Master's Programs Concentrations
The Master of Science program in Mechanical Engineering offers students great flexibility in tailoring their program to their specific interests and goals.
Students may either develop their own sequence of courses in an area of specialization (the Standard Track) or select from among the suggested concentrations listed below. The requirements for these concentrations are identical to those of the Standard Track, with one exception: students must take at least 15 credits from a list of courses determined by an adviser in consultation with an advisory committee.
The currently available suggested concentrations are listed below:
- Biomechanics
- Energy Systems
- Micro/Nanoscale Engineering
- Robotics and Control
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Concentration in Biomechanics
Advisors: Professors Gerard Ateshian, Karen Kasza, Kristin Myers, Mary Boyce and Vijay Vedula
Description: The concentration in biomechanics is developed in coordination with the Department of Biomedical Engineering. It provides the M.S. candidate with knowledge of the mechanics of biological tissues. The 4000-level courses offered in this concentration provide foundations of fluid and solid mechanics applicable to biomechanics, as well as applications of mechanics to specific cell, tissue and organ systems. The higher-level courses provide deeper foundations on theoretical and computational approaches relevant to biomechanics. This concentration is a suitable preparation for careers in the biomedical devices industry or engineering and scientific consulting.
Application and Requirements
Application: To choose this concentration, select "Mechanical Engineering Biomechanics Master of Science" in the Program field when filling in the online application for the M.S. program. The name of this program will be listed on graduates' transcripts.
Requirements: While satisfying the requirements for a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, take at least five courses from:
- MEBM E4703: Molecular mechanics in biology
- MEBM E4710: Morphogenesis: shape and structure in biological materials (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4100: Mechanics of fluids (last offered Spring 2023)
- MECE 4460: Mechanics of Elastomeric and Elastomeric-like Materials
- MECE E6100: Advanced mechanics of fluids (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E6102: Computational heat transfer and fluid flow (last offered Spring 2025)
- MECE E6106: Finite element method for fluid flow and fluid-structure interactions (last offered Fall 2024)
- MEBM E6310-E6311: Mixture theories for biological tissues I and II (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E6422-E6423: Introduction to the theory of elasticity I and II (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E8501: Advanced continuum biomechanics (last offered Spring 2024)
When offered by the Biomedical Engineering dept, the following courses may also count towards the Biomechanics track:
- BMEN E4301: Structure, mechanics, and adaptation of bone
- BMEN E4302: Biomechanics of musculoskeletal soft tissues
- BMEN E4305: Cardiac mechanics
- BMEN E4310: Solid biomechanics
- BMEN E4320: Fluid biomechanics
- BMEN E4340: Biomechanics of cells
- BMEN E4350: Biomechanics of developmental biology
- BMEN E4570: Science and engineering of body fluids
- BMEN E4750: Sound and hearing
- BMEN E6301: Modeling of biological tissues with finite elements
- BMME E4702: Advanced musculoskeletal biomechanics
One 3-credit research course can be counted towards the concentration if the research is approved by the student’s adviser and is biomechanics related.
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Concentration in Energy Systems
Advisors: Professors Michael Burke, Vijay Modi, Arvind Narayanaswamy, and Bianca Howard
Description: The concentration in energy systems provides the M.S. candidate with a global understanding of current energy challenges. Advanced thermofluidic knowledge is provided to design and optimize energy systems, with a strong emphasis on renewable energies. Courses related to energy and environmental policy, two strong areas of Columbia as a global university, can be integrated into the course sequence. This specialization is a suitable preparation for careers in energy production and energy consultation.
Application and Requirements
Application: To choose this concentration, select "Mechanical Engineering Energy Systems Master of Science" in the Program field when filling in the online application for the M.S. program. The name of this program will be listed on graduates' transcripts.
Requirements: While satisfying the requirements for a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, take at least five courses from:
- MECE E4210: Energy Infrastructure Planning
- MECE E4211: Energy Sources and Conversion (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4302: Advanced Thermodynamics (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4304: Turbomachinery (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4305: Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4312: Solar Thermal Engineering (last offered Fall 2022)
- MECE E4313: Decarbonizing Buildings Studio (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4314: Energy Dynamics of Green Buildings (last offered Spring 2023)
- MECE E4320: Introduction to Combustion (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4330: Thermofluid Systems Design (last offered Fall 2021)
- MECE E4350: Building Energy Modeling and Simulation (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E6100: Advanced Mechanics of Fluids (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E6102: Computational Heat Transfer-Fluid Flow (last offered Spring 2025)
- MECE E6104: Case Studies in Computational Fluid Dynamics
- MECE E6106: Finite Element Method for Fluid Flow and Fluid-Structure Interactions (last offered Fall 2024)
- MECE E6313: Advanced Heat Transfer (last offered Spring 2026)
When offered by other departments, any of the following courses may also count toward the concentration:
- APPH E4130: Solar Energy & Storage
- CHEN E4201: Engin Appl of Electrochemistry
- ENME E6370: Turbulence Theory and Modeling
And, when offered by other departments, one of the following courses may also count toward the concentration:
- ELEN E4510: Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Power
- ELEN E4511: Power Systems Analysis (instructor permission)
And, when by other departments, one of the following courses may also count toward the concentration:
- EAEE E4220: Energy System Economics and Optimization
- ELEN E6906: Future Energy: Econ-syst
And, when offered by other departments, one of the following courses may also count toward the concentration:
- EAEE E4300: Intro to Carbon Management
- EAEE E4301: Carbon Storage
- EAEE E4302: Carbon Capture
- EAEE E4305: CO2 Utilization and Conversion
- EAEE E6126: Carbon Sequestration
*Note that not all courses in the lists above are offered every year.*
Furthermore, one 3-credit research course can be counted toward the concentration if the research is approved by the student's adviser and is energy related.
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Concentration in Micro/Nanoscale Engineering
Advisors: Professors James C. Hone, Jeffrey W. Kysar, Qiao Lin, and P. James Schuck
Description: Micro/Nanoscale engineering represents the field of mechanics at the micrometer and nanometer length scales. These small length scales are where physics, chemistry, and biology intersect, and thus Micro/Nanoscale engineering provides both unprecedented challenges and opportunities for designing materials, systems, and devices with completely new functionalities. As an inherently interdisciplinary field, Micro/Nanoscale engineering lies at the center of fast-growing nanotechnology-enabled sectors, and fits uniquely within a Mechanical Engineering curriculum where it is complemented by topics in materials manufacturing, device design, biosensing, and biomechanics, and others. The Micro/Nanoscale engineering concentration prepares students for careers in diverse and rapidly expanding areas that span energy harvesting and ultrafast information processing to biometrics and theranostics. The curriculum addresses fundamental issues of mechanics, fluid mechanics, optics, heat transfer, and manufacturing at small size scales, with application spaces that include microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), bio-MEMS, microfluidics, thermal systems, and data storage.
Application and Requirements
Application: To choose this concentration, select "Mechanical Engineering Micro/Nanoscale Engineering Master of Science" in the Program field when filling in the online application for the M.S. program. The name of this program will be listed on graduates' transcripts.
Requirements: The requirements for the Micro/Nanoscale engineering track ensures that students obtain an education in Micro/Nanoscale engineering that is both broad and deep. Students will be required to take at least five classes from a selected pool that covers many aspects of Micro/Nanoengineering. Currently, eight classes are compatible with the general requirements for the Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. These include:
- MECE E4058: Mechatronics (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4212: Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4213: BioMEMS (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4214: MEMS Production and Manufacturing (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E6137: Nanoscale Actuation and Sensing (last offered Spring 2026)
- MEEM E6432: Small Scale Mechanical Behavior (last offered Fall 2022)
- APPH E6081: Solid State Physics 1
- ELEN E4106: Advanced Solid State Device Materials
- ELEN E4411: Fundamentals of Photonics
- ELEN E4944: Principles of Device Microfabrication
- ELEN E6331: Principles Semiconductor Physics
- ELEN E6414: Photonic Integrated Circuits
- ELEN E6945: Device Nano Fabrication
- MSAE E4090: Nanotechnology
- MSAE E4100: Crystallography
- PHYS W4018: Solid State Physics
One 3-credit research course can be counted towards the concentration if the research is approved by the student’s adviser and is Micro/Nanoscale related.
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Concentration in Robotics and Control
Advisors: Professors Sunil Agrawal, Matei Ciocarlie, Hod Lipson, and Homayoon Beigi
Description: The field of robotics is seeing unprecedented growth, in areas as diverse as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, health care, space exploration, and more. This program prepares students for a career in robotics and its many applications in society. Students perform in-depth study of topics such as robotic manipulation, navigation, perception, human interaction, medical robotics, assistance, and rehabilitation. This specialization is a suitable preparation for joining established companies, information-age dominant players investing heavily in this field, or the new wave of robotics start-ups aiming to provide disruptive innovations. Many of the acquired skills can be applied in other fields as diverse as automation, manufacturing, computer graphics, or machine vision. This program can also be a foundation for a research career in robotics and related areas, in both academia and industry.
Application and Requirements
Application: To choose this concentration, select "Mechanical Engineering Master of Science" in the Program field when filling in the online application for the M.S. program and check "Robotics and Control" under the Area of Research Interest field of the application. Indicate your preference for the Robotics and Control special track during the orientation period at the beginning of the program. The name of this program will be listed on graduates' transcripts.
Requirements: While satisfying the requirements for a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, take at least five courses from:
- MECE E4058: Mechatronics and Embedded Microcomputer Control (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4213: Lab-on-a Chip and Microrobotics Devices (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4401: Introduction to Kinematics of Machines and Robots (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4602: Introduction to Robotics (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4603 Applied Robotics: Algorithms & Software (last offered Fall 2024)
- MECE E4606: Digital Manufacturing (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E4611: Robotics Studio (last offered Fall 2025)
- MECE E4613: Industrial Automation (last offered Spring 2026)
- MECE E6400: Advanced Machine Dynamics (last offered 2026)
- MECE E6614: Advanced Topics in Robotics and Mechanism Synthesis (last offered Spring 2025)
- MECE E6620: Applied Acoustics and Signal Recognition (last offered Spring 2025)
- MECS E4510: Evolutionary Computation and Design Automation (last offered Fall 2023)
- EEME E6610-6619: Topics in Control
- MECS E6615: Robotic Manipulation
- MECS E6616: Robot Learning (last offered Spring 2026)
- MEEE E4600: Continuous Control Systems (last offered Fall 2025)
- EEME E4601: Discrete Control Systems
- MEEC E6600: Mathematics of Machine Learning, Signals, and Control (last offered Spring 2026)
- EEME E6602: Modern Control Theory
- MEEE E6610: Nonlinear and Adaptive Control (last offered Fall 2025)
- BMME E4702: Advanced Musculoskeletal Biomechanics
- MEBM E4439: Modeling & ID of Dynamical Systems (last offered Fall 2025)
- BMEN E4440: Physiological Control Systems
When offered by other departments, a maximum of one of the following courses may be used to satisfy the robotics requirements:
- COMS W4701: Artificial Intelligence
- COMS W4731: Computer Vision
- COMS W4733: Computational Aspects of Robotics
- ELEN E4810: Digital Signal Processing
One 3-credit research course can be counted towards the concentration if the research is approved by the student’s adviser and is Robotics-related.
Graduate Student Affairs
For more information, please visit the Graduate Student Affairs website.