The Department of Mechanical Engineering has a well-established graduate program.  The department started its Master of Science program in 1975 and Doctoral program in 1989.  These programs lead to the Master of Science (M.S.) Degree, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Such degrees are awarded essentially in recognition of academic excellence as well as the professional development of a graduate student, rather than for completing a prescribed set of courses.  Therefore, the graduate students are expected to demonstrate competence in a series of professional requirements that require an element of creativity.  Consequently, the graduate program in the Mechanical Engineering Department emphasizes the application of theoretical principles to practical problems in the field of mechanical engineering.  It is hoped that this graduate program will help in providing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the high caliber engineers needed for the development of the country.

 The graduate program offers specialization in four important branches of mechanical engineering.  These are, Thermofluid Sciences, Engineering Mechanics, Materials and Manufacturing, and Aerospace Engineering.  The graduate program has been designed to cope with the modern trends and developments in the area of mechanical engineering.  The lower level (500-level) graduate courses are designed to provide the student with an opportunity to expand and broaden his knowledge-base in the respective subjects.  However, the higher level (600-level) graduate courses are designed to challenge the student and to sharpen his skills in problem-solving, original thinking, researching, technical reporting and presentation.  The graduate student is also provided with an opportunity to improve his skills in conducting technical experiments, performing conceptual analysis, and developing the related analytical models.

 The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a wide selection of graduate courses and research activities with the help of which the student can fulfill his degree requirements, and complete and defend a thesis or dissertation based on original work in one of the areas of mechanical engineering.