Materials Science and Engineering Program
2024-25 Materials Science & Engineering UG Program (BS, BSH, MINOR)
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE/MatSci) essential to the development of modern devices and technologies. All facets of engineering depend critically on the materials utilized for specific applications, including semiconductors for electronic devices, ceramics for energy conversion and storage, and polymers for new biotechnologies.
A core component of MatSci is the investigation of materials processing in order to alter the structure of materials and thereby control their properties. Materials scientists and engineers also utilize a distinctive suite of characterization techniques such as advanced electron microscopes that probe materials structure down to the atomic level. This field combines approaches from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in a unified discipline in order tackle global problems of technological, engineering, and scientific significance.
Students who are interested in both science and its application to important interdisciplinary problems should consider a career in Materials Science and Engineering. The Undergraduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering provides basic training for those who wish to become materials engineers, and prepares students for careers in a variety of STEM fields by exposing students to broad scientific concepts and applied research and design techniques. Teaching and research topics in MatSci include nanoscale materials, biomaterials and regenerative medicine, energy and environmental materials, photovoltaic and photonic materials, metals and alloys, metamaterials, thin film materials, semiconductor devices, advanced materials characterization techniques, and computer modeling of materials behavior. Materials Science and Engineering undergraduates are encouraged to take at least one year of graduate study in the MatSci Coterminal degree program to extend their coursework and to obtain training in research. Coterminal degree programs are also recommended for any related undergraduate majors.
Research Experience for Undergraduates
The Materials Science and Engineering Department welcomes undergraduates to participate in undergraduate research through our research programs: Undergraduate Research Grant (URG) and Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program. In these programs, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and work directly with MATSCI faculty and their research groups. Research in our department focuses on several of the Grand Challenges in Engineering, including projects on energy conversion and storage, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, and nanomaterials synthesis and characterization. Whether you are well into your major or still testing the waters, all engineering students are strongly encouraged to apply to our programs. Students are encouraged to reach out to our faculty to learn about the variety of research projects being conducted in our department. A full list of past REU projects can be found at https://mse.stanford.edu/reu-projects.
Feel free to contact Haoxue Yan, Lecturer, at haoxuey@stanford.edu with any questions or to receive further information about the programs in Materials Science and Engineering.
UG Program Requirements
Degree requirements are as follows. For most accurate/up-to-date course requirements, see the MatSci UG Program’s page. MSE Major Unit Requirement
For the MatSci department requirement, combined units from the following group of courses must total a minimum of 56 units. Units cannot be counted under more than one category.
- SoE Fundamentals: 7 units
- MatSci Fundamentals: 25 units
- MatSci Depth: 15 units
- Focus Area Options: 9 units
By adding these 56 units to the 39 required Math and Science units and the minimum of 3 units for the Technology in Society course, your Materials Science undergraduate major program will require a minimum of 98 units of the 180 you need to graduate. Your Advanced Placement Math and Science units from high school may count toward the 39 units of basic math and science, thereby allowing you more electives during your Stanford career.By adding these 55 units to the 39 required math and science units and the minimum of 3 units for the Technology in Society course, your Materials Science undergraduate major program will require a minimum of 97 units of the 180 you need to graduate. Your advanced placement math and science units from high school may count toward the 39 units of basic math and science, thereby allowing you more electives during your Stanford career.
School of Engineering (SoE) Requirements
Math, science, TiS and Engineering Fundamentals courses allowed for this major may be found in the Bulletin: MatSci Program. Full list of approved Math, Science, Eng Fund, & TiS elective courses are available here . These electives must be on the SoE-approved list the year you take them. Transfer credits in these areas must be approved by the SoE Dean's Office. Information & petitions at https://ughb.stanford.edu/transfers-ap-exceptions/transfer-requests. AP/IB/GCE test credit for use in the major can be confirmed by checking your MAP record in the Bachelor of Science math, science, and/or Fundamentals categories.
- Mathematics & Statistics (23 units minimum)
- Science (16 units minimum)
- Technology in Society (One course; 3-5 units)
- SoE Fundamentals (ENGR 50(E,M) and one additional course; 7 units minimum)
Departmental Requirements: MSE Fundamentals, Depth, & Focus Area Options
These requirements are specified and monitored by the department of Materials Science and Engineering. Petitions for exceptions must be made to the department. Substitutions/petitions for MatSci Fundamentals required courses (140 series) and elective course (150 series) will not be permitted. Students may choose to petition up to one 4-unit lab class from other departments to fulfill the MatSci Depth requirement; details are discussed on the deviation petitions page. Students must choose one of the listed focus area options, at least one of the three courses must The MATSCI 140-150 series represents a stand-alone curriculum, which is recommended for undergraduates. The 180 and 190 series courses are advanced level courses, which may be substituted for the equivalent 150 series courses or can be taken as follow-on courses. MATSCI 142, 143, 144, and 145 are required MSE fundamentals.
- MatSci MSE Fundamentals (5 required + choose 2 courses, 25 units minimum)
- MatSci Depth (Choose 4 courses, 15 units minimum)
- Focus Area Options (Choose 3 courses, 9 units minimum)
- To satisfy the capstone requirement, there are two options:
- Course-based track: Take at least 2 of the following courses: MatScI 161, MatSci 163, or MatSci 165
- Research-Based Track: Complete at least 2 consecutive quarters of independent research within same research group, totaling at least 6 units of MatSci 150.
MATSCI Coterm Information
Information and requirements about the Coterminal program in Materials Science and Engineering can be obtained from the department's Coterm page or the Stanford Bulletin. Questions can be directed to our Student Services Officer Delney Walker.
Declaring a Major in Materials Science & Engineering
Information and instructions on how to declare MatSci can be found at https://mse.stanford.edu/academics-admissions/UG-declare. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our UG Advising team at mse-ug-advising@stanford.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!