Bachelor of Science, Materials Science and Engineering

Source: https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/education/undergraduate/index.html Parent: https://engineering.cmu.edu/education/undergraduate-studies/admissions/index.html

Interested in a degree in MSE?

Highlights

Our department offers a close-knit community. Our faculty and staff’s doors are always open to offer individualized guidance.
The maximum class size is around 50 students.
We support the natural formation of mentorships. Faculty and staff work to get to know students, and help them navigate toward reaching their goals.
Most undergraduate students will do research during their time at Carnegie Mellon, either for credit or for pay.
Students create their own academic experience. 92% of students are pursuing some type of additional major ranging from creative writing to biomedical engineering.
Minors including Additive Manufacturing, Electronic Materials, or Mechanical Behavior of Materials are available to students within the department and across the College of Engineering.
The average starting salary of our undergraduates is $82,000.
More than 50% of our undergraduates pursue further higher education upon completing their degree.

New admission policy: Students now apply directly to an engineering major

Students applying to the College of Engineering can choose their major at two times: when applying to a major directly or when applying undecided and making a selection in the spring of their first year. \ \ Students who apply directly to a major are admitted directly to that major. Students admitted as undecided within the College of Engineering are allowed to choose among the primary majors during the spring semester of their first year.\ \ Requests to change majors will be considered after the first year but are not guaranteed to be approved and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Program educational objectives

Graduates with a B.S. degree from the Materials Science and Engineering program will, within a few years after graduation:

attain success in a professional position and/or a top graduate school that builds upon their MSE background
exhibit professionalism and leadership in contemporary, interdisciplinary engineering practice based on materials, while accounting for the impact of their profession on an evolving, global society
contribute to innovative designs of technological systems using principles of materials science and engineering
make effective contributions as an individual, team member, and/or a leader to effect global, economic, environmental, and/or societal impact

Student outcomes

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering has accepted the following definitions for the educational outcomes of the department. These outcomes will allow our students to be successful in any career choice and achieve the long-term objectives of our department. Each student will have:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Student Enrollment and Graduation Data

View enrollment data for the undergraduate Materials Science & Engineering program.

Accreditation Statement

The Materials Science and Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Materials(1), Metallurgical(2), Ceramics(3) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Mar 17

[### Polymers, prototypes, and Penguins Opens in new window

In season nine of Rethink the Rink, students solve issues associated with goalie chest protectors, including impact absorption, mobility, and functionality.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2026/03/17-rethink-the-rink.html)

Feb 18

[### Engineering Leadership Skills from the Track to the Classroom

MSE student Kara Mathias, who is a member of the Carnegie Mellon cross country and track & field teams, was selected to attend the NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program during the organization’s annual conference.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2026/02/18-ncaa-leadership.html)

Feb 03

[### Early research opportunities spur discovery

Last summer, MSE students completing their first year of undergraduate studies took advantage of the opportunity to complement their classroom experience with research efforts.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2026/02/03-undergrad-research.html)

Oct 08

[### Summer of discovery Opens in new window

Five students who participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program enriched their studies by conducting research related to the biomedical applications of their respective engineering fields.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2025/10/10-summer-of-discovery.html)

Aug 22

[### Internship Highlight: Ellen Angwin

Driven by her interest in green steel production and steel recycling, rising senior Ellen Angwin spent the summer working as a Metallurgy Intern at Nucor Steel.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2025/08/22-internship-highlight.html)

Jun 13

[### PURRcision: Pulse oximeters for Frankie’s Friends Opens in new window

Engineering students get real experience solving problems for local companies and non-profits in the course Foundation of BME Design.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2025/06/13-frankies-friends.html)

Apr 07

[### Pickleball paddles of the future Opens in new window

Materials science and engineering students investigated whether pickleball paddles produced by 3D printing could be as good as, or better, than those produced using existing techniques.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2025/04/07-pickleball-paddles.html)

Mar 26

[### Curious Minds, Confident Mentors Drive Success in STEM

MSE assistant professor Amanda Krause and undergraduate student Katherine Wu are among the many talented women making significant strides in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields at CMU.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2025/03/26-women-in-stem.html)

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Mar 24

[### MSE student wins Washington Prize

Katie Eisenman has been selected as the first place winner of the 2025 George Washington Prize, an award given annually in recognition of academic excellence, commitment to service, and leadership.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2025/03/24-washington-prize.html)

Jan 03

[### Unleashing advancements in animal care Opens in new window

Kara Mathias, who is interested in connecting her research to caring for animals, was awarded the Dr. Mete Akin Endowed Fund for Advancement of Pre-Med Education earlier this year.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2025/01/03-unleashing-advancements.html)

Oct 01

[### Putting on the refinishing touches

After a rewarding experience as an intern at Covestro in 2023, senior Phylicia Ma returned to the company in 2024 as an Automotive Coatings Intern.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2024/10/01-intern-spotlight-phylicia.html)

Sep 10

[### Thirsty for opportunity

This summer, senior Isabelle Millan was a Product Excellence Scientist Intern for the Unilever Health & Wellbeing Collective, where she worked on one of their Liquid IV products.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2024/09/10-internship-highlight-isabelle.html)

Jun 05

[### Siddiqui receives Udall Scholarship Opens in new window

Aleena Siddiqui has received the Udall Scholar award, which recognizes future leaders in environmental, Tribal public policy, and health care fields.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2024/06/05-udall-scholar.html)

Jun 03

[### NASA mentor guides student’s career trajectory Opens in new window

Campus research experience, NASA internship, and advice from a mentor propel material science and engineering student, Lauren Fitzwater, to pursue a minor in additive manufacturing.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2024/06/03-am-trajectory.html)

May 16

[### Undergraduates present research at Meeting of the Minds 2024 Opens in new window

Engineering undergraduate students had a wonderful showing at Meeting of the Minds, displaying posters, giving presentations, and demonstrating projects they have worked on this past academic year.](https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2024/05/16-motm.html)

Apr 30

[### Students take MSE to 3D

Utilizing the capabilities of the Microsoft HoloLens 2, undergraduate students have spent the academic year working on the design of a new AR application, HoloCrystal, which will enable those studying materials to interact with crystal structures through augmented reality.](https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/news/2024/04/30-holocrystal-capstone.html)