Master of Materials Science and Engineering

Program Overview

The Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MMSE) distance education program is designed for professionals with degrees in an engineering discipline who wish to pursue a degree in materials science and engineering and who wish to study structure, structure modification and material properties, nanotechnology, energy, and biomaterials. 30 credit hours. No thesis required. GRE scores must be submitted with application.

Admission Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to the graduate degree program in Materials Science and Engineering are as follows:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), another field of engineering, or a related technical discipline such as chemistry or physics with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0.
• English Proficiency: TOEFL or IELTS scores (no more than two years old) are required for international applicants unless they have successfully (cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher) completed at least one year of full-time study in a degree program at a regionally accredited four-year US College or university. The Graduate School also accepts Duolingo English Test examination results. A minimum score of 110 is required for full admission to NC State.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons able to comment on the applicant’s qualifications for graduate study.

Find more information about the admission requirements.

Degree Requirements

• Completion of 30 graduate hours with an overall GPA of 3.0.
• Coursework must include a minimum of 18 credit hours of 500- or 700-level materials science and engineering (MSE) courses.
• The remaining 12 credit hours can be taken from MSE or non-MSE engineering courses in the Engineering Online program.
• After a student has been admitted and enrolled for the first time, he/she is required to maintain continuous enrollment in each fall and spring semester until completion of the degree program. A student in good academic standing may request a leave of absence for good reasons from the Director of Graduate Programs in MSE. The leave absolutely may not exceed two semesters.
• No thesis or on-campus residency is required.

Course Registration

It is preferable to seek admission to the MMSE program as soon as possible to ensure integration into the advising process. However, a person does not have to be admitted to a degree program to enroll in online MSE courses for credit. Prior to applying to the Graduate School, a qualified individual may enroll in Engineering Online courses as a Non-Degree Studies (NDS) student. The NDS classification is designed for individuals who wish to begin graduate academic work but are not currently admitted to a degree program. A maximum of 12 credit hours (typically four courses) may be taken in the NDS classification. After successful completion of four MSE courses as an NDS student, the student can be reconsidered for admission to the MMSE program. A maximum of twelve credit hours taken as an NDS student or from another institution may be applied toward the 30 credit hour MMSE degree requirement.

Students register for online courses through Engineering Online. Those who wish to take only a few courses and are not pursuing a degree do not need to apply for formal program admission to NC State University (they can enroll as NDS students). However, students who wish to earn the MMSE degree must formally apply for admission to the Graduate School. When completing the online application, please be sure to select the “Distance Track” version of the degree.

To register for an Engineering Online course, complete the registration form on the Engineering Online website. Students cannot use the NCSU MyPackPortal system to register for Engineering Online courses.

Course Offerings

A list of all distance education courses available for the fall, spring, and semester semesters can be found on the Engineering Online website. Full-time employed individuals may only enroll in two online courses per semester. It is highly recommended that new students enroll in only one course during their first semester.

Course Logistics

Online courses are the same as on-campus courses in terms of content, requirements, and academic rigor. On-campus class lectures are captured, digitized, and placed on the Internet for distance students to access at any time and from any location. Students must, however, follow the on-campus class schedule in terms of submitting homework and taking exams. Course assignments, lecture notes, and handouts are made available to distance students on the course website. All in-class exams must be proctored.

Contact Information

• For more information about the MMSE program available online, contact:
  Dr. Doug Irving, Graduate Program Director and Professor
  Department of Materials Science and Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27965-7907
  Telephone: 919.515.2377
  Email: doug_irving@ncsu.edu
  Department website https://www.mse.ncsu.edu
• For more information about the registration process, course offerings and course logistics, contact:
  Dr. Linda Krute, Director of Distance Education Programs
  College of Engineering
  Telephone: 919.515.5440
  Email: linda_krute@ncsu.edu
  Engineering Online website: https://engineeringonline.ncsu.edu