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Master's Degrees

Degrees in Materials Science and Engineering that match your career goals

Prepare for a career with a master's degree from Duke in Materials Science and Engineering.

Each master's degree program offers Duke's mix of multidisciplinary opportunities:

  • Master of Science (MS) in Materials Science and Engineering—An advanced degree culminating in a research project
  • Master of Engineering (MEng) in Materials Science and Engineering—An advanced engineering degree that includes business courses, technical training and an internship
  • '4+1' Bachelor and Master's (4+1)—Earn an undergraduate and a master's degree (MS or MEng) in five years  Learn more »

Compare Degree Programs

Duke master's degrees in Materials Science and Engineering

Master of Science (MS)

Master of Engineering (MEng)
Duration1 1/2-2 years1 1/2-2 years
Credits3030
Features
  • Advanced Technical Courses
  • Business  and Management Courses
  • Internship or Project
Minimum
Undergrad GPA		3.2No minimum
Minimum
TOEFL score
  • Paper-577
  • Internet-90
No minimum
Cost to Attend

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Application
Deadlines

Duke Master of Science
Deadlines »

Duke Master of Engineering
Deadlines »
Contact Admissionskatie.krieger@duke.edupratt_masters@duke.edu
How to ApplyApply to MS Apply to MEng

More Details

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Master of Science (MS)

  • 30 credits
  • Materials Science and Engineering seminars
  • Research Project

Contact

Questions? Contact Katie Krieger at katie.krieger@duke.edu

Degree Requirements

  1. In the 1st year, six courses must be selected from eight core courses (3 credits each, 18 credits total):

    FALL:
    CHEM 548: Fundamentals of Solid-State Materials
    CHEM 544: Statistical Mechanics - OR - ECE 521: Quantum Mechanics
    NEW: Materials Synthesis and Processing

    SPRING:
    NEW: Fundamentals of Soft Matter
    ME 511: Computational Materials Science
    ECE/NANOSCI 511: Foundations of Nanoscale Science and Technology - OR -ECE 721/ME 711: Nanotechnology Materials Lab/Advanced Materials Lab

  2. For the first three semesters, the Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Seminar is required (1 credit each, 3 credits total).

  3. In the 2nd year, three elective courses (3 credits each, 9 credits total) are required (a maximum of one elective course may be replaced with an independent study to receive course credit for the Research Project).

  4. In addition to completing the 30 credits of course work, a Research Project is required beginning in the first year. The project exam occurs during the third or fourth semester.

  5. Academic Integrity and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training required by The Graduate School at Duke University must be completed in the first semester (6 hours).

Tuition

Master's students are required to enroll in and pay tuition for at least three semesters of full-time study. Rates are subject to change each year. Tuition typically increases by no more than 4 percent per academic year.

To learn more about MS program tuition, fees and other costs of attendance, please see the latest details on The Duke Graduate School's website.

Application Deadlines

To find the latest application deadline, please see the Duke Graduate School website »

Apply Online

Master of Engineering (MEng)

  • 30 credits
  • Coursework only; No thesis
  • Core industry preparatory courses and technical electives in a concentrated area
  • Internship

Contact

Questions? Contact Susan Brown at pratt_masters@duke.edu

Credit Requirements

Master of Engineering students complete 30 credits, comprised of key program elements as follows:

  • Core industry preparatory courses (2 courses, 6 credits)
  • Discipline-specific or interdisciplinary core courses (5-6 courses, 15 - 18 credits, varies by department)
  • Technical electives in a concentrated area (2-3 courses, 6 - 9 credits, varies by department)
  • Internship

Core Industry Preparatory Courses

The core industry preparatory courses provide you with the business skills you need to succeed in industry. Business savvy and technical expertise gained in the MEng program will help you understand and work effectively in a corporate climate. The core industry preparatory courses are:

  • Business Fundamentals for Engineers – essentials of intellectual property, marketing, accounting/finance, and business strategies for technology companies
  • Management of High Tech Industries – significant principles of strategic decision making in complex environments, project analysis, intricate investment analysis, and the role of the manager in expertise driven organizations

Read more: core industry prep courses

Discipline-Specific Courses

The Master of Engineering program in the discipline of materials engineering and science has a defined a set of requirements designed to give you in-depth technical knowledge. Our MSE master's program gives you flexibility in course selection within your engineering discipline.

Technical Electives

Technical elective options give you more opportunity to specialize in your area of interest, and really take advantage of Duke’s leading status in materials science and engineering. Specializations like these will distinguish you with potential employers. You will work with a faculty advisor to customize a curriculum that suits you. In some cases, an independent study sponsored by a faculty member may satisfy an elective requirement.

Internship/Project

We require all MEng students to engage in an internship or project to complete the program. The many options available to fulfill this requirement give you a chance to practice what you’re learning, ask questions and hone your skills in a supportive environment. Internships may be paid or unpaid, corporate or governmental. Projects may take the form of applied research positions, provided the learning objectives are met.

Once your project or internship is completed, you will prepare a written and/or oral project report. Individual programs/majors may have additional requirements or exceptions to fulfill the internship component of the program.

Read more: MEng Internship/Project

Tuition

Master's students are required to enroll in and pay tuition for at least three semesters of full-time study. Rates are subject to change each year. Tuition typically increases by no more than 4 percent per academic year.

To learn more about MEng program tuition, fees and other costs of attendance, please see the Master of Engineering (MEng) program website.

Application Deadlines

To see the latest Master of Engineering Program application deadlines, please go to meng.pratt.duke.edu »

Apply Online

Career Services

The Duke Career Center provides outstanding career support to its master's students. Our career services include:

  • Academic job search strategy sessions
  • Non-academic job search strategy sessions for industry and governmental positions
  • Resume review and critiques
  • Interview skills training for international students

Financial Aid

Limited financial aid is available to highly qualified candidates through academic scholarships with an emphasis on increasing diversity within the program.

Loans

Many master's students obtain educational loans, believing that a Duke master's degree provides an excellent return on their investment.

You may be eligible for federal financial aid offered by William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Programs. In order to be considered for federal financial aid, which includes federal work-study funding, you must complete the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for any need-based loan program along with federal work study.

To be eligible, a student must be a United States citizen or permanent resident. If you meet eligibility requirements, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Our school code is 002920.