Materials Science and Engineering MS

Find information about the Inamori School of Engineering here. 

Overview

Material Science and Engineering (MSE) is concerned with the interrelationship among the structure, processing, properties, performance, and applications of materials, which includes ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites. MSE is an interdisciplinary field that combines aspects of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Materials engineers provide “enabling technologies” for a wide range of industries including

electronics, automotive, aerospace, medical, and more traditional manufacturing industries. Today, material science and engineering professionals are involved in developing improved fuel cells and hydrogen-storage devices for efficient energy production, designing lightweight and reliable materials for advanced aircraft and space vehicles, developing high temperature materials and coatings for turbine applications, and devising sensors for detecting pathogens. Materials science and engineering also lies at the center of the nanotechnology revolution.

The Master of Science degree program in MSE at Alfred University seeks to provide students with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of material science while allowing them the flexibility to pursue advanced studies a focused area of their interest. A student in the MSE program can use their choices of technical electives and thesis research topic to obtain a broad general materials background; or the student can specialize in a specific materials field (e.g. metals, ceramics, polymers, or composites processing) or a specific area of analysis and characterization (e.g. mechanical properties of materials, electrical properties of materials, X-ray analysis, spectroscopy, or electron microscopy).

Graduates of the program are well prepared for careers in industrial research and development, industrial process engineering, and research at national labs. Some graduates of the program continue their education by pursuing doctoral degrees in MSE and related fields. Others pursue professional degrees in business, law, and medicine.

Prerequisites and Undergraduate Preparation

The program is open to qualified students with Bachelor of Science degrees in engineering and the physical sciences. Students with a degree in another science or engineering field may have to take prerequisite undergraduate materials science and engineering courses before enrolling in specific graduate classes.

Applicants without the required background will also be considered for admission, but acceptance is based on the candidate’s prior academic record, work experience, potential for growth, and the availability of space in the program.

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (MS-MSE) requires a minimum of thirty semester-hours of graduate credit of which at least fifteen must be in advanced coursework.

The degree also requires a minimum of fourteen hours of thesis credit and a one-credit research seminar, which is taken during the first semester of graduate enrollment.

Candidates for the degree are required (1) to present and defend a written thesis of their research and (2) to submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal. The curriculum is designed to be completed in three semesters of full-time study although students with other engineering or science backgrounds may require four semesters.