Materials Science & Engineering, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering
Opportunity exists for specializing in computational science and engineering via the Computational Science & Engineering optional graduate concentration.
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MatSE) offers graduate programs leading to degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering. The department is consistently ranked among the top programs in the nation (undergraduate and graduate) by U.S. News and World Report. It offers opportunities to specialize in Nanoscale Science and Technology, Materials for Energy and the Environment, Materials for Medicine, and Mechanical Properties and Materials for Extreme Conditions with strong research programs in all of the areas.
Department Research
The backgrounds of faculty members vary widely within the broad areas of Nanoscale Science and Technology, Materials for Energy and the Environment, Materials for Medicine, and Mechanical Properties and Materials for Extreme Conditions. In addition, research collaborations with other faculty outside the department are frequent. For a detailed list of faculty research interests and publications, view the MatSE department's faculty biographies.
The MatSE department has an outstanding array of facilities available for materials research. These facilities, in addition to laboratories in the department's buildings, include, among others, the Materials Research Laboratory, Center for Microanalysis of Materials, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. The National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the MRL Center for Computation are readily available. Information about these facilities may be found at the MatSE department's facilities information Web site.
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MatSE) offers graduate programs leading to degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering. The department is consistently ranked among the top programs in the nation (undergraduate and graduate) by U.S. News and World Report. It offers opportunities to specialize in Nanoscale Science and Technology, Materials for Energy and the Environment, Materials for Medicine, and Mechanical Properties and Materials for Extreme Conditions with strong research programs in all of the areas.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering
For additional details and requirements, please refer to the department's Graduate Degree Requirements Handbook and the Graduate College Handbook.
Entering with approved M.S. degree
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MSE 599 | Thesis Research (min-max applied toward the degree) | 44 |
| One of CHEM 544, MSE 500, PHYS 504 with a grade of B or higher | 4 | |
| MSE 492 | Lab Safety Fundamentals (credit does not apply toward the degree) | 0 |
| MSE 595 | Materials Colloquium | 0-2 |
| Advisor group meetings (MSE 590) and area seminars (MSE 529, MSE 559) (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 0-4 | |
| Elective courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 10-16 | |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Other Requirements and Conditions
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other Requirements and Conditions may overlap | |
| MSE course work hours | 10 |
| 500-level credit hours applied toward the degree | 10 |
| MSE 595 (0 or 1 hour) must be taken every semester in the first two years of residence. A maximum of 2 hours may be applied toward the degree. | |
| MSE 529 or MSE 559 (0 or 1 hours) must be taken every semester. A maximum of 4 hours may be applied toward the degree. | |
| Ph.D. exam and dissertation requirements: | |
| Qualifying exam | |
| Preliminary exam | |
| Final exam or dissertation defense | |
| Dissertation deposit | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Entering with approved B.S. degree
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MSE 599 | Thesis Research (min-max applied toward the degree) | 52 |
| One of CHEM 544, MSE 500, PHYS 504 with a grade of B or higher | 4 | |
| MSE 492 | Lab Safety Fundamentals (credit does not apply toward the degree) | 0 |
| MSE 595 | Materials Colloquium | 0-4 |
| Advisor group meetings (MSE 590) and area seminars (MSE 529, MSE 559) (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 0-8 | |
| Elective courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) (28-40 hours) | 28-40 | |
| Total Hours | 96 | |
Other Requirements and Conditions
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other Requirements and Conditions may overlap | |
| MSE course work hours | 10 |
| 500-level credit hours applied toward the degree | 10 |
| MSE 595 (0 or 1 hour) must be taken every semester in the first two years of residence. A maximum of 4 hours may be applied toward the degree. | |
| MSE 529 or MSE 559 (0 or 1 hours) must be taken every semester. A maximum of 8 hours may be applied toward the degree. | |
| These students may earn a Master of Science degree during the Ph.D. program. | |
| Ph.D. exam and dissertation requirements: | |
| Qualifying exam | |
| Preliminary exam | |
| Final exam or dissertation defense | |
| Dissertation deposit | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering
PhD graduates in Materials Science and Engineering will have:
- The ability to define, articulate, and propose creative solutions to complex/abstract problems in science and engineering of materials.
- A deep understanding of the underlying principles of the appropriate theories in their subject area.
- A deep understanding of the underlying principles of the synthesis and processing of their subject materials.
- A deep understanding of the underlying principles of characterization of their subject materials.
- A deep understanding of the interrelationships between structure, processing and properties of their subject materials.
- A broad knowledge of the properties, characterization and processing of all types of materials.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering
Opportunity exists for specializing in computational science and engineering via the Computational Science & Engineering optional graduate concentration.
Admission Requirements
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 3.00 (A = 4.00) for the last two years of undergraduate study. The general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Admission is possible for the spring semester under special circumstances, but most admissions are for the fall semester. Full details of admission requirements are on the department's graduate admissions Web site.
All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the results of the TOEFL or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as evidence of meeting the English proficiency requirements for full admission status. Under certain circumstances applicants may be exempt from the TOELF/IELTS requirement.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available in the form of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and partial fellowships for students in the PhD programs. All applicants to the MatSE PhD program are automatically considered for financial support in the form of a research assistantship. Starting in Fall 2020, Grainger Engineering PhD students in their first five years of enrollment who meet the minimum eligibility requirements are guaranteed a funded appointment for fall and spring that includes a full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a stipend.
All applicants, regardless of US citizenship, whose native language is not English and who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships must demonstrate spoken English language proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 24 on the speaking subsection of the TOEFL iBT or 8 on the speaking subsection of the IELTS. For students who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT or IELTS, a minimum score of 4CP, 5 or 6 is required on the EPI test, offered on campus. All new teaching assistants are required to participate in the Graduate Academy for College Teaching conducted prior to the start of the semester.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science & Engineering
Materials Science & Engineering
Department Head: Nancy Sottos
Associate Head of Graduate Programs: Moonsub Shim
Materials Science & Engineering website
Materials Science & Engineering faculty
Graduate Programs in Materials Science & Engineering
Graduate Program Contact: Ashley Phillips Smith
201 Materials Science and Engineering Bldg, 1304 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-1441
Materials Science & Engineering email
Grainger College of Engineering
Grainger College of Engineering website
Admissions
Materials Science & Engineering Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements