Accelerated M.S. in MatSE

Complete your master of science degree in materials science and engineering in one year!

Participate in research at a world-class university.
Gain a competitive edge in the workplace or in applying for a doctoral program.

At Penn State, students can complete a non-thesis track accelerated master of science (M.S.) degree in materials science and engineering (MatSE) in just one academic year (fall, spring, and summer semesters). This rigorous, residence-based, interdisciplinary program requires 30 credits for completion and culminates in a residential research project, poster presentation, and a scholarly paper. Each student is mentored by a research advisor from the first semester.

Learn more about the Accelerated M.S. in MatSE from our faculty and alumni.

The Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) offers comprehensive graduate education in the fundamentals of materials science and engineering (e.g., synthesis-structure-property-performance relationships). The program has strong research and educational thrusts across the entire spectrum of materials, including inorganic and structural materials, electronic and photonic materials, polymers and biomaterials, and computational materials science. Students may choose to study across the major themes of materials today, including materials in energy applications, nanotechnology, materials in medicine, materials in communications, materials for sensor applications, structural materials, etc., by using a combination of MatSE courses and a myriad of materials-related courses offered in the science and engineering departments at Penn State.

Degree Requirements

Students in the non-thesis Accelerated M.S. program must write a satisfactory scholarly paper while enrolled in MATSE 596 Individual Studies. A total of 6 credits of MATSE 596 will be taken, 1 credit each in the fall and spring, and 4 credits in the summer. It is expected that the scholarly paper will be submitted and approved at the end of the summer semester. Students who need more time to complete the final paper will be allowed to complete the paper, and have it reviewed and approved after the third semester has ended. Students are not required to remain in residence while they complete the final paper. However, extensions granted to students in this program must comply with the Graduate Council policy on deferred grades. Finally, at least 21 of the 30 credits for the accelerated degree option must be formal coursework, not counting credits for research, professional development, or colloquium. Minimum total credits: 30 credits

Minimum research credits: 6 credits
Minimum formal course credits: 21 credits
Minimum 500-level credits: 12 credits
Core graduate course credits: 9 credits
Seminar: 2 credits/year
Scholarship and research integrity credits: Online training and 1 credit of MatSE 582 (Materials Science and Engineering Professional Development)
Minimum GPA for graduation: 3.00
Thesis requirement: A scholarly paper must be completed

Admissions

To apply for admission to the Accelerated M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE), please submit letters of reference, your resume, supplemental material (e.g. research papers) via the graduate application website: Graduate School Online Application (Penn State no longer accepts mailed paper applications).

International students should review the procedures for obtaining a visa.

Please refer to the University Graduate School's How To Apply page for application procedures and fees.

GRE and TOEFL/IELTS Scores

GRE scores are not required for admission but are accepted when applying.

International students are required to submit electronically TOEFL or IELTS scores to Penn State.

Select "Penn State University" as the destination for test scores. The following code should be used when applying: Institution Code: 2660

Transcript Information

As part of the online application process, applicants are required to electronically upload copies of transcripts (or equivalent documents for institutions outside the U.S., e.g., degree/study certificates, diplomas, etc.) from all post-secondary institutions attended, in the language of instruction (and copies of an official English translation if English is not the language of instruction). Applicants recommended for admission who accept an offer through the online graduate admission system will be notified by the Graduate School that official/original transcripts/documents must be sent from the originating institutions in the official language of the institution(s) attended (and if the language of instruction is not English, an official English translation must also be sent).

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

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