The requirements for the M.A.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering can be satisfied through full or part-time study. The minimum course requirements are four half-courses; at least three of which should be at the 700 level, and two courses must have “MECHENG” as part of the course code. Students are required to present a thesis which embodies the results of independent work that the candidate has completed and demonstrates competence in Mechanical Engineering. An oral defence of the thesis is required.
In addition, all full-time M.A.Sc. students are required to successfully complete 4 offerings of MECHENG 758 “Graduate Seminars in Mechanical Engineering”. For further details, please see MECHENG 758 on the course listings page.
Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Systems, Bone Adaptation to Mechanical Stimuli & Injury, Surgical Robotics, Bone Fracture Limits & Injury Tolerance, Design of Artificial Joint Replacements, Surrogates for Biomechanical Research, Bio-Functional Interfaces, Biomaterials & Biosensors, Cardiovascular Mechanics, Medical Imaging.
Research group(s): Biomechanics Laboratory
Manufacturing
Casting, Computer Aided Manufacturing, Electrical Discharge Machining, Grinding, Machining of Advanced Materials, Machining Processes and Systems, Materials Processing and Systems, Manufacturing Automation, Manufacturing Processes and Systems, Metal Forming, Cutting and Removal, Metallic and Non-Metallic Coatings for Advanced Steels, Process Modelling & Simulation, Robotics.
Research group(s): Centre for Advanced Micro Electro Fluidics (CAMEF), Machining Systems Laboratory (MSL), McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), Metal Forming Laboratory (MFL), Micro-machining Laboratory, Robotics and Manufacturing Automation Research (RMAL), Centre for Advanced Polymer Processing & Design (CAPPA-D)
Mechanics & Design
Automotive Applications, Computer aided design, Control Systems, Dynamics and Vibrations, Finite Element Analysis, Flow Induced Vibration and Noise, Hybrid Vehicles, Materials and Microstructural Engineering, Mechatronics, Microelectromechanical (MEMS) Devices, Product Design and Manufacturing, Robotics, Theoretical Mechanics.
Research group(s): McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), McMaster Automotive Research Centre (MARC), McMaster Mechatronics Research Group, Flow-induced Vibration & Aerocoustics Laboratory
Smart Systems
Aerospace, Artificial Intelligence, Control Systems, Data Science, Estimation Theory, Machine Learning, Machine Vision, Manufacturing Processes and Systems, Mechatronics, Modelling and Simulation of Smart Systems, Robotics, Signal Processing, Spacecraft Systems.
Research group(s): Centre for Mechatronics and Hybrid Technology (CMHT), Intelligent and Cognitive Engineering Laboratory (ICE), McMaster Automotive Research Centre (MARC), McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), McMaster Mechatronics Research Group, Robotics and Manufacturing Automation Research (RMAL)
Research group(s): Centre for Advanced Micro Electro Fluidics (CAMEF), Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Integrated Community Energy and Harvesting Systems (ICE-Harvest, interdisciplinary), Thermal Management Research Laboratory (TMRL), Thermal Processing Laboratory (TPL)
Admission
requirements
Academic Prerequisites
Honours Bachelor’s Degree (4 Year) in Engineering, Sciences, or equivalent.
Admission is very competitive, so meeting/surpassing the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to this program. Many variables are considered when the Department of Mechanical Engineering is making a decision to recommend an applicant for admission, some of which include: research fit; available funding; the applicant’s statement of interest; the applicant’s specific industry/research experience outlined in their resume/CV; and the applicant’s reference reports. GRE scores are NOT taken into consideration for admission.
English comprehension and communication (oral and written) are necessary for learning and research at McMaster University, as English is the language of instruction. You will be required to satisfy a certain level of English language proficiency (ELP) to gain admission to this program IF the following points are true for you: 1. English is not your native language; and 2. English is not the language of instruction at your previous institution*.
Proof of English proficiency can be satisfied by providing any of the following tests results from tests taken within 2 years of the application deadline:
TOEFL Scores
Minimum 550 – written test
Minimum 213 – computer-based test
Minimum score of 88
To ensure your TOEFL score is received by this department, please indicate Institution Code 0936 and Department Code 68 when requesting your transcripts from the TOEFL testing centre.
IELTS Scores
Test must be Academic; not General
Minimum overall score of 6.5
Minimum score of 5.5 for each section
MELAB Scores
Minimum score of 85
*If English IS the language of instruction at your previous institution, you can be exempted from the ELP requirement by providing either: 1. an official letter from your previous institution stating that the language of instruction is English; OR 2. official transcripts which state that English is the language of instruction.
Electronic academic transcripts for ALL post-secondary studies completed or in progress at the time of application must be included in your application. Transcripts must show all courses and marks (where applicable), along with the transcripts’ legends/keys/grading schemes. Transcripts from institutions where you completed courses on Letter of Permission and/or as part of Student Exchange Programs must also be included. Specific instructions for McMaster documents, documents from other Canadian institutions, and documents from recognized international institutions are detailed below.
Documents from McMaster University:
McMaster transcripts are not required for your application; however, you do need to declare your studies at McMaster on your application.
Documents from other Canadian institutions:
Transcripts must be submitted in TWO different formats: 1. Electronic (scanned final or in-progress transcripts that are uploaded to your online application); and 2. Paper hardcopy (official, FINAL transcripts indicating degree conferral sent directly to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in a sealed envelope by the issuing institution). These documents are required upon earliest availability. Scroll down past “Documents from recognized international institutions” for the Department’s mailing address.
Documents from recognized international institutions:
1. Electronic transcripts, degree certificates and ELP (TOEFL/IELTS) resultsmust be uploaded to your application. **Please ensure that scans of all original documents AND translations are included in your application; otherwise, your application may be deemed incomplete. 2. Official, FINAL hardcopies of transcripts, degree certificates and ELP results are not required until your arrival to McMaster University. Please do not mail incomplete or unofficial documents to the University. Your official, hardcopy documents must meet the following conditions in order to secure your study at McMaster University:
Original degree certificates and/or transcripts produced in English MUST include the date of degree conferral
**Original degree certificates produced in another language MUST be issued by the previous institution, bearing the appropriate seal/signature, and be delivered to our office (JHE-310A) in a sealed envelope when you arrive
**Original degree certificates produced in another language MUST be translated into English by a certified translator and include the date of degree conferral and the name of degree conferred, along with the translator’s seal
**Original transcripts produced in another language MUST be issued by the previous institution and be delivered to our office (JHE-310A) in a sealed envelope when you arrive
**Original transcripts produced in another language MUST be translated into English by a certified translator and include the translator’s seal.
**International students: you should be prepared to provide one original degree certificate (only if transcripts do not indicate a date of degree conferral) and one set of original, final transcripts to McMaster University when you arrive, along with a separate translation package. The translation package will NOT satisfy admission conditions on its own. Failure to provide all required documents upon arrival will jeopardize your admission to McMaster University.
Department of Mechanical Engineering Mailing Address For students who elect to have official, final documents mailed to the University, please use the following address:
Department of Mechanical Engineering c/o Diane Siv-Parr John Hodgins Engineering Building (JHE) 310A McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7 Canada
The statement of interest should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file; without it, your application will be deemed incomplete. This document should be a maximum of 2 pages and clearly communicate:
your research interests/focus, especially within the context of mechanical engineering and any of our 4 areas of specialization
how your education and experience aligns with research areas in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
any contributions you hope to make to research initiatives during your study and how you plan to make them (methods, approach)
evidence of your ability to work collaboratively and independently
Like with the statement of interest, your resume/CV should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file; without it, your application will be deemed incomplete.
Your ELP scores should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file. If you are an international student who would NOT be eligible for admission without these scores, your application will be deemed incomplete if these scores are not included. (Please refer to the Admission Requirements if you are unclear about your eligibility.)
For permanent residents/landed immigrants only: if your VISA STATUS lists “Permanent Resident of Canada” or “Landed Immigrant”, you must upload a scan of your permanent residence card (front and back) or Record of Landing (IMM1000) to your application.
Before beginning your application, you should obtain the consent of two instructors who are familiar with your academic work to provide confidential reference reports. You are not required to submit reference letters as part of your application; however, you must list your references and their contact information on your application.By entering the email addresses of your references through your online application, McMaster’s Electronic Referencing (e-Reference) system will send your references an e-Reference request on your behalf.
IMPORTANT:the system will send the e-Reference request to your references ONLY AFTER YOU SUBMIT your online application. This means that you will need to have completed AND uploaded your scanned transcripts, degree certificates (if applicable), Statement of Interest, CV/resume, ELP results (if applicable), and proof of permanent residence (if applicable) to your online application BEFORE you can click “Submit”. References may require 3-4 weeks to complete a reference report. References should be allowed time to complete their reference report by April 1, 2025.
If, for some reason, you are unable to use the Electronic Referencing System, you can download the reference formand send to your references for completion. Downloaded reference forms must be sent by the referee to mechgrad@mcmaster.ca.
Admission guide
The Department of Mechanical Engineering admits new students for each term (Fall, Winter and Spring/Summer) with our largest intake being in September (Fall term). The number of new students admitted to our graduate programs varies from year to year. Regardless of the term you select, this guide can be used to navigate the admissions process.
You will need to determine if you meet our minimum eligibility requirements; you can do this by reviewing the Admission Requirements.
After confirming your eligibility, you should review the Application Deadlines for your chosen program.
In preparation for your application, you should decide on a list of prospective supervisors (the application will allow you to indicate up to three). It is recommended that you review the bios and research of our faculty members before applying to identify Areas of Research and projects that align with your interests and experience. You may wish to reach out to your chosen faculty member(s) by email to generate their interest. In your initial communication with faculty members, you should offer a brief introduction sharing your research interests, and explain how you expect your education and experience will contribute to their research. It is recommended that you attach your resume or curriculum vitae for reference. Electronic transcripts may be attached for further support. Our faculty members are very busy year-round, so a lack of response from them typically means that they are not accepting new graduate students for your chosen term.
After you have decided on a list of prospective supervisors, area(s) of research, and term of study, you can start to prepare your documents for your online application. (Please note you do not need to secure a supervisor before applying.)
You are now ready to apply! Note that requests to waive the application fee will not be obliged.
Application status
Within a few days of successfully submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from The School of Graduate Studies (SGS). (If you do not receive this email, please email mechgrad@mcmaster.ca for assistance).
The confirmation email will contain important information about how to access Mosaic so that you can follow the status of your application and your checklist of required documents.
Typically, documents in the “Initiated” stage indicate that your application has not been marked as complete. This should not be immediate cause for concern, as Mosaic checklist updates are performed manually (not automatically); therefore–given the volume of applications received–you may need to wait up to a month to see a status update. If after a month from your application submission you notice that some documents have remained in the “Initiated” stage, this could indicate that your application is incomplete. Prior to the application deadline, you may email the graduate administrator (mechgrad@mcmaster.ca) to inquire about documents in the “Initiated” stage; however, any arrangements to receive supplementary documents are at the discretion of the graduate administrator.
Please note that our department anticipates to complete a review of all Fall 2025 applications by late May 2025; however, applicants who have the support of a faculty member from our department may have their application reviewed earlier than May 2025.
The following requests will not be obliged:
requests to submit electronic copies of documents after April 14, 2025 (international) / May 30, 2025 (domestic)
requests to review your Mosaic checklist after May 1, 2025
requests to expedite the review of an application without faculty support
How to apply
The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) at McMaster University uses an online graduate application system.
Degree: after applying filters under Program Search Criteria, please select “Mechanical Engineering – MASc (Thesis)”
Post Degree: if you have been given permission to take a MECHENG graduate course outside of our degree programs, please input the following filters under Program Search Criteria:
Select “Part-time”;
Select term in which the course is available (speak to graduate administrator if unsure);
Leave degree type blank;
Select “Graduate Studies Post Degree” (beside Academic Program)
Select “Post Degree – Engineering” from the list of programs.
Our application deadlines are listed below. If you cannot have all of the required materials submitted by these deadlines, we cannot guarantee that a decision concerning your application will be processed by the time of your desired entry date (especially if you need time to obtain a student visa).
Start Date
Online System Open
Completed Application & Application Fee Deadline
Offers of Admission Continue Until
Fall 2025
November 1, 2024
April 14, 2025 (International) May 31, 2025 (Domestic)
July 2025
Winter 2026
March 1, 2025
August 14, 2025 (International) September 30, 2025 (Domestic)
November 2025
Spring/Summer 2025
July 1, 2024
December 14, 2024 (International) January 31, 2025 (Domestic)
March 2025
Deferring or changing start dates:
Your offer of admission is only valid for the term of entry indicated; this applies to all details and funding information contained within the offer, as well. If you would like to defer or change your start date, you must obtain approval from your supervisor; this approval needs to be emailed to the graduate administrator who will then initiate the process to produce a revised offer of admission.
Funding
Faculty members in the Department of Mechanical Engineering may offer financial support to their MASc students for up to two years of study. The following are examples of funding that has been offered to some of our domestic MASc students and international MASc students for the 2023-2024 academic year:
A domestic student who began their studies in Fall of 2023 received ~ $24,300 in funding (comprised of a research scholarship, a graduate scholarship, and a *teaching assistantship)
An international student who began their studies in Fall 2023 received ~ $35,400 in funding (comprised of a research scholarship, a graduate scholarship, a *teaching assistantship, AND visa bursaries to cover the higher cost of tuition for international students)
A note about Teaching Assistantships (TAships): due to availability, if a teaching assistantship was not provided in your offer letter, then the financial support decreases by ~ $6,500.
If you are a student who was promised a TAship and you started in January (Winter term), you will be given a portion of your TAship for the Fall term of that year, or the entirety of your TAship for the Fall term of that year.
If you are a student who was originally admitted for the Fall term and needed to defer to the Winter term, any TAship connected with your first offer may change.
A graduate funding package may be constructed from a variety of other sources, including external awards from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS), and other McMaster University funding. Some researchers will provide larger funding packages to students, consistent with academic priorities and availability of funding. The funding guarantee does not prevent students from taking more time to complete their degree; however, support for overtime students is not guaranteed.
Tuition: Both full-time domestic and full-time international M.A.Sc students tuition fees can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage.
Financial matters: For further information regarding financial matters, including fees, please refer to Section 4: Financial Matters outlined in the 2024-2025 Graduate Calendar.
Accelerated M.A.Sc. Option
An Accelerated M.A.Sc. Option is now available to students currently enroled at McMaster as undergraduate students in the Mechanical Engineering Department, whereby the M.A.Sc. degree may be completed in 16-20 months of full-time study.
Master’s and PhD students may complete 4 to 12 months of co-op experience in various types of organizations, including corporations, non-profit organizations, government agencies, startups and research institutions.
The EGS actively supports engineering graduate students through events, workshops, bursaries, and collaboration with various campus organizations, focusing on representation, community building, and academic and professional development.
Hamilton, also known as The Hammer or Steeltown, is a thriving city close to the U.S. border and Toronto, with easy access for students commuting from the Greater Toronto Area via the on-campus GO Bus Terminal.