Mechanical and Aerospace PhD Programs
Pursue your PhD with us in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, where you'll engage in groundbreaking research and showcase your unique contributions through a comprehensive dissertation.
About the Aerospace Engineering PhD
The Aerospace Engineering PhD program equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to take on leadership roles in the aerospace industry and associated sectors. The program covers a wide range of applications in aeronautics and astronautics, encompassing subsonic and supersonic aircraft, satellites, space shuttles, space stations, and more.
Students in this program can also engage with UB's Computational Data-enabled Science and Engineering graduate program. This collaboration provides comprehensive training in computational data science, benefiting experimental and computational materials scientists.
About the Mechanical Engineering PhD
The Mechanical Engineering PhD emphasizes original research and provides students with a strong background for employment in academic institutions, government laboratories and industrial research laboratories with a focus on mechanical engineering.
The program provides a sound foundation in technical fundamentals with a broad-based curriculum in design and optimization; dynamics, control and mechatronics; fluid and thermal sciences; and bioengineering, computational and applied mechanics and materials.
Fully funded doctoral study
All doctoral students in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences receive a stipend, either through a Research Assistantship or a Teaching Assistantship, plus a full tuition scholarship.
Research Areas
Curriculum Overview
Both the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering PhD require 72 credit hours: at least 48 credit hours from graduate coursework and 12-24 credit hours of dissertation work. A maximum of six credit hours of the 48 credit hour course requirement may be fulfilled by a master's thesis (6 credit hours) or a master's project (3 credit hours). Up to 12 credit hours are permitted for informal courses. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the program.
Course selection and the student's dissertation research are under the supervision of a PhD program committee chaired by the student's advisor.
Program milestones include:
- Qualifying Exam
- Preliminary Exam
- Dissertation Defense
Our PhD programs can be taken full-time or part-time, and typically take 4 to 5+ years to complete. In addition to fulfilling their RA/TA responsibilities, students must take nine credit hours per semester to maintain a full-time status.
Graduate Contact Information
Dr. Ehsan Esfahani
Graduate Studies Director
245 Bell Hall
ehsanesf@buffalo.edu
Philomena Marinaccio
Graduate Coordinator
240 Bell Hall
mae-graduate@buffalo.edu
For admissions information or questions about your application, contact gradeng@buffalo.edu.
Admissions Requirements
Prospective students with and without a master's degree are welcome to apply. The following materials are required to apply to the Aerospace Engineering PhD and the Mechanical Engineering PhD.
Students can apply online. New applicants must create an account. If you have applied in the past, you will be asked to log in to your existing account to start a new application.
The application includes sections that will ask you to provide us with personal/biographical information, contact information, citizenship details, your past or current college/university, and degree details. You will be able to enter the names and contact information of your recommenders and upload supporting materials to your application. You may upload supporting documents while completing the application form or after you have submitted your application in your Application Status Portal.
You do not need official transcripts or test scores to apply. Unofficial copies are sufficient for application review, but students are encouraged to provide official copies if they have them.
A non-refundable fee of $100 is required to apply for Spring 2025 or later terms. The application fee for Fall 2024 is $85. After you submit your application form, you can pay the application fee online in your Application Status Portal with a credit card or e-check.
Copies of transcript(s) for all post-secondary schoolwork must be uploaded with your application for initial review. Upon an offer of admission, accepted applicants will be required to submit official transcripts and proof of degree(s).
Your statement of purpose allows the admissions committee to learn about you as a prospective researcher. There is no minimum or maximum page length or word count.
In the statement, we look for:
- Your ability to present your thoughts in a clear, concise way
- Evidence of your maturity and commitment to conduct research (you will be making contributions of worldwide impact in projects at the cutting edge of their fields)
- Your awareness of advancements in the field and your vision for specific areas where you would like to do research
- Which faculty member(s) your research interests align with or who you identify as potential research mentors
Upload a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) to your application. Your resume or CV should include details about your education, employment, and internship history. Pertinent research experience should be included as well.
Three letters of recommendation are required to apply to this program. Letters are automatically requested when you enter recommenders' names and email addresses in your application. While we will accept letters from professional sources, we strongly prefer letters from professors acquainted with your academic interests, achievements, and abilities.
GRE scores are required to apply to this program. Arrangements to take the exam can be made through the Educational Testing Service.
Note: the University at Buffalo Institutional Code is 2925.
International applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. The chart below outlines acceptable test types and the university's minimum score required for admission. All applicants whose native language is not English will be required to provide proof of English proficiency.
Copies may be submitted for initial review. Official scores must be sent directly to UB from the testing agency.
| Test Type | University Minimum Score | To Order... |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (IBT) (including MyBest scores) TOEFL Home Edition | 79 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL Essentials | 8.5 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL ITP Plus | 550 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| IELTS and IELTS Indicator | 6.5 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| 55 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 120 | ADA Department of Testing will report your official scores to central application services |
Exam results must be dated within two years from your proposed date of admission and remain valid upon entering the term for which you applied.
It is strongly recommended to make test arrangements early in the year so sufficient time can be allowed for the results to be reported before application deadlines.
Exemptions to English Language Proficiency requirements can be found on The Graduate School website.
Students without a master's who are pursuing a PhD and wish to switch to the master's program instead must first seek approval from their advisor.
Current UB master's students who wish to pursue a PhD in MAE must apply to the PhD program following standard admissions procedures.