Materials Science and Engineering
Course Bulletin (PDF) Download
Curriculum Requirements (PDF) Download
Department of Material Science and Engineering
477 Watts Hall
2041 College Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
614-292-2553
www.osu.edu/mse
Degrees offered
- Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering
- Master of Science
- Doctor of Philosophy
Undergraduate Program
This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-4012; - telephone: 410-347-7700.
Program educational objectives
We expect the following of our MSE graduates:
- To competently apply the essential elements of MSE, which are defined by the interrelationships among composition, structure, properties, processing and performance of engineering materials.
- To devise, design and conduct experimental, analytical and computational exercises necessary to further explore the essential elements of materials science and engineering.
- To be able to communicate effectively.
- To help solve complex engineering problems by applying the related principles of the engineering disciplines and by functioning effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
- To demonstrate the global, societal and ethical awareness expected of practicing engineering professionals.
Materials science and engineering is at the forefront of the revolution in engineered materials that is changing the face of technology. A virtually infinite combination of atomic structures, crystal networks, and chemical compositions comprise the design elements available to the materials engineer. Civilizations have always been classified by the materials used in each period, as in the Stone Age or the Bronze Age. We now have entered the era of advanced engineered materials.
Materials engineers create materials form the atomic level up to finished products. The atomic make-up, crystalline structure, and crystal morphology must be tailored to optimize the macroscopic properties of the material. Engineers utilize chemical, thermal, and mechanical processing methods to manipulate material design. Materials engineers can be found today in nearly every field of industry and technological advancement. This broad area of study includes such diverse interests as industrial ceramics, metallurgy, superconductivity, corrosion studies, bio and industrial sensors, biomaterials, advanced composite materials, and more.
The need for materials engineers has increased as the limitations of highly technical devices and components become dictated by the properties of materials which comprise them. The need to improve fuel efficiency for automobiles and aircraft has generated a major need for lightweight, highly reliable, durable materials for structural components. Engine efficiency is limited by the availability of materials able to withstand high operating temperatures. Another example of a field of growing significance within materials engineering is the biomedical field, where materials engineers seek biomaterials chemically compatible with, and capable of assimilating, human tissue and bone for dental, bone, and joint replacements, and even drug delivery systems which can be implanted in the human body.
Critical materials issues play a role in the production of these and many other areas. Students graduating from the department are able to find jobs in a wide range of industries including aerospace, automobile, traditional metals processing companies, high tech ceramic firms, and even sporting goods companies. Materials science graduates have also been very successful in recent years in pursuing graduate education, not only in Materials Science and Engineering, but in other engineering disciplines such as Biomedical Engineering, and in professional schools such as Medical School, Dental School, and Pharmacy programs. Whether designing ceramic heat shield tiles for the space shuttle, new composite materials that will improve your golf game with stronger and more accurate clubs, or ceramic sensors which can detect chemical pollution leaks long before older systems were able to, materials scientists are on the cutting edge of new research and development in many fields.
The Materials Science and Engineering curriculum is designed to provide a strong background in high temperature behavior of solids and the relation between the structure, processing, properties, and application of all materials. Students begin taking major courses in the sophomore year which focus on the atomic scale structure and microstructure of materials as well as their mechanical and electronic properties, as well as introductory materials science processing labs. The junior year is spent primarily learning the specific properties of materials. Prior to the senior year of the program, students select one of six specializations designed by the department. These specializations are a group of courses within the MSE department, and other engineering and/or science disciplines, which constitute a meaningful focus on a particular area of materials. These specializations are Biomaterials, Ceramics, Electronic Materials, Manufacturing, Metallurgy, and Polymers. Students are also able to design their own specialization with the assistance of their faculty advisor.
For outstanding students, the department offers a combined BS/MS program. This program provides exceptional students an opportunity to initiate a graduate program during their senior year. Participating students may count numerous senior level courses toward both the BS and MS degrees, thus reducing by as much as a year the time required to earn a Master's degree. Students admitted to the BS/MS program are eligible for a Graduate Research Associate (GRA) position. GRA positions allow our students the opportunity to perform cutting-edge research in the field of materials science. In addition, GRA positions provide full payment of tuition costs and provide the student a monthly stipend. Students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.5 to be eligible for the BS/MS program, and should apply during their junior year in the undergraduate curriculum. More information is available on the department webpage, or by contacting the department.
Students are invited to contact the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at their earliest opportunity to obtain further information about the program, including scholarship opportunities.
Acceptance to major
Entry courses: MSE 205 (offered every quarter)
Annual numerical ceiling: open
Acceptance criteria: Secondary point hour upon completion of Chemistry 121,
Math 151, Physics 131, and MSE 205.