Students working in the foundry, pouring hot material into a mold.

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Materials Science and Engineering—MS, PhD

Materials Science and Engineering melds together synthesis and processing, structure, properties, and applications of engineering materials while interacting closely with industry and government partners. Are you ready?

Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Overview

You’ll have the opportunity to study metals and alloys; ceramics; electronic, magnetic, and optical materials; and polymers. Our master's and doctoral in materials science and engineering program is inherently interdisciplinary—students interact and collaborate with students and scientists in other engineering and science disciplines.

Delivery Options
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS, PhD

Materials Science and Engineering Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the materials science and engineering program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Materials Science and Engineering is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD Requirements: Materials Science and Engineering

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

MS, Materials Science and Engineering: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Materials Science and Engineering: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate School. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Materials Science and Engineering

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Additional Accelerated Master's Program Details

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about materials science and engineering at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Walter Milligan

Graduate Assistant

Gina Goudge

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your materials and science engineering MS and PhD. Sample areas include:

Solar Cells
Ceramic Engineering
Biomaterials
Foundry

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
GRE not required (strongly encouraged for doctoral applicants)
Students with degrees in other fields may be required to take preparatory courses in the summer.
Students in coursework option can switch to thesis if they get an advisor.

International Students

TOEFL: Required Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Required Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis

Recommended Deadlines

Fall Semester: February 1
Spring Semester: September 1

Funding may allow fall admissions to report for summer

Apply at least a semester in advance of projected admission to improve your chances of receiving funding.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation
Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
No GRE required.
Funding is contingent upon advisor availability, resources, and being in the thesis option.

Senior Rule Form

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Materials Science and Engineering

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

Our students work closely with faculty; most research-oriented graduate students are funded with research assistantships. Examples of current research include alloy development, materials for energy, functional material design and simulation, ultra-small-scale material characterization, advanced materials processing, and computational material simulation and design. What is materials science and engineering?

Where You'll Work

Our department manages Michigan Tech’s Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory (ACMAL), containing the university’s scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes, including a unique, scanning transmission FEI Titan Themis. The facility maintains excellent X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy capabilities. Processing facilities include melt processing, deformation processing, microelectronic fabrication, and particulate (powder)-based processing capabilities.

Faculty Spotlight

Erik Herbert

Erik Herbert
Assistant Professor,
Materials Science and Engineering

"Everything has to be made out of something. The question is, what?"

Through the development and implementation of novel mechanical characterization techniques at micron and sub-micron length scales, our research directly enables transformative insights into the complex coupling between the microstructure, its defects, and device performance.

Program Faculty