DEGREE Materials Science and Engineering, PhD
Doctoral degree in materials science and engineering
Meeting many of the most critical challenges facing modern society requires advances in the materials that underpin new technologies—and the field of materials science and engineering is in the middle of a revolution in how we design and deploy new materials. As a PhD student in materials science and engineering, you’ll leverage advances in computational materials science; materials databases, data science, and machine learning; and high throughput materials synthesis and characterization to achieve true design of materials. And because materials research at UW-Madison crosses many departments, you’ll have the opportunity to work within a robust interdisciplinary community.
At a glance
Materials science and engineering department
Learn more about what information you need to apply.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 15 |
| Spring Deadline | September 1 |
| Summer Deadline | December 15 |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Applicants normally are expected to have a BS in the physical sciences or engineering. Undergraduate studies normally would include mathematics through differential equations, at least one year each of general physics and chemistry, a course in physical chemistry or modern physics, and an elementary course in properties of materials. Applicants may be admitted with deficiencies. These must be made up as soon as possible after entering the program.
Application
Required application materials:
- Academic transcripts (unofficial)
- English proficiency scores, if applicable
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
A minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required. Admission is highly selective. Most admitted applicants have an undergraduate GPA above 3.5. However, full consideration will be given to all applicants meeting the UW–Madison Graduate School requirements.
Use the online application to begin your application. To be considered for fellowships, all application materials are due by the fall deadline.
International Applicants
International degree-seeking applicants must prove English proficiency using the Graduate School’s requirements.
Fee Grants
The Graduate School offers a limited number of application fee grants (covers of all or part of the application fee) that are available in a few specific circumstances. Further information is available here.
Questions
If you have questions about the application or admissions process, contact msaegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu.
Tuition
Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Financial Assistance
Various types of financial assistance are available for entering graduate students, including research assistantships, teaching assistantships, fellowships, and special grants. Decisions regarding financial support are made on the basis of letters of recommendation, grades, GRE general test scores, and, for research assistantships, the matching of the interests or experience of the applicant to the research programs of individual faculty members. December 15th is the deadline for receipt of fellowship applications. International students are generally not eligible for university fellowships. Applications for other types of support are accepted until mid-February.
Research and Teaching Assistantships
Research assistantships (RAs) are available in any materials science area. These appointments are under the supervision of the major professor directing the research. Students interested in research assistantships in a particular area are encouraged to contact professors whose work is of special interest. The faculty’s research interests are given in the Department of Materials Science And Engineering faculty section. An RA permits the most rapid progress toward a degree. Research assistantships in materials science graduate students are comparable to similar stipends from other institutions. Information about stipends can be obtained from the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, acgs@mse.wisc.edu.
Teaching assistantships involve teaching rather than research experience. They pay approximately the same as research assistantships. Teaching experience is especially desirable for students considering an academic career. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering supports a limited number of teaching assistantships, which are allocated after admissions.
Fellowships
Herb Fellowships in Materials Science are given out each year. The Herb Fellowship is a one-year full-ride fellowship for incoming graduate students. It is intended to provide especially strong students extra flexibility and independence in formulating their graduate research program.
Fellowships supporting graduate education are also offered on a competitive basis by organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the Hertz Foundation, UW-Madison Graduate School, the U.S. Department of Defense, and a number of industries and foundations. Because some of these fellowships have fall application deadlines, early application is necessary. GRE scores for the General Test are required for fellowship applications.
Other Funding Information
If you choose to attend UW–Madison and plan to pursue funding on your own, the following sites could be very helpful:
Materials define the major technological ages of humankind and are central to overcoming challenges in areas that include energy, the environment and human health. We are developing materials’ most impactful new capabilities, including atomic and nanoscale control, 3D printing, low-dimensional and quantum properties, and predictive simulation and machine learning. Our facilities include outstanding equipment for synthesis, processing and characterization, and some of the most advanced tools in the world, from nano-calorimetry to ultrafast electron microscopy.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 26 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | n/a |
| Assessments and Examinations | Qualifying Exam
Preliminary Exam
Doctoral Dissertation
|
| Language Requirements | None. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. Refer to the Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1200. If students choose a distributed minor (Option B), they must select a topic or theme and three courses around that theme. At least one course must be graduate level (numbered 700 or above or has graduate course attribute). There are no other restrictions on the course department or topic. |
Required Courses
All course requirements are subject to modification or substitution to better serve the research needs of the student. Refer to the “Policies” tab for information on course substitutions.
Before registering for the second semester, students must submit an advisor approved course plan to the graduate coordinator. Students are not restricted to this plan. Students and advisors are encouraged to update the plan. Updated versions are not required to be submitted.
| Materials Research Seminar | 2 | |
| Students must complete at least 2 credits of the following course for two consecutive semesters. | ||
| Materials Research Seminar | ||
| Materials Core Courses | 9 | |
| Students must complete three core courses (9 credits) from the following list: | ||
| Advanced Polymeric Materials | ||
| Thermodynamics of Solids | ||
| Structure of Materials | ||
| Advanced Materials Science: Phase Transformations | ||
| Graduate level math course (students may only count one of the following as materials core course) | ||
| Engineering Analysis I | ||
| Intermediate Problems in Chemical Engineering | ||
| Methods of Applied Mathematics 1 | ||
| Methods of Applied Mathematics-2 | ||
| Theoretical Physics-Electrodynamics | ||
| Materials Elective Courses | 6 | |
| Students must complete at least 6 credits from the “Materials Elective Courses” list. | ||
| Additional Coursework and/or Research (see below table) | 25 | |
| Breadth | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
Additional Coursework and/or Research Requirement
- Before earning the master’s degree, students should register for M S & E 790 Master’s Research or Thesis.
- After earning the master’s degree, students should register for M S & E 890 Pre-Dissertator’s Research.
- Once in dissertator status, students should register for M S & E 990 Research and Thesis.
Materials Elective Courses
The same course may not satisfy more than one requirement. For example, if M S & E 530 Thermodynamics of Solids is taken as a “Materials Core Course”, it could not be used as a “Materials Elective Course”. Only one mathematics course may fulfill a “Materials Core Course” or “Materials Elective Course”. Refer to the “Policies” tab for information on how to enroll in a course outside of the list below.
| M S & E 401 | Special Topics in Materials Science and Engineering | 1-3 |
| M S & E/CHEM 421 | Polymeric Materials | 3 |
| M S & E/N E 423 | Nuclear Engineering Materials | 3 |
| M S & E/N E 433 | Principles of Corrosion | 3 |
| M S & E 434 | Introduction to Thin-Film Deposition Processes | 3 |
| M S & E 441 | Deformation of Solids | 3 |
| M S & E 448 | Crystallography and X-Ray Diffraction | 3 |
| M S & E 451 | Introduction to Ceramic Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 456 | Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 460 | Introduction to Computational Materials Science and Engineering | 3 |
| M S & E 461 | Advanced Metal Casting | 3 |
| M S & E/M E 462 | Welding Metallurgy | 3 |
| M S & E 463 | Materials for Elevated Temperature Service | 3 |
| M S & E 465 | Fundamentals of Heat Treatment | 3 |
| M S & E/CIV ENGR/G L E/GEOSCI 474 | Rock Mechanics | 3 |
| M S & E 521 | Advanced Polymeric Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 530 | Thermodynamics of Solids | 3 |
| M S & E/E M A 541 | Heterogeneous and Multiphase Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 550 | Materials Fundamentals | 3 |
| M S & E 551 | Structure of Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 553 | Nanomaterials & Nanotechnology | 3 |
| M S & E 560 | Fundamentals of Atomistic Modeling | 3 |
| M S & E 570 | Properties of Solid Surfaces | 3 |
| M S & E 648 | Advanced X-ray Scattering Methods in Materials Science and Engineering | 3 |
| M S & E 660 | Mesoscale Modeling of Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 748 | Structural Analysis of Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 750 | Imperfections and Mechanical Properties | 3 |
| M S & E 752 | Advanced Materials Science: Phase Transformations | 3 |
| M S & E 756 | Structure and Properties of Advanced Electronic Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 760 | Molecular Modeling of Materials | 3 |
| M S & E 803 | Special Topics in Materials Science | 1-3 |
| B M E/PHM SCI 430 | Biological Interactions with Materials | 3 |
| B M E/M E 615 | Tissue Mechanics | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/CHEM 704 | Chemical Biology | 3 |
| CBE 540 | Polymer Science and Technology | 3 |
| CBE 747 | Advanced Colloid and Interface Science | 3 |
| CHEM 652 | Chemistry of Inorganic Materials | 3 |
| CHEM 653 | Chemistry of Nanoscale Materials | 3 |
| CHEM 654 | Materials Chemistry of Polymers | 2-3 |
| CHEM 664 | Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules | 2-3 |
| CHEM 721 | Instrumental Analysis | 3-4 |
| E C E 745 | Solid State Electronics | 3 |
| GEOSCI 765 | Crystal Chemistry | 3 |
| PHYSICS 415 | Thermal Physics | 3 |
| PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics | 3 |
| PHYSICS 715 | Statistical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYSICS 751 | Advanced Solid State Physics | 3 |
M.S. and Ph.D. Program, Admissions Inquiries
msaegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu
https://engineering.wisc.edu/admissions/graduate/
Don Stone, Associate Chair of Graduate Studies
dsstone@wisc.edu
