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 Tickle 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.

Concentrations (Optional) and Options Available

Materials Science and Engineering — Thesis, Project

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Distance Education

Admissions Standards/Procedures

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 Office of Graduate Admissions.

Credit Hours Required

Minimum of 30 credit hours

Required Courses

• Option Requirements
  • Thesis Option: MSE 500  (6 credit hours)  
  • Project Option:
    • 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: CBE 580 , ECE 501 , IE 501 , ME 590 , or NE 598 .
• Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Core Courses (12 credit hours):
  • CBE 483 *, IE 483 *, ME 483 *, MSE 483 *, or NE 483 *
  • CBE 484 *, IE 484 *, ME 484 *, MSE 484 *, or NE 484 *
  • CBE 585 * or NE 585 *
  • IE 517 *
• Statistics (6 credit hours)
  • IE 516  or STAT 567  
  • An additional course selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee
• Six credit hours of reliability and maintainability engineering elective courses or statistics elective courses chosen from these lists.
  • Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Electives:
    • CBE 529 , BME 529 , CE 529 , ECE 529 , ENVE 529 , MSE 529 , ME 529 , or NE 529   
    • ECE 504  
    • IE 522  
    • ME 534 *
    • MSE 421  
    • NE 441  
    • NE 575 *
    • NE 579 *
  • Statistics Electives:
    • STAT 537 *
    • STAT 538 *
    • STAT 575  
    • STAT 579 *

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

Note: For both the thesis and project option, at least two-thirds of the minimum required credit hours must be taken in courses numbered at or above the 500 level.

Additional Course Requirements

• Concentration Specific Courses: Courses taken for each of the concentrations come from the various subject areas in the Tickle College of Engineering and selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee. The concentrations represent the area of research for the thesis or project.
  • Materials Science and Engineering

Non-Course Requirements

• Thesis Option: A final oral examination covering the thesis and related course work.
• Project Option: A final oral examination covering the project and related course work.