DEGREE Materials Science and Engineering: Research, MS

Master’s degree in materials science and engineering

As a master’s student in materials science and engineering, you’ll work with leading faculty to study and create materials that solve tomorrow’s greatest challenges. You can focus on areas that include ceramics, computational material science; composites; corrosion; electrical, optical, magnetic materials; growth and synthesis; joining; materials for energy; metals; materials characterization and microscopy; nanomaterials; phase transformations; photonics; polymers and biomaterials; materials for nuclear energy; quantum computing; self-assembly; semiconductors; structural materials and mechanical properties; surfaces and interfaces; sustainability; thin films; and wear.

View department Graduate handbook

At a glance

Materials science and engineering department

100

active patents

undergraduate ranking among public universities

graduate ranking among public universities

Facts & stats

Learn more about what information you need to apply.

Graduate admissions

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 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

Admission to the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School is a prerequisite for admission to study materials science. 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. All documents should be uploaded with 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 (waives all or part of the application fee) that are available in a few specific circumstances. Further information is available on the “Applying for a Fee Grant” page.

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).

View tuition rates

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

Please note that most funding is available for PhD students and there are limited resources for MS students.

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:

Can’t live without your super-fast smartphone? You can thank (or blame) materials science for it. Appreciate your fuel-efficient car? Brought to you in part by new materials! At UW-Madison, we’re driven by the belief that scientists and engineers must collaborate to help solve our world’s increasingly complex problems. Materials science and engineering offers you the toolkit you’ll need to be a part of that collaboration.

View our research

Minimum graduate school requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Curricular Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement	30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement	16 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement	15 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	Students must prepare and defend a master’s thesis covering appropriate independent science or engineering research undertaken by the student. The format and procedures must conform to the Graduate School rules for a master’s thesis, currently found at https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide/. The master’s thesis should represent significant science or engineering research work and progress, but does not need to report a substantial new contribution to human knowledge. The thesis must be circulated to the committee at least two weeks before the defense.
Language Requirements	None.

Required Courses

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 course 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.
M S & E 900	Materials Research Seminar
Materials Core Courses		9
Students must complete at least three core courses (9 credits) from the following list:
M S & E 521	Advanced Polymeric Materials
M S & E 530	Thermodynamics of Solids
M S & E 551	Structure of Materials
M S & E 752	Advanced Materials Science: Phase Transformations
Graduate-level Math Course (students may only count one of the following as a Materials Core Course)
E P/E M A 547	Engineering Analysis I
CBE 660	Intermediate Problems in Chemical Engineering
MATH 703	Methods of Applied Mathematics 1
MATH 704	Methods of Applied Mathematics-2
PHYSICS 721	Theoretical Physics-Electrodynamics
Materials Elective Courses		6
Students must complete at least 6 credits from the “Materials Elective Courses” list.
Research		13
Students must complete 13 credits of the following course.
M S & E 790	Master’s Research or Thesis
Total Credits		30

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
msaedept@engr.wisc.edu
608-262-3732

M.S. and Ph.D. Programs, Admissions Inquiries
msaegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu

Associate Chair of Graduate Studies
acgs@mse.wisc.edu
608-262-3732
1509 University Ave
Madison, WI 53706

View the Graduate Guide for program-specific information on policies, rules and regulations.

More information

Materials science and engineering news

Materials advances underlie improvements in virtually every aspect of our lives. Our cutting-edge contributes to the understanding of everything from nanotechnology and sustainable energy production to space exploration and green construction.

All department news