What are gradschool options for Mechanical Engineering?

[liubare]

Just wondering what I could go into for grad school with a ME undergrad?
I really enjoy physics, but I want to be more "hands-on" for my career, but at the same time I want to be able to freely communicate with professional physicists.

Is there a website or something that lays out graduate options for undergrads?

 

[MATLABdude]

You could go into engineering grad school. Switching disciplines is a bit of a stretch (since there will be other candidates with more applicable education and background), but not completely impossible (especially if you're willing to take 'remedial' courses to bone up your background). Grad school and research don't always fit in the nice little divisions you see in undergrad.

 

[liubare]

Thanks for the response. At this point, I have an interest in getting into nanotechnology and/or space transportation. Do you think a ME is a good undergrad for this path?

 

[MATLABdude]

I think that mechanical is probably as good of an undergrad degree as any, aside from perhaps aerospace engineering or nano engineering. There are a few bonafide nano engineering programs, but I think nano engineering (as stand-alone degree programs, and not as in the technical field) is probably in its infancy.

Obviously, if you decide you'd like to do nano or aerospace for grad school, you should take those electives that provide the background (or at least introduction) necessary to do so. And you should probably find a grad school with a mechanical (or other) engineering department that does a lot of aerospace or nano (and they're definitely out there).

Talk to your profs--even if they don't do something you're really interested in, they probably know someone (at the same institution / department or otherwise) who does.