Graduate Admissions
Earn your advanced Materials Science & Engineering degree.
Be a part of the materials legacy at The Grainger College Engineering – home to one of the nation's top-ranked materials programs. Learn from world-class faculty and explore research where diverse perspectives unite to address today’s global challenges. Benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and unique interdisciplinary collaboration reflective of Grainger Engineering’s drive to create a brighter future for all. Earn your degree from a program that not only excels in academic excellence but champions in community, ensuring opportunities for all those hungry to discover what is possible.
32
world-class faculty members
$300
million in college research expenditures
98%
of Ph.D. students secure employment or additional education
95%
of M.S. students secure employment or additional education
2+
job offers on average per student
Degree Programs
Admission to graduate study in Materials Science and Engineering is highly competitive and based on academic and research achievements and overall potential to succeed in the program. We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds and life experiences interested in materials science with undergraduate degrees in scientific and engineering disciplines, including materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics or mechanical engineering.
Ph.D. in MatSE
Students pursuing a research career in academics, industry or national labs should consider the Ph.D. program. Students benefit from a doctoral curriculum that's flexible and easily tailored to support research in materials research areas and your specific interests.
Apply by December 15 for fall 2024 admission.
M.S. in MatSE
The Master's of Science degree program is designed for a broad range of students and professionals seeking to expand on their undergraduate training, enhance their professional skills and gain the experience necessary to become a professional scientist/engineer.
Apply by February 15 for fall 2024 admission.
Pursue your passion.
My research focuses on studying potential avenues to recycle hard plastics, something that once was thought impossible. The goal of pursuing a doctoral degree is to obtain the technical knowledge needed to establish my own company in the future. My long-term goal in life is to help establish a global circular economy by developing plastics that are purposely created to be chemically recycled after their initial use is over.
Edgar Mejia, Ph.D. Student
Research Centers & Labs
Our state-of-the-art research centers are built for interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Materials Research Laboratory: Home to research groups from materials science, condensed matter physics and materials chemistry.
- Beckman Institute: Home to collaborative efforts in materials research on molecular engineering, bioimaging and autonomous strategies.
- Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab: Home to semiconductor research and training.
Materials Research Society
Join the Materials Research Student Society, affiliated with the National Materials Research Society, our premier graduate student organization for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Our core value is that success comes from a collaborative and supportive network.Join MRS
Where do Ph.D. students go after graduation?
Stats for doctoral degrees awarded 2014-2021 by destination:
- 44% academia
- 38% industry
- 18% national/international laboratory
- 3M
- Intel
- Lam Research Corporation
- Apple
- Applied Materials
- Dow Chemical Company
- Genentech
- Honeywell Aerospace
- PPG Industries
- S&C Electric Company
- Solvay
- Spirit AeroSystems
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
Sample national lab/academic destinations:
National Labs
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Lawrence Berkeley Natioanl Laboratory
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource
Academia
- Colorado School of Mines
- Cornell University
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Northwestern University
- Princeton University
- Stanford University
- The Ohio State University
- University of California
- University of Florida
- University of Maryland, College Park
- University Of Michigan
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
Where do M.S. students go after graduation?
Stats for master's degrees awarded 2014-2021 by destination:
- 69% industry
- 19% academia
- 10% other
- 2% national laboratory
- Intel
- Alcon
- Amazon Web Services
- Arcanum Alloys
- ASM
- BASF Corporation
- Bell Textron
- Boston Children's Hospital
- Brilliant Light Power
- Consolidated Precision Products
- Corning
- Creative Thermal Solutions
- CTLGroup
- Grand Prairie Independent School District
- Hyland Software
- IBM
- IM Flash Technologies
- Johnson Health Tech
- KBRwyle
- KeaneTech
- Kettering University
- KLA Corporation
- Lockheed Martin
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Micron Japan
- Micron Technology
- Navistar
- Parker Hannifin
- Pennsylvania State University
- Schneider Electric
- TMEIC
- WH International Casting
- Wilana Chemical
- Wolverine Advanced Materials
- Xerion
- Yahoo
Sample grad school destinations:
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
- IMDEA Materials Institute
- Johns Hopkins University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Rice University
- University of California
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Maryland, College Park
- University of Michigan
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
Advance Your Materials Career.
Eager to experience The Grainger College of Engineering Materials Science and Engineering program for yourself?
Plan a Ph.D.- or M.S.-specific visit or enroll by applying online.