News
Events
VideoMaster of Science (M.S.)
The Master of Science in Engineering Sciences program stresses innovative engineering research, advanced levels of engineering skills, and extensive project management experience. Candidates for the degree acquire:
- basic competency in applied mathematics and engineering
- breadth of engineering knowledge through taking a range of courses
- depth of engineering knowledge through focused research as well as courses
In the tradition of founder Sylvanus Thayer, graduate students are encouraged to participate in service activities, such as those sponsored by the Tucker Foundation and Thayer Council.
Matching Interests to Faculty
M.S. students typically are funded through a professor’s sponsored research or a fellowship throughout their studies at Thayer School. Therefore, applicants interested in pursuing particular areas of research should contact Thayer School faculty for an initial conversation about research opportunities.
Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree is required; M.S. students generally hold their degree in engineering or one of the physical sciences.
Academic Honor
All students, upon matriculation, are required to attend a series of workshops in ethics and sign a statement that they agree to abide by the honor principles established by Dartmouth College. See Graduate Academic and Conduct Regulations for a full statement of academic honor.
Residency
Students are required to be in residence a minimum of 3 terms.
Number of Courses
Students entering the program with an accredited bachelor's degree in engineering are required to take 6 graduate-level credits beyond any graduate courses taken for the B.E.
Students entering the program without an accredited bachelor's degree in engineering are required to complete 9 graduate-level courses beyond any graduate courses taken for the bachelor's degree, with a minimum of 5 courses in engineering.
Courses taken previously, e.g., as an undergraduate, can be used in satisfaction of the degree requirements, but do not reduce the total number of courses required unless admission is with advanced standing.
Advisors
A faculty advisor aids each student in developing a program, which is submitted to and approved by the Thayer School Program Committee during the student's first term of residency.
Master of Science Course Planning Sheet (PDF) - for planning purposes only. You will need to go to Banner Student to complete the Master of Science program plan.
Course Options
Applied Mathematics (choose at least 1 course)
- ENGS 91: Numerical Methods in Computation
- ENGS 92: Fourier Transforms and Complex Variables
- ENGS 93: Statistical Methods in Engineering
- ENGS 100: Methods in Applied Mathematics I
- ENGS 104: Optimization Methods for Engineering Applications
- ENGS 105: Computational Methods for Partial Differential Equations I
- ENGS 106: Numerical Linear Algebra
Engineering Depth (choose at least 3 courses)
- Courses in the area of the student's research should be chosen to increase the student's depth of expertise and knowledge. These courses should be chosen in concert with the thesis advisor from the graduate engineering listings. Engineering Management courses are not permitted.
Engineering Breadth (choose at least 2 courses)
- The remainder of the courses may be any graduate course listing area, with approval of the thesis advisor and the graduate program committee. Engineering Management courses are not permitted.
Other
- Research leading to a written thesis
- An oral defense of the thesis
Thesis Requirements
The M.S. thesis demonstrates a depth of knowledge in a specific field of engineering research or design. A thesis committee typically consists of 3 Dartmouth faculty members (including the student's thesis advisor); one of the 3 may be from outside the program of study.
The candidate also presents a public oral defense of the thesis, which is conducted by the candidate's thesis committee. A two-week notice of the defense is required. Each student must submit an electronic copy of the notice to the Thayer Registrar for distribution to the faculty and for posting.
A hard copy and a PDF version of the thesis must be submitted to the Registrar for archiving.
Copyright to the thesis is held by the Trustees of Dartmouth College.
Dual Degrees
B.E./M.S.
Students who wish to be awarded the B.E. degree simultaneously with the M.S. must have taken a substantial portion of the undergraduate program at Dartmouth or in one of its official exchange programs. Students should plan their programs to satisfy both the M.S. requirements and the requirements for the B.E., and discuss their plans with the M.S. program director.
At least one term prior to the scheduled M.S. thesis defense, the B.E./M.S. candidate submits to the Registrar a Bachelor of Engineering program plan approved by both his/her advisor and the Director of the Bachelor of Engineering program.
M.E.M./M.S.
Students who want to qualify both in research and in the practical application of engineering and management may earn the M.S. and M.E.M. degrees simultaneously by completing all the requirements of both degrees.
A separate application to the M.E.M. program is required; the student should work out course choices and funding plans for each degree. Interested students should contact Professor Graves, director of the M.E.M. program.