Materials Science and Engineering, PhD
Turn your fascination with atomic structures into groundbreaking research that unites physics, chemistry and engineering. In this program, you'll deepen your understanding of the composition and behavior of materials and create innovative solutions to the technological challenges shaping our future.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes
International students (F1) can extend U.S. work experience by 24 months.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Doctor of Philosophy program in materials science and engineering draws on a fundamental base of knowledge, with underpinnings in physics, chemistry and engineering. The program extends that knowledge to help you address a wide variety of materials-driven challenges, such as energy efficiency, sustainability, functional nanostructures, electronic materials, biomaterials and polymers.
Interdisciplinary in nature, the curriculum offers you required courses in four core subjects:
- advanced thermodynamics
- kinetics and phase transformations
- physics of materials
- structure and properties of materials
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (12 credit hours) Electives (3-18 credit hours) Research (24-39 credit hours) Other Requirement (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree need to complete 24 credit hours of research (MSE 792). Students entering with a bachelor's degree are required to complete 39 credit hours of research (MSE 792). MSE 591 is a one credit hour course to be taken in three semesters. The seminar course consists of a series of seminars presented by invited speakers and graduate students. Doctoral students are required to give a seminar presentation once during the academic year after they have begun their research. When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, the 30 hours of coursework comprise electives and research coursework as specified by the academic unit. If the master's degree has not been completed, a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate work may be applied with program approval.
MSE 523 Structural and Mechanical Properties of Materials (3)
MSE 524 Advanced Thermodynamics (3)
MSE 525 Fundamentals of Electrical, Optical and Magnetic Materials and Device Applications (3)
MSE 561 Phase Transformations, Kinetics and Diffusion in Solids (3)
MSE 792 Research
MSE 591 Seminar (3)
MSE 799 Dissertation (12)
Students entering the program with a bachelor's degree are required to complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of elective coursework. Graduate elective courses may be selected from any of the graduate courses in the materials science and engineering curriculum as well as elective courses from related disciplines (e.g., chemistry, physics, electrical engineering), subject to approval by the faculty advisor. These courses should comprise a focused plan of study with emphasis in a particular area of materials science, organized in consultation with faculty supervisory committee.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited U.S. or international institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in an applicable master's degree program. Admission to the materials science and engineering doctoral program is highly competitive. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information Once the application file is complete, the file is forwarded to the faculty admission committee for evaluation and recommendation. The admission process considers all aspects of the student's application. The typical successful applicant has, at minimum, a cumulative GPA of 3.25 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in engineering and science coursework in a bachelor's or master's degree program and high TOEFL scores, if applicable. Financial aid is available to highly qualified students. The most common type of financial aid is teaching and research assistantships, which are accompanied by tuition waivers and major medical insurance benefits. Other types of financial aid include Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering fellowships and Science Foundation Arizona fellowships.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/01 | Priority* |
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Graduates are prepared for professional careers in materials science and engineering and related fields in industry, government and educational institutions.
Professionals with a materials science and engineering doctoral degree have strong opportunities at all levels in material design, selection, synthesis and characterization for a wide variety of applications, including electro-optical-magnetic systems, environmental systems, energy conversion and storage, manufacturing and construction. Materials jobs are available at a large number of high-tech and manufacturing companies of all sizes, as well as national laboratories (Department of Energy, Department of Defense, NASA) and universities. Analytical skills learned in materials engineering are also valued in other nonengineering positions.
Career examples include:
- engineer
- engineering manager or director
- engineering professor
- research engineer
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Materials Science and Engineering Program
|
USE 138
semtegrad@asu.edu
480-965-2335
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
