Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering

General Information

Program Overview

The Mechanical Engineering Department's commitment to excellence in education dates back from its creation in 1948, having always been evaluated as one of the best in the country. At the same time, the Graduate Program, since its creation in 1964, maintains high quality standards in teaching and research, playing a significant role in the national and international scientific community, resulting in the obtainment of the highest grade awarded by the CAPES evaluation, the grade 7. The developed lines of research include essential and applied problems, which are the result of a strong interaction with the industrial section.

More information on www.mec.puc-rio.br

History

Since its foundation in 1941, the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, PUC-Rio has been committed to excellence in teaching and research. Since then, PUC-Rio has maintained a leadership position in Brazil, being one of the first universities in the country to maintain a full-time faculty, conducting researches along with undergraduate and graduate teaching. From its very beginning, it has always made great investments in education and research, such as the creation of the first university computing center of the country, in 1959, alongside a faculty with solid training and experience, has led to the national and international recognition of the quality of the undergraduate and graduate programs at PUC-Rio.

The Mechanical Engineering Department (DEM) of PUC-Rio was founded in 1948. The Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering was established in 1964. The first master dissertation thesis in Engineering in Brazil was defended by Guilherme de La Penha from the PUC-Rio Mechanical Engineering Department, demonstrating the Institution's pioneering spirit. The DEM Graduate Program completed its 50 years of existence in 2014. Since its creation, the DEM has been forming  highly qualified engineers, masters and doctors, who have been occupying prominent positions in Brazilian society, in the Academy as well as in the Industry. The DEM Graduate Program has a strong national leadership, being recognized for its training of human resources, and for its development of high quality scientific and technological research. Furthermore, the Program is highlighted by a faculty with international insertion and prominence in important international Universities.  Since its very first CAPES evaluation, the Mechanical Engineering Programs have consistently been awarded the highest grade.

Objectives

The Program seeks to deepen knowledge in Mechanical sciences.

The Master's course seeks to train high-level professeionals for work in the Industry, Government organisms and for teaching and research.

The Doctoral course seeks to form high-level scientific researchers and faculty qualified for teaching and research as well as for the Industry.

Course Recognition

Master’s and Doctoral Degrees

Recognition:
CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Eduction Personnel; from Brazilian Ministry of Education) evaluation: grade 7 (in a 3 to 7 scale) for the 2010-2012 period.
Approved by the CNE/CES MEC n.288/2015 of July 08, 2015.
Granted degrees: Master and/or Doctor in Mechanical Engineering

Concentration areas and lines of research

Concentration area: Applied Mechanics

Concentration Area: Petroleum and Energy

Concentration Area: Thermal Sciences

Admission and Enrollment

Requirements

Besides general requirements, the Department demands the following:

Master

An undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or in  related areas, such as:

Civil, Naval, Aeronautical, Chemical and Physics Engineering. In exceptional cases, holders of other undergraduate degrees with a scientific or technological background may be admitted at the Graduate Committee's discretion. In any situation, the Department has the right to require an applicant, as an admission condition, to enroll in one or more undergraduate disciplines in order to fill in any gap in his or her training.

Doctorate

An undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or in related areas, such as:

Civil, Naval, Aeronautical, Chemical and Physics Engineering. In exceptional cases, holders of other undergraduate degrees with a scientific or technological background may be admitted at the Graduate Committee's discretion. In any situation, the Department has the right to require an applicant, as an admission condition, to enroll in one or more undergraduate disciplines in order to fill in any gap in his or her training.

Enrollment Period

From May 01st to June 30th, in order to start the course in August.

From October 01st until November 30th in order to start the course in March

Registration is made on-line at the PUC-Rio website: http://www.ccpa.puc-rio.br/inscricao_pos

Required Documents

• Admission application form duly filled online.
• Indication of two people to fill the reference sheets. They must be filled through the online system, until the end of the registration period (Nov 30th, 2015).
• Copy of undergraduate diploma (in a field related to Mechanical Engineering) or the undergraduate course completion certificate. The doctoral applicant must also attach a copy of the Master’s diploma or the master course completion certificate. In case the student is still  attending the last university term, he or she must submit a statement of their university stating that, if approved in the subjects they are enrolled in, he or she will complete their course at the end of the current semester.
• Undergraduate Academic transcripts (Master and Doctoral applicants) and Master’s degree transcripts (Doctoral applicants).
• Doctoral applicants must attach a Statement of Purpose, containing:
  • Reasons that lead him or her to take the course;
  • Intended work area;
  • Summarized work plan (maximum 1 page), if any.
• Curriculum Vitae

If approved, the student must submit, before enrollment, original and legible (or certified) copies of the following documents:

• Birth or marriage certificate
• CPF
• Identity document
• Army reserve certificate (for Brazilians)
• Undergraduate diploma (or a certificate of undergraduate course completion, in case the diploma is not yet under the student's possession)
• Diploma or certificate of Master's degree obtainment for doctoral students (in the case of a diploma issued by an institution outside Brazil, the diploma must have a consular visa or a letter of acceptance from the Department, declaring  to recognize the course).
• Academic transcripts

Candidate Selection

Applicant selection criteria is based on academic transcripts, curriculum vitae, reference letters and an on-site or online exam. If necessary, applicants will also be interviewed.

Students can apply for full tuition waver. Courses can be followed on either a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students may apply for paid scholarships. The student will be able to follow the process electronically. Accepted applicants must immediately contact the Coordination, confirming or not his or her intention to effectively enroll in the course.

More information on www.mec.puc-rio.br/?pag=pos_apresentacao

Contact: pgmec@puc-rio.br or phone: (21) 3527-1164

Requirements for obtaining the Master’s and Doctoral degrees

Master’s Degree

Completion of at least 24 credits in Graduate disciplines, distributed as follows:

• At least 15 credits in disciplines related to his or her Concentration Area, from which 06 credits should be from the Concentration Area's  elective discipline group (except the Petroleum and Energy Areas, as described below) and 9 credits should be from the CTC's elective discipline group;
• 03 credits from the Mathematics field, from which one can choose either MEC 2110 - Mathematical Methods in Mechanical Engineering I, 3cr, MEC 2111 - Mathematical Methods in Mechanical Engineering II, 3cr, disciplines of the Mathematics Department or other disciplines containing mathematical content, approved by the Graduate Committee  as belonging to the  Mathematics area;
• Maximum of 06 credits from Orientated Study: candidates must have the authorization of the Departmental Committee of the Graduate Program in order to enroll in these disciplines;
• 02 credits maximum in Undergraduate Teaching Internship disciplines (MEC 3201, Undergraduate Teaching Internship I and MEC 3211-  Undergraduate Teaching Internship II);
• And the remainder in related areas.

Every student that has received a scholarship from a funding agency (paid scholarship), during any month of his or her course, must complete the MEC 3201 - Undergraduate Teaching Internship I discipline, which is worth 01 credit.

All students must enroll in the Master’s Seminary discipline which is worth zero credit.

All students must inform the graduate Coordinator his or her adviser’s name and master thesis topic - which should be chosen with the advisor - until the end of the first course period, when the pre-enrollment in the MEC 3003-Master’s Thesis Proposal discipline, worth zero credit, should be done. Assessment in this discipline consists of an oral presentation of the Proposal, to be evaluated by the Master's Proposal Evaluation Committee, formed by two professors from different areas appointed by the Coordinator, and by the Coordinator himself.

Demonstrate sufficient reading knowledge of at least one foreign language (English-3101, German-LET 3100 or French-LET 3102), through a proficiency examination.

As a requirement for the master's thesis defense, the student must enroll in the Scientific Production in Master (MEC 3030) discipline. In order to be approved in this discipline, the student must submit a complete article in English of his or her own authorship, related to his or her dissertation thesis, following the International Congress format, submitted or not. The student and his advisor must be authors of the articles. The article should be attached to the dissertation for the jury's assessment. The deadline for the article submission is the same as that of the final version of the dissertation thesis. In cases where the dissertation has resulted in patentable goods, liable to  registration or transfer of technology, the article may be replaced by a descriptive report describing its invention, which should be submitted to the University's Central Administration, according to the Rector's established decree on 30/99.

Present, defend and be approved in the Master’s Dissertation thesis (MEC 3000). The deadline for the Dissertation defense is 24 months, according to the PUC-Rio regulation.

Note: In the case of scholarship holders, the maintenance of scholarships or tuition wavers depend on the student's academic performance.

Groups of Electives corresponding to each area

• Concentration Area: Applied Mechanics
  The Master’s student of the Area of Concentration Applied Mechanics must necessarily select two subjects (06 credits) of different groups among the four groups of electives below:
  MEC 2101 - Classical Mechanics or MEC 2364 - Dynamics
  MEC 2240 -Theory of Elasticity or MEC 2120 - Finite Elements in Mechanical Engineering
  MEC 2358 - Mechanical Systems Control or MEC 2401 -Introduction to Robotics
  MEC 2367-Structural Integrity or MEC 2233 - Mechanical Behavior of Advanced Materials.
• Concentration Area: Thermal Sciences
  The Master’s student of the Area of Concentration Thermosciences must necessarily select two subjects (06 credits) of different groups among the four groups of electives below:
  MEC 2303 Thermodynamics
  MEC 2320 Transport Phenomena
  MEC 2344 Fluid Mechanics I or MEC 2345 Fluid Mechanics II
  MEC 2347 Heat Transfer I or MEC 2348 Heat Transfer II
• Concentration Area: Oil and Energy
  The Master’s student of the Area of Concentration Oil & Energy must necessarily select a subject (03 credits) of the elective groups of Thermosciences or of Applied Mechanics and a second subject (03 credits) among the three groups of electives below:
  MEC 2373 - Pipeline Flow or MEC 2374 - Mechanical Design of Pipelines
  MEC 2386 - Power Systems
  MEC 2383 - Well Engineering or MEC 2381 - Well Drilling or MEC 2384 - Reservoir Engineering or MEC 2385 - Production Engineering

Doctoral Degree

Completion of at least 48 credits (including 24 credits of the Master’s degree) from the Graduate Program's disciplines. Disciplines in each area are not specified and must, a priori, be chosen by the candidate along with the advisor's advice. The 48 credits in Graduate disciplines must obey the following distribution according to their respective areas:

• A minimum of 12 credits from the concentration area, of which 06 credits must be among the elective disciplines of the concentration area (including the 06 credits already obtained in the master’s degree among the concentration area's elective disciplines);
• A minimum of 06 credits in the Mathematics area (including 03 credits obtained from the Master’s course); from which the student can choose between MEC 2110 - Mathematical Methods in Mechanical Engineering I, 3 credits; MEC 2111 - Mathematical Methods in Mechanical Engineering II, 3 credits, disciplines from the Mathematics Department or other disciplines with Mathematical content approved by the Graduate Committee as belonging to the Mathematics area;
• A maximum of 09 credits from Oriented Study: candidates must have the authorization of the Graduate Program’s Departmental Committee in order to enroll in these disciplines;
• 03 credits maximum in Undergraduate Teaching Internship disciplines (MEC 3201 - Undergraduate Teaching Internship I, MEC 3211- Undergraduate Teaching Internship II or MEC 3221 - Undergraduate Teaching Internship III );
• and the remainder in related areas.

Every student that has received a scholarship from a funding agency (paid scholarship), during any month of the course, must complete at least two Teaching Internship disciplines (including the completed disciplines from the Master's course).

All students must enroll in the MEC 2001 - Doctoral Seminar I and MEC 2002 - Doctoral Seminar II disciplines. These disciplines are worth zero credit and should be preferably taken during the execution of the Doctoral Thesis.

Approval in the Qualifying Exam, MEC 3005, which is subdivided in two oral examinations, whose rules can be found in the DEM 001/2009 letter. Students that have not been approved in the Qualifying Exam by the end of the fourth academic period are expelled from the Program.

Proof of sufficient reading knowledge in two foreign languages (English - LET 3101, German - LET 3100 or French - LET 3102), or sufficient knowledge in reading and technical writing in one foreign language (English - LET 3106). Only one exam is enough if the student has been previously approved in the Master's language exam.

As a requirement for the doctoral thesis defense, the student must enroll in the Doctoral Scientific Production discipline (MEC 3031). In order to be approved in this discipline, the student must submit two complete articles in English, from which at least one article must be an indexed periodical. From these two articles, at least one must be accepted. The student and the advisor must be authors of articles. The completed articles must be attached to the thesis for the jury's assessment. The  deadline for the article submission is the same as that of the final version of the doctoral thesis. In cases where the thesis has resulted in patentable assets, with technology registration or transfer, the articles may be replaced by a descriptive report of its invention, which should also be submitted to the University's Central Administration, according to the the provisions of ordinance 30/99 by the Rector.

Presentation, defense and be approval of Doctoral Thesis (MEC 3001). The deadline for the Doctoral Thesis defense is 48 months, according to the PUC-Rio regulation.

Note: the maintenance of scholarship or tuition wavers depend on the student’s academic performance.

Rules for the Qualifying Exam

• Download the Rules for the Qualifying Exam

Electives Groups corresponding to each Area

• Concentration area: Applied Mechanics
  The Doctoral student from the Applied Mechanics Concentration Area must imperatively select two disciplines (06 credits) of different groups from the four groups of electives below:
  MEC 2101-Classical Mechanics or MEC 2364-Dynamics
  MEC 2240-Elasticity Theory or MEC 2120-Finite Elements in Mechanical Engineering.
  MEC 2358-Mechanical Systems Control or MEC 2401-Introduction to Robotics.
  MEC 2367-Structural Integrity or MEC 2233-Advanced Mechanical Behavior of Materials
• Concentration Area: Thermal Science
  The Doctoral student from the Thermal Science Concentration Area must imperatively select two disciplines (06 credits) of different groups from the four groups of electives below:
  MEC 2303 Thermodynamics
  MEC 2320 Transport Phenomena
  MEC 2344 Fluid Mechanics I or MEC 2345 Fluid Mechanics II
  MEC Heat Transfer I or MEC 2348 Heat Transfer II
• Concentration Area: Oil and Energy
  The Oil and Energy Concentration Area student must necessarily select a subject (03 credits) of the elective groups of Thermosciences or of Applied Mechanics and a second subject (03 credits) among the three groups of electives below:
  MEC 2373 - Pipeline Flow or MEC 2374 - Mechanical Design of Pipelines
  MEC 2383 - Well Engineering or MEC 2381 - Well Drilling or MEC 2384 - Reservoir Engineering or MEC 2385 - Production Engineering
  MEC 2386 - Power Systems