MS&E Degree Program

The degree plans for MS&E were established at the onset of the 2002/03 academic year. The first MS and PhD students have already graduated, with a mean time to degree of under four years for the PhD and two years for the MS; entering the program with an MS degree allows completion in under three years. While the program is relatively young in terms of nomenclature, the participating departments and faculty on campus have an extensive legacy of researching, and offering academic training relevant to, material science and engineering.

Overview

Degree Requirements

Applying

Financial Assistance

Overview

Because the study of materials is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature, the materials academic programs span two different Schools/Colleges on campus. The graduate degrees are administered by the Graduate School.

• The MS degree in Materials Science and Engineering MS degree is interdisciplinary, and has two tracks, one with a science emphasis (atomic level studies) and the other with an emgineering emphasis (more macro level studies, including modeling and mechanical behavior).
• The PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering is interdisciplinary, and has two tracks, one with a science emphasis (atomic level studies) and the other with an emgineering emphasis (more macro level studies, including modeling and mechanical behavior)

All students are afforded the opportunity to build an academic program that encompasses both the scientific and engineering perspectives.

Upon graduation, the degrees are designed to be of value in either academic or applied settings.

Degree Requirements

For both the MS and the PhD programs, the requirements of the MS&E degrees allow for a great deal of flexibility. Students are able to select courses of interest and to work on research with faculty in the affiliated departments.

The five year programs offer a BS in either chemistry or physics and an MS in Materials Science and Engineering. These are expedited degree programs in which three courses count toward both degrees, and allows the student to get into the professional job environment at least a year earlier than taking separate science BS and engineering MS degrees. More complete details are given in the student handbook (see below for download).

The specifications of the degrees are articulated in the following documents:

• Bulletin Description of Materials Science Track
• Student Handbook for Materials Science Track - PDF format
  (Requires Adobe Acrobat - Get Free Download)
• Bulletin Description of Materials Engineering Track (under Mechanical Eninering)

Applying

Students with either engineering or science backgrounds, in a related discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc.), are encouraged to apply to the MS&E program. Either part-time or full-time status is available (note full-time status is required for financial assistance).

Students from outside the United States need to submit the general GRE and TOEFL scores. To be competitive, you will need GRE scores of at least 450, 600 and 3.5, as well as a TOEFL score of 625 (263 for computer test, 107 for IBT, and 7.5-8 for IELTS).

Selected courses are also available in distance asynchronous delivery formats. This type of delivery format has proven helpful for working professionals who are interested in the programs' curricula.

More information about graduate study at the University is available at the Graduate School site. The application process and Graduate Admission Forms are available online.

Students interested in learning about the degree should contact the program director(s) for additional insights.

Financial Assistance

Applicants who wish to be considered for fellowships or assistantships may apply by completing the appropriate section of the regular application to the Graduate School. No separate application form is required. To ensure consideration for fall semester assistantship and fellowship awards, all admissions credentials should be received by February 15. Admission is also possible in January.

Applicants for fellowship and assistantship support are notified by the program director(s) as soon as possible after decisions have been made. Assistantship and fellowship awards to new and continuing students are made on a competitive basis, normally for a period of one academic year. The program director(s) determine the procedures and criteria for renewal of the award in subsequent academic years.

Recipients of assistantships and fellowships must pursue a full-time program of study. The recipient's obligation to provide service in exchange for the stipend is clearly described in the letter of appointment, as is the stipend amount and other important terms and conditions of the appointment.

To learn about the University's Policies on Funding, please refer to the University Bulletin.