Penn State has many research facilities, including Steidle Building and the Materials Research Institute in the Millennium Science Complex, support materials characterization, nanofabrication, computational design, and more.
Faculty interests in research areas include biomaterials, ceramics, composites and hybrids, computational materials science, electronic and photonic materials, materials chemistry and physics, metals, nanostructured and nanoscale materials, piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics, polymers and soft materials.
M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees
M.S. Degree:
A minimum of 30 credits is required for the completion of the M.S. degree. As a culminating experience for the M.S. degree, students may choose to complete either a thesis or a scholarly paper.
- Thesis Option: Students who choose to complete a thesis must take at least 6 credits of thesis research (MATSE 600). A thesis describing independent research performed by the student must be written and defended at an oral examination.
- Accelerated Scholarly Paper Option.: The non-thesis track is designed to be completed in 3 semesters, or one calendar year (fall, spring, and summer). Students in this program will be required to begin in the fall semester and be registered continuously until the culminating research experience is completed at the end of the summer. A research adviser will be assigned to students in their first semester. Students in the non-thesis option must write a satisfactory scholarly paper while enrolled in MATSE 596 Individual Studies.
Ph.D. Degree:
General requirements are based upon completing the required course work, passing the candidacy examination, a period of residence, passing the comprehensive examination, the writing of a satisfactory thesis (and its acceptance by the doctoral committee and the Graduate School).
Careers
Through formal coursework in small classes and participation in cutting-edge sponsored research, our students enjoy a graduate education that prepares them well for their future careers in industry, academia, or government laboratories.
