Professional Masters in Motorsports Engineering

When you're starting up the ladder in the motorsports industry, a Master's Degree can be a big boost to your career. With a Professional Master's from Purdue University, you can get a world-class education from the only accredited motorsports engineering degree program in the country, located just steps from the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In just 1-2 years, you will get a laser focus on the engineering of motorsports, while also sharpening vital professional management skills. You'll be literally next door to an array of world-class motorsports teams, vendors, and manufacturers. You'll also join a network of more than 100,000 Boilermaker engineers around the world!

How Do I Apply?

This is an on-campus program, based in Indianapolis. After checking application requirements, you can start your application online.

  • For “Select a Campus”, choose Purdue West Lafayette (PWL)
  • For “Proposed Graduate Major”, choose Mechanical Engineering
  • For “Degree Objective”, choose MS in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • For “Area of Interest”, choose Professional Masters - Motorsports Engineering
  • For “desired location for graduate studies”, choose Indianapolis Location

How Does It Work?

Completion of the Professional Master's in Motorsports Engineering typically takes one to two years.  While this is an on-campus program, certain classes can be completed online (when available).  Graduates receive an MSME (Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering), with a concentration in Motorsports Engineering.  No thesis is involved, and it does not provide a path to a doctoral degree.  Students are ineligible for teaching/research/graduate assistantships or fellowships that provide tuition remission.

For international applicants: this is a STEM program, and international students are eligible for CPT/OPT.

You will take a total of 30 credit hours to complete the degree:

1. Core Courses in Applied Mathematics

Choose 3 credit hours of applied math courses from these recommended options:

MA 51100 - Linear Algebra
MA 52700 - Advanced Mathematics for Engineers and Physicists I
MA 52800 - Advanced Mathematics for Engineers and Physicists II
...or any course from the approved applied math course listing

2. Core Courses in Professional Development

Choose 9 credit hours of professional development courses from these options:

AAE 57100 - Complex System Safety
AAE 59000 - Space Law Lab (1 cr)
AAE 59000/ IE 59000 - Aerospace Human Factors
AAE 59000 - Space Policy (1 cr)
ABE 62600 - Learn to Translate Research into Impact (Life of a Faculty Entrepreneur: Discovery, Delivery, Translaton/Understand Technology Commercialization)
AGEC 52500 - Environmental Policy Analysis
ASEC 54800/ASEC 59100 - Communicating Science to the Public (1 cr)
ASEC 55100 - International Engagement and Development Strategies (8-week, online)
ASEC 58500 - Science Communication
BME 56400 - Ethical Engineering of Medical Technologies
BME 69500 - Pediatric Medical Devices
CE 52100 - Construction Business Management
CE 52400 - Legal Aspects in Engineering Practice
CE 59601 - Entrepreneurship & Business Strategy in Engineering
CE 59700 – Innovation Science & Socio-tech change
CEM 59700 - High Tech Entrepreneurship
CEM 59700 - Construction Accounting
ECE 50005/ ECE 59500 - IP Generation and Management: an Inventor's View
ECE 60004 - Communication for Engineering Leaders (1 cr, summer only)
ENE 55400 – Globalization and Engineering
ENE 59500 - Exploring Alternative Career Paths as an Engineering Educator
ENE 59500 - Teaching Engineering Online
ENGL 51500 – Advanced Professional Writing
ENGL 60411 – Writing Proposals and Grants
ENGL 60511 – Editing and Publishing
ENGR 50200 – Engineering Leadership
ENTR 50000 - Technology Realization Program/Commercialization/Entrepreneurship (2 crs)
IE 55800 - Safety Engineering
IE 59000 - Project Management (only one project management course can be used in the plan of study)
IE 59000 - Quality Systems Management
ME 55400 - Intellectual Property for Engineers (1 cr)
ME 59999 - PMP Professional Development (only allowed to register once)
MGMT 56200 – Project Management (2 crs) (only one project management course can be used in the plan of study)
MGMT 60000 - Accounting for Managers
MGMT 61000 - Financial Marketing
MGMT 62000 - Marketing Management
MGMT 65000 - Strategic Management I
MGMT 66000 - Operations Management
MGMT 67000 - Business Analytics
MGMT 68800 - Development of Global Business Strategy (2 crs)
MGMT 69000 - Change Management (2 crs)
MSE 53500 – Lean Manufacturing of Materials
MSE 57400 - Sports (previously MSE 597 Sports Technology & Entrepreneurship)
NUR 69060 - Innovative Care and Innovations in Healthcare Delivery
OLS 50100 - Leadership and Ethics
OLS 57100 - Advanced Project Management in Technology

You can take other MGMT grad level lecture courses, but the above list is recommended.   Daniels School of Business restricts registration, so please watch for the MGMT course registration survey released by the ME Grad Office each semester and complete the survey by the deadline if you’d like to take MGMT courses.  Otherwise you’ll need to wait until MGMT courses open to the general student population to register by yourself through the scheduling assistant.   Registration for non-MGMT courses is conducted through the scheduling assistant as usual. 

3. Core Motorsports Engineering Classes

Choose 12 credit hours of core motorsports engineering courses from these options:

  • ME 54255 - Motorsports Vehicle Dynamics Fundamentals
  • ME 54355 - Motorsports Vehicle Vibration Dynamics
  • ME 54455 - Motorsports Aerodynamics Fundamentals
  • ME 54555 - Advanced Applications of Motorsport Aerodynamics
  • ME 54655 - Composite Materials for Automotive Applications
  • ME 54755 - Design and Analysis of Materials and Structures in Lightweight Vehicles
  • ME 54855 - Motorsport Vehicle Simulations

4. Technical Electives

You need to take 6 credit hours of technical elective courses. They must be technical and quantitative in content. These can be:

  • Graduate level ME lecture courses. Recommended courses include: ME 500, 505, 509, 525, 539, 541, 562, 563, 565, 569, 570, 575, 578, 581, 586, 588, 610, 611, 614.
  • Approved non-ME courses
  • Up to two ME 59700 - Independent Study (3 credit hours for each course, a total of 6 credit hours for two courses). Independent study projects are not automatically established in the semester course listing. It is your responsibility to find a ME professor who is willing to supervise your independent project for one semester. Please check the Registration page for how to set up an independent study course.
     

Apply online today!

Have any questions?  Contact us!

ME Graduate Office
2nd floor of ME Building, 585 Purdue Mall
West Lafayette, IN 47906
MEgradoffice@purdue.edu
(765) 494-5730
Virtual office hours available Mon-Fri