additional courses will be added to the above list.

• What is the application deadline?

  • See the GAPE applications deadline page.

• What are the tuition fees?

  • Visit the GAPE page for a list of tuition fees for each semester. 

• Are letters of recommendation required when I apply for admission?

  • No. Letters of recommendation are not required.

• I am a foreign student and just got admitted, what courses should I take?

  • You should attend the New Students Orientation before taking any classes. The orientation is scheduled at the beginning of a semester. You will be notified by email, detailing the schedule and place of the meeting.

• I am an International student, do I submit my transcript to the ME department?

  • The Mechanical Engineering Department does not process any applications or application related material. All application materials (including transcripts) and other related questions should be submitted to the Graduate Admissions office.

• Do you have any financial assistance available for me?

  • Almost all of the graduate students in the department are self-supporting, The department doesn't offer any scholarship or financial assistance. However, there are some limited opportunities as lab assistants and graders. Some TA positions come with full or partial tuition waivers. Check with the department after you have been admitted and enrolled for classes.

• What is a Conditional Classification?

  • Conditional Classification status means that you have not satisfied all the required conditions for admission. The GAPE office provides you a letter which specifies the conditions being placed on your admission. You are not allowed to take more than 12 units of graduate courses until the conditions are satisfied. After you have satisfied all of the required conditions, you will need to fill out a Change of Classification in Graduate Program [pdf] form and request the Graduate Proram Advisor to change your admission to Classified Status.

• What is Classified status?

  • Classified status indicates that you have satisfied all of the conditions of admission. 

• What is the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

  • See the GAPE policies page for information regarding the GWAR.

• Are there test requirements?

  • There are no test requirements if you have graduated from an ABET accredited institution (generally all of the major US institution satisfy this requirement). However, if you graduated from a foreign institution, you are required to satisfy the GRE and English Language Proficiency Requirements.

    See Admission Requirements for more details.

•  Is a statement of purpose required in the MSME Application? 

  • Applicants are not required to submit a statement of purpose.

Current Students

• Where can I get the Candidacy form?

  • You may obtain the Candidacy form from the GAPE forms site.

    Here is an example of a correctly filled out Candidacy Form [pdf]. 

• Where can I get the Course Substitution form?
  • You can obtain the course substitution form from the GAPE forms site.
• What is the Tentative Future Course Offering?
  • Our Tentative Future Course Offering [pdf] is up to date as of 11/16/21
• How do I start on my ME295A/299 project?
  • Visit our Projects and Thesis page to learn more. 
• What is the grading system and what is a passing grade for the ME 295A/B and ME 299 courses?
  • ME 295A/B and ME 299 are graded on a letter grade scale (ie, A-F). A passing grade for ME 295A/B and ME 299 is at minimum a "C".
• How do I register for ME 1290R?

  • All graduate students are required to maintain continuous enrollment until degree completion. For detailed information on the 1290R policy, please review https://catalog.sjsu.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=4072.

    Registration Process: 1290R Enrollment Appointments are set by the Registrar's Office and are viewed after the Add Deadline in the corresponding semester. Students are encouraged to add the course as soon as their appointments are available. No permission or add code is needed.

• Do I need advising every semester in order to register for classes?
  • Currently, there is no mandatory advising requirement for enrolling in courses unless you are on probation. To learn more, visit out Graduate Advising page. 
• Who is my program adviser?
  • The graduate advisor for all graduate students is Dr. Raghu Agarwal. 
• I have received a notice of being placed on probation, what should I do?
  • Probation is a warning that you can be disqualified from the program. It's a serious matter. Once you are on probation, you must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better in the subsequent semesters, otherwise you would be disqualified from the program. Discuss your options with the graduate advisor.
• I have received a notice of being disqualified what should I do?
  • Disqualification means losing your admission status and must reapply for re-admission. However, before you can apply, you need to get reinstated. See the university process for reinstatement and the reinstatement form [pdf]. 
• I have completed most of the courses; what forms do I need to submit for graduation?
  • You need to file the Candidacy form, which has to be approved by the Graduate Advisor. You also need to apply for graduation online. You can learn more about this process on the website of the Office of the Registrar.
• Are all your graduate course offered in the evenings?
  • Yes, all the graduate course are scheduled to start at 4:30 PM and after.
• What is Culminating Experience?
  • Culminating Experience Form is required by the university to show that you have met the necessary skills to obtain an MSME degree. The form is processed by the graduate advisor after you have passed the Project or Thesis course successfully and your final report has been approved by your graduate committee.
• What are the minimum passing grades for a graduate ME course and also for the Graduate project course?
  • The minimum passing grade for all the ME graduate courses is a C or better. A C- is a failing grade.