Mar 17, 2026

2026-2027 Graduate Catalog

5 Year Combined Degree Program in Mechanical Engineering (BSE-ME/MSE)

Program: 5 Year BSE-ME/MSE Combined Degree
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science

Engineering, Technology and Computer Science Bldg. Rm. 321, 260-481-6965

The Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (CME) offers a five-year program through which qualified students can obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSE-ME) as well as a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree with the area of specialization in Mechanical Engineering. The BSE-ME and MSE degrees offered through this program are identical to the individual BSE-ME and MSE degrees offered by the CME department. The combined five-year degree program provides students with the opportunity to obtain these degrees in less time than would be required when pursuing them independently.

Benefits of the Program

Save Time - Receive both Bachelor’s Degree (BSE-ME) and Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree with the area of specialization in Mechanical Engineering in 5 years.
Save Money - Take three graduate courses (500-level or higher) in Bachelor’s Degree program. These three courses will also be counted as three courses in the Master’s Degree program.
Earn More - Earn more salary with an advanced degree upon completion of this combined program.

Program Delivery:

The BSE-ME/MSE program is delivered primarily through on-campus; however, the opportunity to take some courses on-line through the West Lafayette campus of Purdue University does exists. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss this option with their advisor beforehand. In order to meet the needs of both our full-time students and working adults, most of the graduate level courses are offered in the evenings.

Accreditation:

The Mechanical Engineering (BSE-ME) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Criteria.

Declaring this Major:

Admission to the combined five-year BSE-ME/MSE program may be granted under the following conditions:

Students must be enrolled in BSE-ME program at Purdue University Fort Wayne and have not yet received an undergraduate BSE-ME degree.
Students must have finished at least 60 credit hours in the respective BSE-ME bingo sheet.
Students must have achieved an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 at the time of application.
Have completed the mathematics sequence of courses equivalent to MA 16500 (Calculus I), MA 16600 (Calculus II), MA 26100 (Multivariable Calculus), MA 35100 (Linear Algebra), and MA 36300 (Differential Equations).
Have completed the physics sequence of courses equivalent to PHYS 15200 (Mechanics) and PHYS 25100 (Heat, Electricity, and Optics).
Acceptance into the program is conditional upon admission to the Purdue University Fort Wayne Graduate program.
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is required.

Students that meet the admission criteria and wish to enroll in the combined BSE-ME/MSE program should consult with their academic advisor during the second semester of their junior year or earlier, and

Complete and submit the Five Year BSE-ME/MSE Program Application (https://sites.pfw.edu/cme/5-year-program/five%20year%20bsme-mse%20application.pdf)
Complete and submit Form GS-27 (https://sites.pfw.edu/cme/5-year-program/gs-form-27.pdf)
Complete the regular application to graduate school of Purdue University: www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/admissions/how-to-apply/index.html

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduates from the Master of Science in Engineering program with concentration area in Mechanical Engineering will:

1. Be able to identify, analyze, and solve complex engineering problems, and apply advanced engineering design to create solutions that address specified needs while considering public health, safety, welfare, and global, cultural, environmental, and economic factors.

2. Demonstrate ethical research and professional conduct consistent with Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) principles (e.g., integrity, data stewardship, authorship, collaboration, conflict-of-interest management) and show civic responsibility by evaluating the societal impacts of engineering decisions and contributing their expertise to support community welfare and democratic values.

Program Requirements

The requirements for BSE-ME degree and MSE degree stay the same for students pursuing the degrees separately. For BSE-ME degree requirement, please refer to the corresponding Bingo Sheet for BSE -ME degree. All students must complete a total of 30 credit hours as described in the MSE Graduate Guidelines of PFW. The BS degree must be awarded prior to the MSE degree. Students can count up to nine (9) credit hours (three 500-level or higher graduate courses) from the list of graduate courses approved as technical elective courses in the combined BSE-ME/MSE program. See a five-year example plan of study. It should be noted that only classes with grade “C” or better will be counted. Once accepted to the combined BSE-ME/MSE program, students must follow the following rules:

It is required that an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 is maintained in the five-year BSME/MSE program.
During the 6th semester of undergraduate coursework, students must officially file the Graduate School Admission Application before the deadline specified by the Graduate Program.
After satisfactory completion of the BSME degree requirements the undergraduate degree will be awarded.
During the application of the 5 Year BSME/MSE combined degree program, students must consult with the graduate advisor and complete the Graduate Plan of Study form (Form 6). Registration for subsequent semesters will be restricted until a draft of the plan of study has been filed. Graduate plan of study may be modified with approval of the student’s graduate committee.
Students, who leave the program, whether for failure to meet the program requirements or by withdrawal, will cease to be graduate students but may continue as undergraduate students if they have not been awarded the BS degree. Such students may apply for regular admission to graduate study; but they will not be permitted to use any graduate courses used to fulfill BS requirements.

Graduates of the MSE program must complete the CITI RCR Basic training. The RCR certificate confirmation email must be sent to the Graduate Program Director when applying for graduation.

The CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Basic Training provides foundational instruction in the ethical and professional standards expected of researchers across engineering, science, and related fields. The course is designed to promote research integrity and prepare graduate students to conduct scholarly and applied research responsibly.

The training covers core RCR topic areas, including:

· Research Integrity and Misconduct (honesty, accuracy, objectivity; fabrication, falsification, plagiarism)

· Data Management and Stewardship (acquisition, storage, sharing, ownership, security)

· Authorship and Publication Practices (authorship criteria, plagiarism avoidance, responsible reporting)

· Mentor-Mentee Responsibilities (expectations, communication, professional development)

· Collaborative Research Ethics (roles, communication, accountability in team research)

· Peer Review Ethics (confidentiality, objectivity, conflict-of-interest considerations)

· Conflicts of Interest and Commitment (disclosure, management strategies)

· Human Subjects and Animal Research Overviews (key protections and regulatory frameworks)

Completion of the CITI RCR Basic course equips students with the ethical framework necessary to conduct research that upholds academic, professional, and societal standards. For more information about CITI RCR training, please visit the Purdue OGSPS website: https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/professional-development/responsible-conduct-of-research-rcr/

Major and Supporting Courses for the BSME/MSE

Select four (4) courses from the following list:

GPA Requirement

It is required that an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 is maintained while enrolled in the five-year BSME/MSE program.

Program Transfer Credit Limits

No more than 12 credit hours can be transferred to PFW from the following:

Credits earned from another university
Credits earned as undergraduate excess
Credits earned as a post-baccalaureate student
Credits earned for a graduate certificate

Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of graduate teaching assistanships are available to qualified students. Teaching assistantships usually include a stipend and substantial fee remission. Teaching assistants typically teach one or two undergraduate courses per sememster.

Interested students will need to speak with the program director for availability.

Student Responsibility

You are responsible for satisfying the graduation requirements specified for your selected program. Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies and procedures governing your academic career. If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the Graduate Director.