Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Graduate Program Introduction

About MSE

The MSE program at the Bourns College of Engineering is truly interdisciplinary, cutting across departmental and collegiate lines. The faculty members from various departments and with different backgrounds participate in the program. BCOE has a substantial number of faculty members who carry out experimental, theoretical and computational research in materials science and engineering. The MSE program is synergetic with the campus interdisciplinary nanotechnology efforts and investments. The MSE program at UCR is very different from the existing materials programs in other UC campuses and nearby universities. It is the only undergraduate program that involves all departments of the College of Engineering. The program structure implemented at UCR emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the field and encourages interdepartmental cooperation.

The students enrolled in the MSE program benefit from the unique research facilities existing and currently under development at UCR. These facilities include the materials synthesis and characterization resources available in the Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) and the Central Facility for Advanced Microscopy and Microanalysis (CFAMM) offer additional instrumentation, which can be used in the student training. Modern materials science and engineering involves a substantial computational component, i.e., computational materials science. The MSE students benefit from the computational resources available in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, and the campus-wide computational facilities.

Degree Objectives

The MSE program offers two graduate degree objectives. These include a Master of Science (MS) in MSE and a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in MSE.

The MS degree has a normative time to completion of 1-2  years when pursuing Plan II (Thesis Route) and 1 year when pursuing Plan II (Comprehensive Exam Route). For the M.S. degree, students must meet a minimum residency requirement of three quarters, one complete academic year, in the University of California. At least two of these three quarters must be spent at UCR. Registration in at least 4 units of 100 or 200 level coursework is necessary for each quarter of academic residence. Students should enroll in 12 units each quarter unless the Graduate Advisor grants an exception. For more detailed information about the MS program, please click here. 

The PhD degree has a normative time to completion of 6 years, but can vary widely depending on the type of research being performed. Students must meet the minimum residency requirement of six quarters in the University of California, three of which must be spent in continuous residence at UCR. A student must maintain continuous registration until all degree requirements have been fulfilled. If such registration is not possible, the student must secure an approved leave of absence from the department and the Graduate Division. For more information regarding the PhD program, please click here.