Introduction to Materials Science
Covers the fundamental principles of materials science, including atomic structure, bonding, and material properties.
Difficulty
Demanding
Early data puts Materials Engineering at 3.8/5 for difficulty from 4 ratings. More responses will make this picture clearer.
Average difficultyBased on 4 students across 2 schools.View review makeupEarly data
3.8/ 5
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What makes this major demanding?
Worth it?
100% would recommend it
Based on 4 reviews across 2 schools
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Curriculum and careers
Materials Engineering focuses on the development, processing, and testing of materials to create new products and enhance existing ones. Students learn about the properties of metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites to innovate solutions that meet technological and environmental challenges.
Core course themes
Thermodynamics of Materials
Explores the thermodynamic principles applicable to material systems, focusing on phase equilibria and transformations.
Mechanical Properties of Materials
Examines the mechanical behavior of materials, including stress-strain relationships, failure mechanisms, and strengthening methods.
Materials Characterization
Introduces techniques for analyzing material structure and composition, such as microscopy and spectroscopy.
Ceramics and Polymer Engineering
Focuses on the processing, properties, and applications of ceramic and polymer materials.
Composite Materials
Studies the design, fabrication, and application of composite materials with tailored properties.
Common roles
- Materials Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Quality Control Engineer
- Research Scientist
- Product Development Engineer
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Materials Engineering by school
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Community
Big questions in Materials Engineering
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Student reviews
PositiveCourses & teaching
The MSE program at WSU is actually surprisingly fulfilling and well-structured. I think they really care about the foundation of courses and the size of each step you take. So basically, when you take courses in the lower division, they offer courses like linear algebra, calculus, differential equations and statistics which are super helpful later. And I really like differential equations and statistics as the professor give examples related to engineering problems. In the upper division, thermodynamics and kinetics sit in the core of MSE program. One thing I really love about their course design is that whenever there is a hard course, they design a lab to cope with it. Getting dizzy about the concepts in lecture? Not a problem, you will see a much practical explanation from a lab-guy side. And I love the materials characterization course where you got hands-on experience on SEM, TEM, XRD and other stuff. And this hands-on experience is kind of rare at least among my peers
Mar 2026
PositiveSupport & community
Pretty heavy on the science side compared to most other engineering majors. Small cohort, which makes it easier to form connections peers and professors. MRS@UCLA is a great resource for social bonding + learning about professional experiences!
Apr 2026
PositiveCareers & next steps
It's a good mix of all the engineering disciplines. There' are lot of job prospects across many fields.
May 2026
PositiveEnjoyment & fit
It was a lot of fun. Got to learn a lot about materials
May 2026
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