Master of Science in Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering
Materials engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on the design, development, and application of materials to create products and structures. Improvement of traditional materials, such as metals, ceramics, and composites, development of new nano-, lightweight, functional and sensory, and energy storage materials, and new materials processing techniques are the major drivers of many recent technological innovations.
The program combines the necessary breadth in coverage with the focus on the emerging materials technologies and the technologies of special interest for automotive industry. Its graduates understand the process-microstructure-properties-performance relationship and learn how to design a specific material that meets performance requirements of an engineering application. Students learn from PhD faculty engaged in cutting-edge research and from leading industry experts The classes integrate theoretical knowledge with practical challenges through hands-on training, creative design, and problem-solving.
This program may be completed entirely on campus, entirely online, or through a combination of on-campus and online courses. See the "Online Options" section below for more details.
Materials engineering laboratories provide students with hands-on experience in various subfields, such as digital manufacturing, battery materials, and composite materials. Many laboratories serve both teaching and research purposes. Further information is available here.
The program’s faculty are engaged in research in advanced materials, digital manufacturing and twinning, battery materials, and more. Further information is available here. Several courses are taught by leading experts from the local industry.
Research and teaching assistantships may be available to exceptionally qualified students.
Program Details
The 30-credit program includes one required course, one or two cognate courses, and 7-8 elective courses from the approved Materials Science and Engineering course list. Interested students have the opportunity to complete a research-based master’s thesis under the mentorship of a faculty advisor.
Almost all classes are offered as a combination of on-campus lectures and online asynchronous instruction. On-campus sections are scheduled Monday-Thursday from 6-8:45 PM, except for several classes, which are offered in the late afternoon. Classes are offered in Fall (Sep-Dec), Winter (Jan-Apr), Summer I (May-June), and Summer II (July-Aug) terms. Fall and Winter courses meet once a week, while Summer I and Summer II courses meet twice a week.
MSE-MTSE Program Goals
To provide students with a strong background in science and engineering of materials, and a thorough understanding of advanced applications in that field.
MSE-MTSE Learning Outcomes
1. Students will be able to formulate, analyze, and solve advanced multidisciplinary materials science and engineering problems.
2. Students will have a comprehensive knowledge and ability to apply the latest technologies and engineering tools.
3. Students will be able to design processes leading to specific microstructures necessary to achieve sets of properties satisfying performance requirements for current and future engineering applications.
An applicant to the program should hold a Bachelor of Science (BS) or equivalent degree in engineering from an accredited program with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). An applicant with a lower GPA, or an applicant with a non-engineering Bachelor degree in science, may be considered for admission consistent with the guidelines.
Students with degrees not directly related to materials engineering are often admitted to the program but in some cases may be required to take preparatory courses or advised to take a certain path through the program. It is suggested that such students have their background reviewed prior to submitting an application. Please contact the graduate program coordinator for more information at [email protected].
Standardized tests, such as GRE, are not required.
At least 2 letters of recommendation are required as part of the application. These should come from people who know you as an engineer, either academically (professor or research advisor) or professionally (supervisor or manager). Letters of reference from peer employees or personal sources are invalid and will not be considered.
The program may be completed entirely online through CECS Online, entirely on-campus, or through a combination of on-campus and online courses. The online courses utilize video streaming of the lectures given on campus. Online students have the opportunity to interact with their instructors and with fellow students (both on campus as well as online) through Canvas, a campus-wide learning management system. The class lectures, notes, and discussions are posted on Canvas for all students' access.
All students may enroll in online courses without an obligation to join the online program. If you reside in Michigan and seek the flexibility to blend on-campus and web-based courses, consider applying to our regular program. You will be able to register for as many online courses as you desire. Please contact the graduate programs coordinator for more information.
The candidate must complete at least 30 semester hours of graduate course work selected in accordance to the program requirements. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for good academic standing and graduation. A course in which a grade lower than C is earned cannot be used to fulfill the degree requirements.
Curriculum
The completed coursework must include:
Required Core Courses
It is recommended that these courses be taken within the first three terms after program enrollment.
ME 518 - Advanced Engineering Analysis (3 credit hours)
Materials Sciences and Engineering Elective Courses
Select 7-8 courses (21-24 credits)
All courses are 3 credit hours
- MTSE 501 Materials Thermodynamics and Kinetics
- MTSE 502 Intro into Material Characterization
- ME 523 Sustainability Science and Engineering
- ME 555 Computational Uncertainty Quantification for Engineering Applications
- ME 556 Stress Strength Considerations in Design
- ME 558 Fracture Fatigue Considerations in Design
- ME 559 Battery Materials, Manufacturing and Recycling
- ME 568 Computational Materials Design
- ME 580 Advanced Engineering Materials
- ME 583 Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- ME 585 Cast Metals in Engineering Design
- ME 586 Materials Considerations in Manufacturing
- ME 589 Composite Materials
- ME 591 Degradation of Materials
- ME 593 Powder Materials and Processing
- ME 595 Digital Manufacturing
- ME 611 Modelling of Engineering Materials
- BENG 521 Biomaterials and Biochemical Interfaces
- BENG 560 Nanobiosystems Engineering
- BENG 575 Regenerative Engineering
- AENG 581 Material Selection in Automotive Design
- AENG 584 Lightweight Automotive Alloys
- AENG 650 Analysis & Design for Vehicle Crashworthiness
- ECE 502 Electromagnetic Theory and Simulation
- ECE 539 Production of Electronic Products
- IMSE 504 Metal Forming Processes
(1-2 courses, 3-6 credits)
- Required: One graduate level course from CECS (excluding ME 518, MTSE elective courses, ENGR 500, and ENGR 501), CASL, CEHHS, or COB
- Optional: One graduate-level course from CECS (excluding ME 518, MTSE elective courses, ENGR 500, and ENGR 501) or natural sciences (BIOL, CHEM, ESCI, ENST, MICR, PHYS)
A student, who is interested in an in-depth faculty-guided study of a specific topic or a faculty-guided research, may enroll in independent study or thesis courses. The earned credit will be counted toward the materials Science and Engineering elective courses area. The enrollment requires approval by the faculty advisor and special permission by Department. Please see the thesis guidelines for details regarding this option.
- MTSE 600 Study or Research in Materials Science and Engineering (1-3 credit hours)
- MTSE 699 Master’s Thesis (6 credit hours)
Program Contacts
Rebekah Awood
