Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University
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    Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America
    United States of America, University Park
    University Rank:#82
    Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

    The Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University is a Full Time Bachelor program offered across its Main Site, Any Penn State Campus, and University Park campuses in United States of America. The program is delivered on campus in English and can be completed in 4 years. Students develop academic knowledge and practical skills that prepare them for future careers in this field. The next available intake starts on June 1, 2027.

    About Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering

    Materials are ubiquitous. Materials play a role in every industry and facet of life. Materials science and engineering is an interdisciplinary study of the properties of matter and the exploration for new and creative uses of ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites. Materials scientists and engineers study the entire life cycle of materials (production, synthesis and processing, manufacturing, use, recycling, and reclamation) by employing science to solve engineering problems. This engineering discipline is unique in that our studies begin with understanding materials at the atomic scale, allowing for prediction and measurement of material properties, and creation of materials by design. What do you want to do with your career? Make alternative energy more economical? Improve human health, cure cancer? Provide clean drinking water to the world? Make transportation more efficient and environmentally friendly? Make everyday materials more sustainable? All these outcomes and more are possible by studying materials.

    You Might Like This Program If...

    • You like some combination of chemistry, physics, and math and want to be an engineer.
    • You would like to understand why a material is chosen for a specific use or why materials behave the way they do.
    • You like problem solving by utilizing existing materials in new creative ways or creating new materials to solve unique engineering challenges.
    • You want an engineering degree that can take you to any industry, anywhere in the world.

    Materials, like ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites, are critical to the growth and success of many industries and key to most engineering disciplines. Graduates of Materials Science and Engineering are employed, or proceed to graduate studies, in many fields such as energy, medicine, sustainability, electronics, communications, transportation, aerospace, defense, and infrastructure industries.

    The mission of the department is to provide students with a well-rounded engineering education, with specific emphasis on materials science and engineering in order to meet the needs of industry, academia, and government; to conduct research at the frontiers of the field; and to provide an integrating and leadership role to the broad multidisciplinary materials community.

    The educational objectives of the undergraduate program are embedded into our mission statement. We will provide and maintain a curriculum that will prepare our recent graduates to accomplish the following Program Educational Objectives:

    1. Our graduates provide science and engineering leadership in international industrial, governmental, and academic settings, while serving both their profession and the public.
    2. Our graduates are innovators in a wide variety of technical fields including, but not limited to, materials, energy, electronics, medicine communications, transportation, and recreation.
    3. Our graduates excel in careers relating to the entire life cycle of materials, from synthesis and processing, through design and development, to manufacturing, performance, reclamation, and recycling.
    4. Our graduates engage in lifelong learning activities which enhance their careers and provide flexibility to respond to changing professional and societal needs.

    We achieve these objectives by providing a rigorous but flexible curriculum that allows the student to design their degree in materials science and engineering to achieve their specific academic and professional career interests.

    In addition to the cutting edge curriculum, we provide many opportunities to strengthen the student's undergraduate studies through research experiences. For example, over 60% of the undergraduates are members of a research group and participate in the extensive materials research programs at Penn State. Further, we provide opportunities for International Internships in Materials, where our students go abroad to perform research at one of the many internationally recognized partner universities in Europe and Asia.

    Student Outcomes

    Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. The Materials Science and Engineering program is designed to enable students to:

    1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
    2. 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
    3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
    4. 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
    5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
    6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
    7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

    Disciplines

    Earth and Mineral Sciences

    Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

    Entry Requirements

    Penn State requires the submission of specific academic credentials to complete your application. Review the secondary and post-secondary requirements for your country below.

    If you are a first year student applying to Penn State:

    Click Apply to start your Penn State application. Before starting, you can also review the Applying Online Worksheet for more details and helpful hints about the application.

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the Save and Continue button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). As you begin the SRAR process, a new window will open allowing you to complete your SRAR. SRAR will focus on your high school coursework. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. Therefore, have a copy of your secondary school records available as you complete your SRAR. You will need to enter every class and every grade earned for the last three years, as well as those classes in progress.

    After completing your SRAR, you will be directed back to the Penn State application in order to complete the Program of Study portion of the application. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for first-year students.

    After completing this section of the application, you will provide some additional information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If you are a transfer student applying to Penn State:

    All international transfer students will be required to submit official high school transcripts in order to complete the application. International transfer students will not complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) for either their high school or college coursework.

    If you have accepted your offer of admission to Penn State:

    If you completed SRAR and are accepted to Penn State, please provide the following for grade verification:

    • Official transcript from years 9, 10, 11, and 12. If the transcript is issued in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.
    • Official copy of the Tawjihi, accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.

    English Requirements

    • IELTSMin 6.5
    • TOEFLMin 80

    Career Opportunities after Completing Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering

    Because all industries rely on materials, materials science and engineering graduates find employment in numerous fields, both within traditional engineering domains and in arenas outside of those traditional engineering disciplines.

    Graduates may find work in industries such as manufacturing, materials production, transportation, consulting, energy, environmental solutions, medical, and more. Careers within these industries encompass such areas as research and development, product design and production, quality control, and sales.

    MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAM

    Opportunities for Graduate Studies

    Graduates seeking higher-level degrees typically stay in materials science and engineering. However, many students have gone to pursue graduate degrees in many different engineering and basic science areas, as well as medicine and law. On average, 50 percent of our graduates will go on to graduate studies.

    MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

    Professional Resources

    • Material Advantage Penn State Chapter
    • Keramos National Professional Ceramic Engineering Fraternity

    Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

    Application Fee 75

    How to Apply for Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

    Step 1: Choose Your Application Method

    Apply through MyPennState

    The first step of the application process is to create a Penn State account, if you do not have one already. MyPennState is where future students can access the online application.

    If you are new to MyPennState, you will need to establish a Penn State User ID and password, which you will access during the MyPennState profile creation process. Once you have your log in information, you can sign in to begin work on your application.

    When creating the profile, please use the name that is on your passport. Because materials are filed alphabetically under the family name on the application, it is important that all correspondence and records consistently use the same name (family and given) and spelling. If this name does not match your academic records, please notify us of the difference. Please note: In the U.S., the family name is usually referred to as the last name, and the given name is referred to as the first name.

    Additionally, Penn State requires a current, valid email address, as that is our primary means of communication with international students. To ensure deliverability, please make Penn State (psu.edu) an eligible sender to the account.

    Applying through the Common App

    Applying to Penn State via the Common App is available to first-year (freshman) international students. If applying through the Common App, Penn State will create a MyPennState profile when the application is submitted and you will receive instructions on how to access your profile. If you intend to apply with the Common App, you do not need create a MyPennState profile prior to submitting your application.

    Step 2: Access the Application and Review Important Dates

    While you can create a MyPennState profile at any time, the application for admission becomes available on the following dates:

    Fall/Summer Admission: August 1

    Spring Admission: June 1

    The application submission dates vary by applicant type and intended program of study. Some programs have specific deadlines or admissions requirements. Please refer to our Dates & Deadlines for more information about application deadlines, as well as our Admissions Requirements to review information about any additional materials required for your intended program of study.

    Step 3: Start Your Penn State Application

    If applying through MyPennState:

    Click Apply Online to start your Penn State application. 

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the "Save and Continue" button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), unless otherwise directed. You will be directed to enter information about your secondary school coursework. Please have a copy of your secondary school records as you complete SRAR. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. You will need to enter every grade for every course you have taken in the last three years, as well as your current schedule of classes.

    Students educated in South Korea will not complete SRAR. The document requirements for South Korea can be found by reviewing our International Credential Requirements.

    After this section, you will be directed back to the Penn State application to complete the Program of Study portion. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for either first-year students or transfer students.

    After this portion, you will provide some additional application information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If applying through the Common App:

    Complete the Common App, which will then direct you to MyPennState to complete SRAR. Applicants using the Common App may feel that they provided their high school record via the Common App, but Penn State requires the completion of SRAR via MyPennState. We strongly encourage you to obtain an official copy of your high school transcript to ensure accurate entry of your coursework completed and grades earned. The SRAR will include all of your high school coursework from your last three years of work and your current year schedule. If your final year grades are available when you enter SRAR, you can enter them at that time.

    Step 4: Submit Your Application

    The application requires a nonrefundable application fee of $75 for international students. Be sure to complete the last step after Summary and Review, which finalizes payment of your fee, and be certain it is successfully submitted. Once the application is submitted, you can verify its completion by accessing your MyPennState profile.

    Step 5: Submit Required Application Materials

    In order to complete your Penn State application, we need the following materials:

    • Application
    • Secondary school record
    • Post-secondary school records (if applicable)
    • First-year applicants only: Official test scores: SAT (code #2660) or ACT (code #3656)

      Writing Component and Subject Tests

      Please note: The writing component of standardized tests (SAT or ACT) is not required. The writing component will not be used as part of our evaluation. If your test scores include the writing component, by all means, have those scores sent to Penn State. Additionally, we do not require SAT Subject Tests.

    • English language proficiency, if your native language is not English

    Please see the admissions requirements for international students to review the details about the required application materials. Some programs require additional items to complete your application. Please review our Admissions Requirements for those details.

    Penn State does not require letters of recommendation, nor are they used in a student’s evaluation (unless required for a specific program).

    Step 6: Check Your Application Status in MyPennState

    You can always check the status of your application in MyPennState. We will communicate with you via MyPennState and through a series of emails regarding the missing items for your application. When everything has arrived, you will see a status in MyPennState confirming the completion of your application.

    Please note: It is your responsibility to check on the status of your application and send us any missing materials.

    Step 7: Receive Your Admission Decision

    Once we have reached a decision regarding your application, we will update your status in MyPennState and provide a printable PDF of your decision letter. Review our Dates & Deadlines to see when you should expect your decision.

    If accepted, you can accept your offer of admission in MyPennState to begin the process of becoming a Penn State student. Visit our Accepted Students section to review the next steps in this process. Once you accept your offer of admission to Penn State, those students completing SRAR will submit their official records for validation purposes as soon as possible.

    Bachelor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America

    United States of America, University Park

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