US News & World Report (USNews.com), which showcases the best universities and degree programs in the nation, released their annual college rankings for undergraduate programs earlier this week. This year, the Materials Science & Engineering undergraduate program at NC State placed 17th among all materials programs in the country. Currently, the MSE department has 118 full-time students, which translates to a 75% increase in the undergraduate student body since 2010. “We have been able to nearly double the size of our undergraduate population while continuing to improve the quality of our program and our graduates because of the dedication of our impressive staff and internationally recognized faculty who truly value undergraduate education,” says Dr. Cheryl Cass, MSE Director of Undergraduate Programs. “Our focus has been on maintaining the benefits of a small department as we continue to grow. We want to preserve our status as a “boutique” department – one that provides unique and high impact opportunities for our students.”
The MSE undergraduate program has become well known for offering small class sizes, personal interactions with faculty, staff, and academic advisors, enriching undergraduate research projects, and high quality laboratory and senior design experiences. Current initiatives include multidisciplinary senior design projects, streamlined curriculum integration with study abroad, and new programs in biomaterials and nanomaterials.