Program Statistics
Visit Master's Program Statistics and PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Last Updated: August 28, 2026
Materials Science and Engineering
Overview
Degree Types: MS, PhD
Northwestern’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the world’s first academic department of its kind, offers graduate programs leading to the MS and PhD degrees in diverse areas of materials science. These areas include nanomaterials, biomaterials, electronic materials, metals, ceramics, and polymers with applications in energy, sustainability, medicine, and additive manufacturing.
Strong interdisciplinary and collaborative research is a hallmark of materials science and engineering at Northwestern. We collaborate with other engineering and science departments, the Feinberg School of Medicine, and national laboratories including nearby Argonne National Laboratory.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact
Murphy Sharp
Program Assistant
847-491-7896
MS Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Master's
Thesis-Track MS degree in MSE
Total Units Required: 10
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MAT_SCI 496-0 | MS Projects in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE graduate core courses (3 units, 401 to 408) ) |
| MSE graduate core courses (3 units, 401 to 408) | |
| Departmental electives (3 units, excluding 496 and 499) | |
| Elective courses (3 units, including STEM courses from other departments) | |
| TGS 512-0 | Continuous Registration |
Other Requirements:
- No more than 3 units can be 300-level courses. All courses must be authorized for graduate credit in the Academic Catalog.
- Students must complete all degree milestones outlined within the program of study. This includes submission of the Research Plan at the end of the first year and the completion and defense of an MS Thesis by the end of the second year
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | ||
| 3 courses | ||
| Winter | ||
| 3 courses | ||
| Spring | ||
| MAT_SCI 496-0 | MS Projects in Materials Science and Engineering | |
| 3 courses | ||
| Summer | ||
| Full-time research (TGS 512) | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Full-time research (TGS 512) | ||
| Winter | ||
| Full-time research (TGS 512) | ||
| Spring | ||
| Full-time research (TGS 512) | ||
Course-Track MS degree in MSE
Total Units Required: 12
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Departmental courses (8 units, 5 of which must be 400-level, excluding 499) | |
| Elective courses* (4 units, including courses from other departments) | |
*No more than 1 unit of MAT_SCI 499-0 Projects may be counted towards the degree requirements. All courses must be authorized for graduate credit in the Academic Catalog.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | ||
| 3 courses | ||
| Winter | ||
| 3 courses | ||
| Spring | ||
| 3 courses | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| 3 courses | ||
PhD Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
PhD
Total Units Required: 12
(Up to 6 units credit is given for the MS degree; see departmental guide.)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MAT_SCI 401-0 | Chemical & Statistical Thermodynamics of Materials |
| MAT_SCI 402-0 | Structure of Crystalline and Noncrystalline Materials |
| MAT_SCI 404-1 | Fundamentals of Soft Matter |
| MAT_SCI 404-2 | Imperfections in Materials |
| MAT_SCI 405-0 | Physics of Solids |
| MAT_SCI 406-0 | Mechanical Properties of Materials |
| MAT_SCI 408-0 | Phase Transformations in Materials |
| GEN_ENG 519-0 | Responsible Conduct for Research Training |
| Departmental Electives (2 units) 1 | |
| Electives (4 units) 2 | |
- 1
400 level, excluding MAT_SCI 499-0 Projects
- 2
excluding MAT_SCI 499-0 Projects
Other PhD Degree Requirements
- Examinations: preliminary evaluation based on research progress and coursework; qualifying examination emphasizing proposed dissertation research
- Research/Projects: see departmental guide
- PhD Dissertation: materials and results from supported research programs may be used for dissertation
- Final Evaluations: public oral defense of dissertation
- Departmental Seminar: attendance of research seminars
- Teaching: a minimum of two quarters (to total 20 hrs/week) as a teaching assistant or grader