Materials Science and Engineering

Head of the Department: Ian M. Robertson
Associate Heads: P. H. Geil and A. Rockett
1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801
(217) 333-1441
Fax: (217) 333-2736
E-mail:mse@uiuc.edu

Graduate Degree Programs

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering. The department offers opportunities to specialize in ceramics, electronic materials, metals, polymers, biomaterials, and computational materials science. The backgrounds of faculty members and the student body vary widely, and research collaborations with other faculty outside the department are frequent. Research facilities include, but are not limited to, the Materials Research Laboratory, Coordinated Science Laboratory, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Microelectronics Laboratory. The department also offers a joint degree program, a Master of Science (or Doctor of Philosophy) in Materials Science and Engineering and the Master of Business Administration.

Admission

Students with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in the natural sciences or engineering will be considered for admission if they have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A=4.0). The general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. All applicants whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of at least 610 (paper-based), 253 (computer-based), or 102 (iBT). Applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL if certain criteria are met. A completed application, three letters of reference, transcripts, and the application fee are required before an applicant is considered for admission. Admission is possible for the spring semester, but most admissions are for the fall semester.

Master of Science

The M.S. degree requires the completion of a minimum of 24 graduate hours of coursework and 8 graduate hours of thesis credit. At least 12 graduate hours must be at the 500 level, and 8 graduate hours of MSE courses are required. Candidates for the M.S. degree must submit a thesis that is approved by the adviser and signed by the department head. A nonthesis M.S. degree option is available for students who do not hold a research assistantship. These students are not required to submit a thesis, but must complete 36 graduate hours of coursework. All other departmental requirements must be met. The M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering/M.B.A. program requires completion of the M.S. degree requirements; 40 graduate hours of MBA core coursework; and 20 graduate hours of MBA elective coursework to fulfill the requirements of a concentration.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. degree requires the completion of 96 graduate hours of graduate work beyond the B.S. degree. A student entering with a B.S. degree must complete 48 graduate hours of coursework and 48 graduate hours of thesis work. A student entering with an M.S. degree must complete 24 graduate hours of coursework and 40 graduate hours of thesis work. Ph.D. students must complete a total of 20 graduate hours of credit at the 500 level (i.e. 8 beyond those credited towards a M.S. degree) and take at least 16 graduate hours of MSE courses (8 graduate hours beyond the M.S. degree). All students in the Ph.D. program must complete Statistical Thermodynamics of Materials (MSE 500) or Thermodynamics and Statistical Thermodynamics (CHEM 544) or Statistical Mechanics and Kinetic Theory (PHYS 504). Similar courses in thermodynamics or statistical thermodynamics taken at other schools may qualify. A written thesis and successful completion of the final examination is required of all Ph.D. students.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the form of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and partial fellowships. Applicants to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering are automatically considered for financial aid. All applicants, regardless of U.S. citizenship, whose native language is not English and who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships must take the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and achieve a score of 50.