Why Pursue a PhD in Mechanical Engineering
The PhD in Mechanical Engineering is a collaborative educational and research endeavor between the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Southwest Research Institute, a world-renowned nonprofit research institute in San Antonio excelling in applied sciences and technology developments. Graduates gain expertise in areas that are vital to the interests in San Antonio, the state, and the nation, such as Thermal and Fluid Systems, Mechanical Systems and Design, Mechanics and Materials, and Biomechanics/Bioengineering.
Research Areas
In the UTSA Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Industrial Engineering, graduate researchers mainly focus on the following areas:
- Mechanics & Materials
- Thermal-Fluid & Energy
- Manufacturing & Systems Engineering
- Robotics, Device Design & Control
- Biomechanics & Healthcare Engineering
Labs and Facilities
Admission & Application Requirements
Applications are submitted through the UTSA Graduate Application. Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UTSA Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UTSA by the appropriate application deadline.
| Mechanical Engineering (PhD) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Required Degree | Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution. | |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours | |
| Coursework | 18 credit hours in an area related to this graduate degree and at least 12 hours must be at the upper-division level. | |
| Transcripts* | Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English | |
| Credential Evaluation | Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) directly from the graduate admission application platform | |
| English Language Proficiency | 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100 | |
| Purpose Statement | Required | |
| Resume | Required | |
| Letters of Recommendation | 2 academic or professional reference(s) demonstrating your attributes for successful completion of this program (you will request these through the Graduate Admissions Application; let your recommenders know of your deadline to ensure submissions are on time) | |
| *Unofficial transcripts will be taken into consideration for admissions; however, if admitted into the program, you must submit official transcripts to the University. | ||
Application Deadlines
Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.
| Mechanical Engineering (PhD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing on Admission Decision: Completed applications will be reviewed for admission on a rolling basis. Decisions generally will be made and sent to applicants within 4 to 6 weeks of receiving the application. | |||
| Application Deadlines for: | Priority | International | Domestic |
| Spring 2025 | Not Available | October 1 | November 1 |
| Summer 2025 | Not Available | Not Available | Not Available |
| Fall 2025 | February 1 | June 1 | August 1 |
| Spring 2026 | Not Available | October 1 | November 1 |
| Summer 2026 | Not Available | Not Available | Not Available |
Funding Opportunities
For more information about graduate funding options, click below.
Career Options
UTSA prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below is data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.
This program is housed on UTSA’s Main campus.
