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Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Major, MS – Aerospace Engineering / Biomedical Engineering / Mechanical Engineering Concentration


A Master of Science degree with a major in reliability and maintainability engineering is offered through an interdepartmental program. Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. See the catalog listings for the appropriate department in the College of Engineering and the Department of Business Analytics and Statistics for more information about the courses offered. The program can be completed on campus or through distance delivery. The Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Program Director is the contact for all students interested in the reliability and maintainability engineering major.

Admission

Applicants for admission to the MS program with a major in reliability and maintainability engineering are expected to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate program in engineering or physics. Students from other appropriate disciplines (e.g. chemistry, mathematics, etc.) can be admitted but additional engineering courses may be required. Entering students must have, as a minimum, competency in mathematics through ordinary differential equations. Submit online application to Graduate Admissions Office.

Requirements

Students, with the concurrence of their graduate committee, may choose between a thesis option and a non-thesis project option. The chosen course work must be approved by the graduate student’s major professor and committee. After the completion of the formal program course work and research, the student must pass an oral examination conducted by his/her graduate committee. The committee will include the student’s major professor, the Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Program Director (or appointee), and another faculty member at the rank of assistant professor or above.

Thesis Option

Specific requirements of the thesis option are a minimum of 30 semester hours including:

  • Twelve hours of reliability and maintainability engineering core courses as listed below.
  • Six hours of required statistics sequence.
  • Three hours of reliability and maintainability engineering elective courses or statistics electives chosen from the lists below.
  • Three semester hours in engineering, statistics (other than STAT 560, STAT 567), business management, or a related field.
  • Master’s thesis – 6 hours through the department of the major professor.
  • A final oral examination covering the thesis and related course work.

Non-Thesis Option

Specific requirements of the non-thesis option are a minimum of 30 semester hours including:

  • Twelve hours of reliability and maintainability engineering core courses as listed below.
  • Six hours of required statistics sequence.
  • Six hours of reliability and maintainability engineering elective courses or statistics elective courses chosen from the lists below.
  • Three semester hours in engineering, statistics (other than STAT 560, STAT 567), business management, or a related field.
  • Project in Lieu of Thesis (3 hours). The course will be supervised by the student’s master’s committee. A written project proposal describing what the student will do in the course must be submitted in advance to the graduate student’s committee for approval. A written final report is required. The project course may be taken through the major professor’s department: Chemical Engineering CBE 580, Electrical and Computer Engineering ECE 501, Industrial Engineering IE 501, Mechanical Engineering ME 590, or Nuclear Engineering NE 598.
  • A final oral examination covering the project and related course work. The final oral examination must be on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus.

Note: At least two-thirds of the minimum required hours must be taken in courses numbered at or above the 500 level.

Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Core Courses:

  • CBE 483*, IE 483*,  ME 483*, or NE 483*
  • CBE 484*, IE 484*, MSE 484*, ME 484*, or NE 484*
  • CBE 585* or NE 585*
  • IE 517*

Required Statistics Sequence

  • STAT 560
  • STAT 567

Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Electives:

  • CBE 529, BME 529, CE 529, ECE 529, ENVE 529, MSE 529, ME 529, or NE 529
  • CBE 562 or IE 562
  • ECE 504
  • IE 516
  • IE 522
  • ME 534*
  • NE 575*
  • NE 579*

Statistics Electives:

  • STAT 474
  • STAT 537*
  • STAT 538*
  • STAT 575
  • STAT 579*

*Currently offered through distance education.
All courses are 3 hour courses.