Program Description
The Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering program is primarily for students with bachelor’s degrees in Materials Science and Engineering or a closely related discipline.
Fields of emphasis and research for materials science and engineering include crystal growth, high temperature materials and coatings, multicomponent interdiffusion, material stability and degradation, shape memory alloys, mechanical behavior, magnetic and optical and electronic materials, thin films, solar cells, sensors, ceramics, powder metallurgy, non-equilibrium processing of materials, nano synthesis and consolidation, nanomaterials including quantum dots nanowires and nanocomposites, biomaterials, and electrochemically active materials.
Please note: Materials Science and Engineering (MSMSE) may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.
International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit http://global.ucf.edu/. If you have questions, please consult UCF Global at 407-823-2337.
UCF is not authorized to provide online courses or instruction to students in some states. Refer to State Restrictions for current information.
Curriculum
The Materials Science and Engineering MSMSE program offers both thesis and nonthesis options with each requiring a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. In general, the program includes 12-15 credit hours of required courses with the remaining courses being electives except for at least six credit hours of thesis work for students in the thesis option.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor’s Degree
The thesis option is primarily for those students who can devote a full-time effort to completing an independent research project that leads to a thesis. A student pursuing the thesis option may not register for thesis credit hours until an advisory committee has been appointed and the committee has reviewed the program of study and the proposed thesis topic.
The nonthesis option is primarily designed for part-time and online students and requires 30 credit hours of coursework. In addition, students pursuing the nonthesis option are required to take EML 6085 - Research Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering or EMA 6918 Directed Research as part of their 30-credit-hour course requirement to demonstrate their ability to perform independently in research conditions. See the MSE program director for specific details.
All students are expected to identify an adviser and file an official degree program of study prior to the completion of 9 credit hours of study. All programs of study must consist of at least 24 credit hours of required and elective courses, exclusive of thesis and research. At least half of the credit hours in a program of study must be at the 6000 level. The appropriate program of study form can be found at the program website listed above and students should consult with the MSE program director for assistance in filling out the program of study form and approval. Substitutions to the program of study must meet with the approval of the adviser and the MSE program director.
A student with an undergraduate degree outside of the materials science and engineering discipline is required to satisfy an articulation program and may have to take additional prerequisite courses.
Prerequisites (or equivalent)
- Mathematics through Differential Equations (MAP 2302 )
- Structure and Properties of Materials (EGN 3365 )
- Mechanics of Materials (EGN 3331) or Thermodynamics (EGN 3343 )
- Experimental Techniques in Mechanics and Materials (EMA 3012C)
Required Courses: 15 Credit Hours
All students must take five required courses unless they hold a materials engineering undergraduate degree, in which case they may substitute an additional elective for EMA 5104 .
All students must take one of the two following pairs of required courses.
Students taking the courses in one required pair may also take the courses in the other required pair as electives.
Elective Courses: 9 Credit Hours
All students, both thesis and nonthesis, must take at least 9 credit hours of electives. Additional electives are listed below. Courses should be selected with faculty adviser approval.
Electives Outside EMA Offerings
Thesis Option: 6 Credit Hours
Thesis students must complete an independent research project, and write and successfully defend their thesis that describes the project.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all thesis defense announcements be approved by the student’s adviser and posted on the college’s website and on the Events Calendar at the College of Graduate Studies website at least two weeks before the defense date.
- EMA 6971 Thesis 6 Credit Hours
Nonthesis Option: 6 Credit Hours
Nonthesis students are required to demonstrate their ability to perform independently in research conditions by completing either EML 6085 or EMA/EML 6918. In addition, they must take another elective beyond the 9 credit hours of electives described above.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Materials Science and Engineering MSMSE program pay $17 per semester for equipment each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $8.50 per semester.
Independent Learning
The Independent Learning Requirement is met by successful completion of a master’s thesis or EML 6085 Research Methods or EMA 6918 Directed Research for nonthesis students.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science strongly encourages prospective applicants to request a free pre-screening (www.cecs.ucf.edu/prescreen) of their qualifications prior to submitting an online application for graduate admission. However, a pre-screening is not required; rather, it is offered as a courtesy to all prospective applicants before they commit to submitting a complete online application and paying an application processing fee.
Admissions decisions are made on the basis of a complete online application only, and not on the basis of any pre-screening. Prospective applicants who are encouraged to apply to their intended graduate program based on the information provided for their pre-screening are not assured of admission or financial assistance when they submit a complete online application. Although it is possible, it is not likely, that prospective applicants who are discouraged from formally applying to a graduate program at the pre-screening stage will be admitted if they elect to submit a complete online application anyway.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirement , applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- A bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering or a closely related discipline.
- Résumé.
- Statement of educational, research, and professional career objectives.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Faculty members may choose to conduct face-to-face or telephone interviews before accepting an applicant into their research program.
Additional courses may be required to correct deficiencies. Students should contact the MSE graduate program director for more information.
Application Deadlines
Materials Science and Engineering MSMSE |
*Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
Domestic Applicants |
Jan 15 |
Jul 1 |
Dec 1 |
Apr 1 |
International Applicants |
Jan 15 |
Jan 15 |
Jul 1 |
Nov 1 |
*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date. |
Financials
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.