Materials Science and Engineering PhD

Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 90.0 
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 14.1801
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 17-2131

About the Program

The PhD program in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) aims to provide an education which encompasses both the breadth and depth of the most recent knowledge base in the materials science and engineering field in a format suitable for individuals seeking careers in academia and/or industry.

In addition, the program provides students with in-depth research training through their dissertation project.

The graduate student body reflects a broad spectrum of undergraduate backgrounds. Because of the expansion into interdisciplinary areas, qualified physical and biological sciences graduates, and graduates from other engineering disciplines may also join the program. Students without a degree in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) are required to take MATE 503  Introduction to Materials Engineering.

Career Opportunities

PhD program graduates go on to careers in engineering firms, consulting firms, law firms, private industry, business, research laboratories, academia, and national laboratories. Materials scientists and engineers find employment in such organizations as Hewlett-Packard, Intel, 3M, Global Foundries, Chemours, Lockheed-Martin, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, AstraZeneca, Arkema, W. L. Gore, Army Research Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Air Products, Micron, and Corning.

Additional Information

For more information visit the Materials Science and Engineering PhD program and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering webpage.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the graduate requirements for admission to Drexel University. The graduate student body reflects a broad spectrum of undergraduate backgrounds. Because of the expansion into interdisciplinary areas, qualified non-MSE engineering, physical, and biological science graduates may also join the program.

For specific information on how to apply to this program, visit Drexel University's Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Admissions webpage.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum

A student must have at least the required 90.0 quarter credits for the PhD degree. An MS degree is not a prerequisite for the PhD degree, but can count for 45.0 quarter credits if the courses are approved by the graduate advisor. For students without an MS degree, but with previous graduate coursework, they may transfer no more than 15.0 credits (equivalent to 12.0 semester credits) from approved institutions provided they follow the rules and regulations described in the Materials Requirements of Graduate Degrees. 

 The required 90.0 credits for a PhD degree are tabulated below:

  • Required core courses: 6.0 credits
  • Additional required courses: 7.0 credits (MATE 504 &  MATE 536 [1.0 credit for first 6 terms])
  • Selected core courses: 12.0 credits
  • Optional courses: 9.0 credits
  • Research or additional option courses: 47.0 credits
  • Dissertation: 9.0 credits (MATE 998)
    Total: 90.0 credits

Program Requirements

Required Core Courses: *
MATE 510Thermodynamics of Solids3.0
MATE 512Introduction to Solid State Materials3.0
Additional Required Courses:
MATE 504The Art of Being a Scientist2.0
MATE 536Materials Seminar Series **6.0
MATE 998Ph.D. Dissertation9.0
Selected Core (SC) Courses
Select four from the list below:12.0
Structure and Properties of Polymers
Kinetics
Structure, Symmetry, and Properties of Materials
Experimental Technique in Materials
Numerical Engineering Methods
Ceramics
Mechanical Behavior of Solids
Biomedical Materials I
Related MATE courses may be counted as SC as approved by the graduate advisor
MATE Technical Electives (TE):
Select 9.0 credits from the list below:9.0
Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy and Related Techniques
Nanostructured Polymeric Materials
Materials for High Temperature and Energy
Recycling of Materials
Materials for Energy Storage
Environmental Effects on Materials
Nanostructured Carbon Materials
Soft Materials
Advanced Polymer Characterization
Principles of Polymerization I
Natural Polymers
Special Topics in Materials Engineering
Other MATE courses that may be available
Out-of-department courses, as approved by the MSE graduate advisor
MATE 897Research46.0-140.0
Total Credits90.0-184.0
 

Students must successfully pass degree-required exams including final dissertation defense and submission of the final dissertation.

*

PhD students must achieve a minimum "B-" grade in each of the required core courses. Waiver of any of the six (6) core courses must be approved by the MSE Department graduate advisor and the student's thesis advisor in advance.

**

 MATE 536 is a 1.0 credit course that must be repeated 6 times. 

An introductory course, MATE 503, is required for students without an undergraduate materials science and engineering degree.

Additional courses are encouraged for students entering the department with an MS degree. Students choose a doctoral thesis topic after consultation with the faculty.  Students are required to consider topics early in the program. An oral thesis presentation and defense are scheduled at the completion of the thesis work.

In addition to the graduate seminar, which is required of all graduate students, doctoral program students must pass an oral candidacy examination and a thesis proposal defense. The exam is designed to improve and assess the communication skills and the analytical abilities of the student. The following procedures should be followed to complete the PhD.

Candidacy Exam Requirement

All MSE PhD students are required to take the PhD Candidacy Examinations administered by the MSE Department.

Additional Information

For more information, visit the Department of Materials Science and Engineering webpage.

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
MATE 504 The Art of Being a Scientist 2.0
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE Selected Core Courses (SC) 6.0
 Credits9
Winter
MATE 510 Thermodynamics of Solids 3.0
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE 897 Research 2.0
MATE Selected Core Course (SC) 3.0
 Credits9
Spring
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE 897 Research 2.0
MATE Selected Core Course (SC) 3.0
MATE Technical Elective Course (TE) 3.0
 Credits9
Summer
MATE 897 Research 9.0
 Credits9
Second Year
Fall
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE 897 Research 2.0
MATE Technical Elective Courses (TE) 6.0
 Credits9
Winter
MATE 512 Introduction to Solid State Materials 3.0
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE 897 Research 5.0
 
 Credits9
Spring
MATE 536 Materials Seminar Series 1.0
MATE 897 Research 8.0
 Credits9
Summer
MATE 897 Research 9.0
 Credits9
Third Year
Fall
MATE 897 Research 9.0
 Credits9
Winter
MATE 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 9.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits90
 

At least 90.0 credits are required for the PhD degree, which is based on the completion of a dissertation. Typical PhD students complete between 144.0-216.0 credits in the course of their PhD studies.

Program Level Outcomes

  • Materials Science and Engineering program graduates possess the core technical competencies in their field necessary to successfully interface with other engineering disciplines in the workplace.
  • Materials Science and Engineering program graduates are leaders in their chosen fields.
  • Materials Science and Engineering program graduates are engaged in lifelong learning.
  • Materials Science and Engineering program graduates possess written and verbal communication skills appropriate for professional materials engineers and/or scientists. 

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty

Michel Barsoum, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Distinguished Professor. Processing and characterization of novel ceramics and ternary compounds, especially the MAX and 2-D MXene phases.
Jason Baxter, PhD (University of California, Santa Barbara). Associate Professor. Solar cells, semiconductor nanomaterials, ultrafast spectroscopy.
Hao Cheng, PhD (Northwestern University). Assistant Professor. Drug delivery, molecular self-assembly, cell-nanomaterial interactions, regenerative medicine and cell membrane engineering.
Adam K. Fontecchio, PhD (Brown University) Vice Dean, Graduate College. Professor. Electro-optics; remote sensing; active optical elements; liquid crystal devices.
Alexander Fridman, DSc, PhD (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, John A. Nyheim Endowed University Chair Professor, Director of the Drexel Plasma Institute. Professor. Plasma science and technology; pollutant mitigation; super-adiabatic combustion; nanotechnology and manufacturing.
Yury Gogotsi, PhD (Kiev Polytechnic Institute) Director, A. J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute. Distinguished University & Trustee Chair Professor. Nanomaterials; carbon nanotubes; nanodiamond; graphene; MXene; materials for energy storage, supercapacitors, and batteries.
Haviva M. Goldman, PhD (City University of New York) Neurobiology and Anatomy. Associate Professor. Understanding how the size and shape of whole bones, as well as the distribution quantity and quality of the mineralized tissue that forms the bone, reflect both evolutionary constraints of skeletal growth and development, and responsiveness to mechanical loading during life.
Lin Han, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Assistant Professor. Nanoscale structure-property relationships of biological materials, genetic and molecular origins soft joint tissue diseases, biomaterials under extreme conditions, coupling between stimulus-responsiveness and geometry.
Maher Harb, PhD (University of Toronto). Assistant Professor. Solid state physics, ultrafast electron diffraction, time-resolved X-ray diffraction, ultrafast lasers, nanofabrication, nano/microfluidics, instrument development, vacuum technologies.
Haifeng Frank Ji, PhD (Chinese Academy of Sciences). Professor. <em>Chemistry</em> Micromechancial sensors for biological and environmental applications; Nanomechanical drug screening technology.
Vibha Kalra, PhD (Cornell University) Chemical and Biological Engineering. Assistant Professor. Electrodes for energy storage and conversion; supercapacitors; Li-S batteries; fuel cells; flow batteries; electrospinning for nanofibers; molecular dynamics simulations; Nanotechnology, polymer nanocomposites.
Richard Knight, PhD (Loughborough University) Associate Department Head and Undergraduate Advisor. Teaching Professor. Thermal plasma technology; thermal spray coatings and education; plasma chemistry and synthesis.
E. Caglan Kumbur, PhD (Pennsylvania State University). Associate Professor. <em>Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics</em> Next generation energy technologies; fuel cell design and development.
Harry G. Kwatny, PhD (University of Pennsylvania) S. Herbert Raynes Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Professor. Dynamic systems analysis; stochastic optimal control; control of electric power plants and systems.
Leslie Lamberson, PhD (California Institute of Technology) P.C. Chou Assistant Professor of Mechanical Angineering. Assistant Professor. Dynamic behavior of materials, dynamic fracture, damage micromechanics, active materials.
Kenneth K.S. Lau, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Chemical and Biological Engineering. Associate Professor. Surface science; nanotechnology; polymer thin films and coatings; chemical vapor deposition.
Christopher Y. Li, PhD (University of Akron). Professor. Soft and hybrid materials for optical, energy, and bio applications; polymeric materials, nanocomposites, structure and properties.
Andrew Magenau, PhD (University of Southern Mississippi). Assistant Professor. Structurally complex materials exhibiting unique physical properties designed and fabricated using an assortment of methodologies involving directed self-assembly, externally applied stimuli, structure-function correlation, and applied engineering principles suited for technologies in regenerative medicine, biological interfacing, catalytic, electronic, and optical applications
Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE (University of Pennsylvania) Department Head. Professor. Orthopedic biomaterials; acellular regenerative medicine, biomimetic proteoglycans; hydrogels.
Steven May, PhD (Northwestern University). Associate Professor. Synthesis of complex oxide films, superlattices, and devices; materials for energy conversion and storage; magnetic and electronic materials; x-ray and neutron scattering.
Bahram Nabet, PhD (University of Washington) Associate Dean for Special Projects, College of Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering. Professor. Optoelectronics; fabrication and modeling; fiber optic devices; nanoelectronics; nanowires.
Giuseppe R. Palmese, PhD (University of Delaware) Department Head, Chemical and Biological Engineering. Professor. Reacting polymer systems; nanostructured polymers; radiation processing of materials; composites and interfaces.
Ekaterina Pomerantseva, PhD (Moscow State University, Russia). Assistant Professor. Solid state chemistry; electrochemical characterization, lithium-ion batteries, energy generation and storage; development and characterization of novel nanostructured materials, systems and architectures for batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells.
Caroline L. Schauer, PhD (SUNY Stony Brook) Graduate Advisor. Associate Professor. Polysaccharide thin films and nanofibers.
Wan Y. Shih, PhD (Ohio State University). Associate Professor. Piezoelectric microcantilever biosensors development, piezoelectric finger development, quantum dots development, tissue elasticity imaging, piezoelectric microcantilever force probes.
Wei-Heng Shih, PhD (Ohio State University). Professor. Colloidal ceramics and sol-gel processing; piezoelectric biosensors, optoelectronics, and energy harvesting devices; nanocrystalline quantum dots for bioimaging, lighting, and solar cells.
Karl Sohlberg, PhD (University of Delaware). Associate Professor. <em>Chemistry</em> Computational and theoretical materials-related chemistry: (1) complex catalytic materials; (2) mechanical and electrical molecular devices.
Jonathan E. Spanier, PhD (Columbia University) Associate Dean, Strategic Planning, College of Engineering. Professor. Light-matter interactions in electronic materials, including ferroelectric semiconductors, complex oxide thin film science; laster spectroscopy, including Raman scattering.
Kara Spiller, PhD (Drexel University). Assistant Professor. Macrophage-biometerial interactions, drug delivery systems, and chronic would healing. Cell-biomaterial interactions, biomaterial design, and international engineering education.
Mitra Taheri, PhD (Carnegie Mellon University) Hoeganeas Associate Professor of Metallurgy. Associate Professor. Development of the ultrafast Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM) for the study of laser-induced microstructural evolution/phase transformations in nanostructured materials; use of various <em>in-situ </em>Transmission Electron Microscopy techniques.
Garritt Tucker, PhD (Georgial Institute of Technology). Assistant Professor. Computational materials science and engineering; microstructural evolutiona nd material behavior in extreme environments; interfacial-driven processes for improving material functionality; multi-scale physics modeling.
Christopher Weinberger, PhD (Stanford University). Assistant Professor. <em>Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics</em> Multiscale materials modeling of mechanical properties including DFT, atomistics, mesoscale and microscale FEM modeling.
Christopher Weyant, PhD (Northwestern University). Associate Teaching Professor.
Margaret Wheatley, PhD (University of Toronto) John M. Reid Professor. Ultrasound contrast agent development (tumor targeting and triggered drug delivery), controlled release technology (bioactive compounds), microencapsulated allografts (<em>ex vivo </em> gene therapy) for spinal cord repair.
Antonios Zavaliangos, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) A.W. Grosvenor Professor. Professor. Constitutive modeling; powder compaction and sintering; pharmaceutical tableting, X-ray tomography.

Emeritus Faculty

Roger D. Corneliussen, PhD (University of Chicago). Professor Emeritus. Fracture, blends and alloys, as well as compounding.
Roger D. Doherty, PhD (Oxford University). Professor Emeritus. Metallurgical processing; thermo-mechanical treatment.
Ihab L. Kamel, PhD (University of Maryland). Professor Emeritus. Nanotechnology, polymers, composites, biomedical applications, and materials-induced changes through plasma and high energy radiation.
Jack Keverian, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Professor Emeritus. Rapid parts manufacturing, computer integrated manufacturing systems, strip production systems, technical and/or economic modeling, melting and casting systems, recycling systems.
Alan Lawley, PhD (University of Birmingham, England). Professor Emeritus. Mechanical and physical metallurgy, powder metallurgy, materials engineering design, engineering education.