Materials Science and Engineering - Doctorate of Philosophy

Undergraduate Preparation
Applicants possessing B.S. and M.S. degrees in engineering and the physical sciences are considered for admission into the program. Students accepted with degrees in disciplines other than Ceramics, Glass or Materials Science and Engineering may be required to complete some undergraduate courses to ensure competency in the field.

Graduation Requirements
The program requires 90 credit-hours beyond the bachelor's level, including:

• Advanced Engineering Math (3 credits)
• Thermodynamics of Materials (3 credits)
• Kinetics and Non-Equilibrium Processes in Materials (3 credits)
• Solid State Physics (3 credits)
• Defects and Defect-related Processes (3 credits)
• Quantum Physics (3 credits)
• Characterization of Materials (3 credits)
• Graduate-level electives (minimum of 12 credits)
• Graduate Seminar (0 credit, mandatory every semester)
• Thesis research (minimum of 30 credits)
• Research Seminar (1 credit)

Up to 15 credit hours of graduate-level course work can be transferred into the program with approval of the School of Engineering graduate program director.

Candidates for the degree must pass a qualifying exam, typically in the first year of their residency. Candidates for the degree must write, present and successfully defend a doctoral thesis based on independent and original research conducted by the student. The thesis must be acceptable for publication.

Length of Study
There is a minimum two-year residency requirement. Full-time students entering with a master's degree are encouraged to complete the program within 3 years. Those entering with a bachelor's degree are encouraged to complete the program within 54 months (9 semesters plus summers) of admission. Continuous enrollment is required.

Funding and Assistantships
All students admitted to the Ph.D. program receive full support (tuition plus an annual stipend) through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. Information about the cost of living near Alfred is available on the Office of Admissions web page.