The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers programs leading to the degrees of master of materials science and engineering (M.M.S.E.) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.). The master's degree can be obtained by either thesis or nonthesis options.
The goal of materials science is to provide improved materials for society. Current new materials technologies demand materials scientists and engineers who can relate the processing, structure and properties of a broad range of materials. The master's program offers a foundation in the science of materials and their uses. The Ph.D. program offers a development of the student's ability to conduct original and creative research. The areas of study within the program include:
- Materials chemistry – design and synthesis of novel materials by combining chemical architectures that have specific properties, e.g., electrical conductivity, rigidity, flexibility, solubility, etc.
- Polymers – interrelations among processing, microstructure and behavior of polymeric solids and thin films.
- Electronic materials – electrical, magnetic, optical and thermal behavior of materials, including semiconductors, photovoltaics, superconductors, electro luminescent polymers and devices.
- Composite materials – manufacturing, microstructure and properties of composite materials, hybrid organic/inorganic materials.
- Biomolecular materials – synthesis and characterization of novel chemical architectures that incorporate peptide and nucleotide sequences; bio-inspired materials, protein polymers.
- Nanoscale materials – synthesis, characterization and self-assembly of materials at nanometer length scales to create new, emergent properties.
Current UD undergraduate students the following programs can be considered for admission to the 4+1 MMSE program:
- B.M.S.E. (bachelor of materials science and engineering)
- B.S. in biology
- B.Ch.E. (bachelor of chemical engineering)
- B.S. in chemistry
- B.C.E. (bachelor of civil engineering)
- B.Cp.E. (bachelor of computer engineering)
- B.E.E. (bachelor of electrical engineering)
- B.Env. (bachelor of environmental engineering)
- B.M.E. (bachelor of mechanical engineering)
- B.S. in physics
A dual degree in the MBA and M.M.S.E. programs is available to graduate students.