Materials Science and Engineering (BS)
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State 福利逼站 offers a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering degree. The program is accredited by the听.
Admission
Students complete the standard set of engineering first-year courses, which include courses in the humanities, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computing. Students may apply to join the Department of Materials Science and Engineering as degree-seeking students via the听.听
Curriculum
At NC State, Materials Science and Engineering students are trained to understand the complexities of all classes of material. Our curriculum begins with core courses in thermodynamics, kinetics, and structure, building a strong foundation before advancing to mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties.
Hands-on learning is a cornerstone of the program, with two laboratory courses that immerse students in analytical techniques to characterize materials at all scales and measure their properties. Our program covers cutting-edge technologies like nanomaterials, biomaterials, advanced functional materials, materials forensics, computational modeling, and AI-driven materials optimization.
With five technical electives, students can tailor their education with courses in materials processing, engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, biological sciences, computer science, data science, and beyond. This flexibility allows students to prepare for diverse career paths in industry or pursue graduate studies.
In our two-semester capstone senior design project, students apply their knowledge to solve practical materials challenges with industry partners. Working in teams, you'll tackle hands-on problems and bridge classroom learning with real-world impact.听
Opportunities
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers two undergraduate concentrations ( and ) and an .听
The ABM program gives students the opportunity to earn a bachelor鈥檚 and a master鈥檚 degree in five years. Four graduate courses (12 credit hours) can be taken while still an undergraduate student and can be double-counted towards both the bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees.听
Contact Information
3002 Engineering Building 1 (EB1)
911 Partners Way, Raleigh NC 27695-7907
919.515.2377
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Math | ||
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I 1,2 | 4 |
| 惭础听241 | Calculus II 1,2 | 4 |
| 惭础听242 | Calculus III 3 | 4 |
| 惭础听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 |
| 厂罢听370 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 3 |
| Sciences | ||
| 颁贬听101 &补尘辫;听颁贬听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 1,2 | 4 |
| 颁贬听201 &补尘辫;听颁贬听202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| 颁贬听220 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| 辞谤听颁贬听221 | Organic Chemistry I | |
| 颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| 笔驰听205 &补尘辫;听笔驰听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1,2 | 4 |
| 笔驰听208 &补尘辫;听笔驰听209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| Economics | ||
| 贰颁听205 | Fundamentals of Economics | 3 |
| 辞谤听贰颁听201 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| 辞谤听础搁贰听201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | |
| Ethics Elective (verify requirement) | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| 惭厂贰听201 | Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials 2 | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听255 | Experimental Methods for Structural Analysis of Materials | 2 |
| 惭厂贰听260 | Mathematical Methods for Materials Engineers | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听270 | Materials Science and Engineering Seminar | 1 |
| 惭厂贰听300 | Structure of Materials at the Nanoscale | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听301 | Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听320 | Introduction to Defects in Solids | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听335 | Experimental Methods for Analysis of Material Properties | 2 |
| 惭厂贰听355 | Electrical, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听360 | Kinetic Processes in Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听370 | Microstructure of Inorganic Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听380 | Microstructure of Organic Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听420 | Mechanical Properties of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听423 | Introduction to Materials Engineering Design | 1 |
| 惭厂贰听470 | Materials Science and Engineering Senior Design Project | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听480 | Materials Forensics and Degradation | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| MSE Processing Elective听(choose 1 course) | 3 | |
| Engineering Elective (choose 1 course) | 3 | |
| Technical Electives (choose 3 courses) | 9-11 | |
| Technical Writing | ||
| 贰狈骋听331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3 |
| 辞谤听贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Science and Research | |
| Orientation Courses | ||
| 贰听101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 1,3 | 1 |
| 贰听102 | Engineering in the 21st Century 3 | 2 |
| 贰听115 | Introduction to Computing Environments 1 | 1 |
| GEP Courses | ||
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1,3 | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | ||
| GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement) | ||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | ||
| Total Hours | 126 | |
- 1
College of Engineering CODA class
- 2
Grade of C or higher required
- 3
Grade of C- or higher required
MSE Processing Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MSE 440/540 | Processing of Metallic Materials | 3 |
| MSE 445/545 | Ceramic Processing | 3 |
| MSE 455/555 | Polymer Technology and Engineering | 3 |
| MSE 456/556 | Composite Materials | 3 |
| MSE 460/560 | Microelectronic Materials | 3 |
Engineering Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Any MSE Processing Elective | ||
| 颁贰听214 | Engineering Mechanics-Statics | 3 |
| 颁贰听225 | Mechanics of Solids | 3 |
| 颁厂颁听110 | Computer Science Principles - The Beauty and Joy of Computing | 3 |
| 颁厂颁听111 | Introduction to Computing: Python | 3 |
| 颁厂颁听113 | Introduction to Computing - MATLAB | 3 |
| 颁厂颁听116 | Introduction to Computing - Java | 3 |
| 贰听304 | Introduction to Nano Science and Technology | 3 |
| 贰颁贰听331 | Principles of Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| 滨厂贰听311 | Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 |
| 惭础贰听206 | Engineering Statics | 3 |
| 惭础贰听208 | Engineering Dynamics | 3 |
| 惭础贰听214 | Solid Mechanics | 3 |
| MSE 409/509/NE听409/509 | Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| MSE 465/565 | Introduction to Nanomaterials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听485 | Biomaterials | 3 |
| MSE/ECE/PY 489 | Solid State Solar and Thermal Energy Harvesting | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听490 | Special Topics in Materials Science and Engineering | 1-4 |
| 惭厂贰听495 | Materials Engineering Projects (Department Approval Required) | 3 |
| 狈贰听202 | Radiation Sources, Interaction and Detection | 4 |
| 罢贰听205 | Analog and Digital Circuits | 4 |
| Other engineering electives (with departmental approval). Contact your MSE academic advisor for options. | ||
| 500-level courses (with departmental approval). Available to students who are admitted to an engineering ABM program OR have a minimum 3.5 overall GPA. | ||
Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Any MSE Processing Elective | ||
| Any Engineering Elective | ||
| 叠颁贬听451 | Principles of Biochemistry | 4 |
| 颁贬听223 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| 颁贬听315 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| 颁贬听401 | Systematic Inorganic Chemistry I | 3 |
| 颁贬听437 | Physical Chemistry for Engineers | 4 |
| 惭础听305 | Introductory Linear Algebra and Matrices | 3 |
| 惭础听351 | Introduction to Discrete Mathematical Models | 3 |
| 惭础听401 | Applied Differential Equations II | 3 |
| 惭础听402 | Mathematics of Scientific Computing | 3 |
| 惭础听405 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| 惭贰础听463 | Fluid Physics | 3 |
| 笔驰听328 | Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics | 3 |
| 笔驰听407 | Introduction to Modern Physics | 3 |
| PY 411/511 | Mechanics I | 3 |
| PY 412/512 | Mechanics II | 3 |
| PY 414/514 | Electromagnetism I | 3 |
| PY 415/515 | Electromagnetism II | 3 |
| Other technical electives (with departmental approval). Contact your MSE academic advisor for options. | ||
| 500-level courses (with departmental approval). Available to students who are admitted to an engineering ABM program OR have a minimum 3.5 overall GPA. | ||
Ethics Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EED 414/514 | Ethics for Engineering Education | 3 |
| 滨顿厂听201 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| 笔贬滨听214 | Issues in Business Ethics | 3 |
| 笔贬滨听221 | Contemporary Moral Issues | 3 |
| 笔贬滨听227 | Data Ethics | 3 |
| PHI/STS 325 | Bio-Medical Ethics | 3 |
| 笔贬滨听375 | Ethics | 3 |
| 厂罢厂听302 | Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values | 3 |
| 厂罢厂听304 | Ethical Dimensions of Progress | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 颁贬听101 &补尘辫;听颁贬听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 1,2 | 4 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1,3 | 4 |
| 贰听102 | Engineering in the 21st Century 3 | 2 |
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I 1,2 | 4 |
| 贰颁听205 | Fundamentals of Economics or Principles of Microeconomics or Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 17 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 颁贬听201 &补尘辫;听颁贬听202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| 贰听101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 1,3 | 1 |
| 贰听115 | Introduction to Computing Environments 1 | 1 |
| 惭础听241 | Calculus II 1,2 | 4 |
| 笔驰听205 &补尘辫;听笔驰听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1,2 | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听201 | Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials 2 | 3 |
| 厂罢听370 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 3 |
| 惭础听242 | Calculus III 3 | 4 |
| 笔驰听208 &补尘辫;听笔驰听209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听255 | Experimental Methods for Structural Analysis of Materials | 2 |
| 惭厂贰听260 | Mathematical Methods for Materials Engineers | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听270 | Materials Science and Engineering Seminar | 1 |
| 颁贬听220 or 颁贬听221 | Introductory Organic Chemistry or Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| 颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| 惭础听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听300 | Structure of Materials at the Nanoscale | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听301 | Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听320 | Introduction to Defects in Solids | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听335 | Experimental Methods for Analysis of Material Properties | 2 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 17 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听355 | Electrical, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听360 | Kinetic Processes in Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听370 | Microstructure of Inorganic Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听380 | Microstructure of Organic Materials | 3 |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听420 | Mechanical Properties of Materials | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听423 | Introduction to Materials Engineering Design | 1 |
| 贰狈骋听331 or 贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Engineering and Technology or Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| MSE Processing Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 惭厂贰听470 | Materials Science and Engineering Senior Design Project | 3 |
| 惭厂贰听480 | Materials Forensics and Degradation | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Ethics Elective (GEP Requirement) | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 126 |
- 1
College of Engineering CODA class
- 2
Grade of C or higher required
- 3
Grade of C- or higher required
Career Opportunities
Earning a Bachelor of Science in MSE offers graduates a wealth of exciting career opportunities across diverse industries. The interdisciplinary nature of an MSE education prepares individuals to work in roles that involve designing, developing, and optimizing materials that drive innovation and address societal needs. Here鈥檚 what you can expect:
Starting Salary: Graduates in MSE typically earn an average starting salary of $70,000 to $90,000 per year.
Common Industries
- Materials Science: Innovate and optimize materials such as semiconductors, metals, steel, plastics, ceramics, and composites for a wide range of applications.
- Electronics and Semiconductors: Create advanced materials for microchips, sensors, and electronic components.
- Aerospace: Develop lightweight, durable materials for aircraft and spacecraft.
- Energy: Advanced materials for renewable energy technologies, batteries, and energy storage systems.
- Sustainability: Develop sustainable materials and processes to reduce environmental impact.
- Biomedical: Design biomaterials for prosthetics, medical devices, and tissue engineering.
- Automotive: Innovate materials for improved fuel efficiency, durability, and safety.
- Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare: Design and improve materials used in drug delivery systems and medical implants.
- Environmental Engineering: Design materials for air and water purification, carbon capture, and environmental cleanup.
- Consumer Goods: Improve products like durable coatings, cosmetics, and high-performance clothing with nanomaterials.
- Regenerative Medicine: Create materials for applications in stem cell therapy and wound healing.
- Diagnostics: Design biosensors and diagnostic devices that utilize biomaterials for medical testing and monitoring.
Career Titles
Materials science and engineering is a dynamic field, offering professionals opportunities to solve complex challenges and make meaningful contributions to society. A career in MSE offers a diverse range of opportunities:听
- Ceramics Engineer: Designing and testing ceramic materials for applications in aerospace, electronics, and healthcare.
- Composite Engineer: Designing and analyzing composite materials for lightweight and durable structures.
- Consulting Engineer: Providing technical expertise to solve engineering challenges across industries.
- Corrosion Engineer: Analyzing material degradation and developing corrosion-resistant materials and coatings.
- Data Engineer: Designing, developing, and optimizing data pipelines and workflows for materials-related data.
- Defectivity Design Engineer: Minimizing defects in materials or manufacturing processes and implementing corrective actions.
- Design Engineer: Creating and optimizing product designs using CAD and simulation tools.
- Engineering Technician: Assisting engineers in testing, developing, and manufacturing materials or products.
- Failure Analysis Engineer: Investigating material or product failures to determine root causes and enhance reliability.
- Field Applications Scientist: Supporting customers in implementing scientific tools or materials in applications.
- Manufacturing Engineer: Developing and optimizing manufacturing processes for material production.
- Materials Engineer: Designing, testing, and analyzing materials for various applications.
- Materials Scientist: Conducting research to understand material properties and developing innovative materials.
- Metallurgical Engineer: Developing processes for extracting, refining, and processing metals and alloys.
- Packaging Engineer: Designing and testing innovative packaging solutions for products.
- Patent Examiner: Reviewing patent applications for originality and compliance in materials-related innovations.
- Plastics Engineer: Developing and optimizing polymer and plastic materials for industrial applications.
- Polymer Materials Engineer: Researching and developing advanced polymer materials for diverse applications.
- Pre-Sales Engineer: Providing technical expertise to support sales teams in material-related products.
- Principal Scientist: Leading R&D initiatives in materials science and mentoring junior researchers.
- Process Engineer: Developing and improving manufacturing processes for materials production.
- Product Designer: Creating innovative product designs using advanced materials.
- Product Engineer: Overseeing the development, testing, and manufacturing of products.
- Project Manager: Planning and overseeing material development projects and coordinating teams.
- Quality Engineer: Developing and implementing quality assurance processes to ensure material compliance.
- Quality Control Engineer: Testing materials and products to ensure quality and performance standards are met.
- Renewable Energy Materials Engineer: Developing materials for renewable energy technologies like solar panels and batteries.
- R&D Engineer: Leading research projects to develop innovative materials and technologies.
- Sales Engineer: Providing technical support for the sale of material-related products and solutions.
- Semiconductor Processing Engineer: Developing and optimizing processes for semiconductor fabrication.
- Systems Engineer: Designing and integrating systems for material-related projects and optimizing performance.
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