The Haslam College of Business and the Tickle College of Engineering offer an integrated program leading to the conferral of the Master of Science with a major Mechanical Engineering and the Master of Business Administration degree with a major in Business Administration.

The establishment of the dual degree program addresses the critical need for personnel trained in both engineering and management who can integrate an increasingly complex body of knowledge for rapid introduction of new products to the marketplace. The objective of the dual degree program is to prepare graduates to take a leading management role in companies that must react quickly to a dynamic market where forces of competition require rapid changes via short cycles in design, manufacturing, and product development.

Options Available

Mechanical Engineering — Thesis Option, Project Option, Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exam Option

Business Administration — Course Only without Comprehensive Exam

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Admissions Standards/Procedures

Applicants for the MS-MBA program must make separate applications to and be accepted by Graduate Admissions for the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and Graduate Admissions for the Master of Business Administration.

Students who are accepted into the MS-MBA program will be assigned an advisor in each of the two majors, who will be responsible for course approval and supervision of the students’ progress through the dual program.

Applications by United States citizens and permanent residents received after the MBA application deadline (February 1) will be considered as space allows. Additional information is required and different application dates are established by Graduate Admissions for international students.

Academic Standards

Dual degree candidates must satisfy the curriculum and graduation requirements of the Tickle College of Engineering and the Haslam College of Business.

Credit Hours Required

• 60 or 63 graduate credit hours
  • 36 graduate credit hours of coursework in the Haslam College of Business.
  • 24 or 27 graduate credit hours in the Mechanical Engineering curriculum depending on the option chosen for the Master of Science:
    • Thesis Option (27 credit hours): 21 credit hours of coursework plus 6 credit hours of ME 500 .
    • Project Option (24 credit hours): 21 credit hours of coursework plus 3 credit hours of ME 590 .
    • Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exam Option (24 credit hours): 24 credit hours of coursework.

Required Courses

• Students meet the degree requirements as defined in the Master of Business Administration  major and the Master of Science in the Mechanical Engineering major , including
  • Thesis Option: ME 500  (6 credit hours)
  • Project Option: ME 590  (3 credit hours)

Non-Course Requirements

• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
  • Thesis Option – write and defend the thesis
  • Project Option – culminating experience in ME 590  
• The student’s guidance committee should have representation from both the Mechanical Engineering and Business faculty to ensure that degree requirements for both the MS and MBA are fully met.