Materials Science and Engineering

With a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (BSMSE), you will have an understanding of the application, methods, and principles involved in studying engineering materials. Materials scientists and engineers are concerned with how materials behave at all scales—from electrons to skyscrapers. They are interested in improving the performance of existing materials and in designing and fabricating new, higher performance materials that don’t exist in nature. An important part of designing new materials is to understand the structure of materials from the atomic level upwards.

The program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering (BSMSE) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Learn more about ABET accreditation.

Careers

As a graduate, you will be equipped with the skills necessary for successful professional practice or advanced studies. Many students are offered employment by industry leaders even before they graduate.

Employment opportunities exist in a multitude of areas including:

• Metallurgy
• Biomaterials
• Aerospace
• Solid State Electronics Production

Preparation

• Four years of high school math, including trigonometry and preferably introductory calculus
• One year each of high school physics and chemistry
• Effective communication skills

Curriculum

Undergraduate curriculum emphasizes the relationship of microscopic structures to macroscopic properties of materials, experimental techniques for characterizing, and the design/selection of materials for engineering applications.

• Schedule of Classes
• WSU Catalog

MSE Course Matrix for Students Admitted to the Major Fall 2020 – Spring 2021
MSE Course Matrix for Students Admitted to the Major Fall 2021 or Later
MSE Course Matrix Fall 2022

MSE Student Outcomes List

MSE Student Outcomes List

Course Syllabi

Download the most recent syllabi for the core courses in the Materials Science and Engineering program (PDF files).

• MSE 110 Introduction to Materials Science
• MSE 201 Materials Science
• MSE 302 Electronic Materials
• MSE 316 Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Materials
• MSE 320 Materials Structure-Properties Laboratory
• MSE 321 Materials Characterization
• MSE 323 Materials Characterization Laboratory
• MSE 333 Ceramic Materials
• MSE 401 Metallic Materials
• MSE 402 Polymeric Materials
• MSE 403 Ceramic Materials
• MSE 404 Engineering Composites
• MSE 406 Biomaterials
• MSE 413 Mechanics of Solids
• MSE 425 Senior Thesis
• MSE 426 Senior Thesis II

Financial Support

Scholarships and other opportunities are available to help students finance their college education. Learn more.