“Welcome to our family, where we think, do and design the materials that drive our future.”
Dr. Donald Brenner, Kobe Steel Professor and Department Head, MSE
What is Materials Science and Engineering?
Most of the technological innovations that we enjoy today are driven by the discovery of new materials. The future of our world depends on the discovery of new materials that are environmentally friendly, lightweight, sustainable and responsive. The design of novel materials will enable vehicles that are lighter and more fuel-efficient due to redesigned frames and tires; cell phones and laptops with ultra-thin damage-resistant glass for displays; biomaterials that repair and replace parts of the human body; soft robots that can safely interact with humans; new bionics; and materials for water purification.
MSE at NC State
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State is well-known as a small and friendly department that provides unique and high-impact opportunities for undergraduate students, including small class sizes, a hands-on laboratory, close interactions with world-renowned faculty, undergraduate research opportunities and high-quality laboratory and senior design experiences.
Career Prospects
An MSE degree is interdisciplinary and, upon graduation, will qualify you for a variety of jobs with an average starting salary of $60-70k per year.
Example Job Titles
Materials Engineer, Product Engineer, Metallurgist Engineer, Quality Control Engineer, Failure Analysis Engineer, Renewable Energy Materials Engineer, Biomaterial Engineer, Polymer Materials Engineer, Project Manager
Example Job Description
- Identify and produce a diverse range of materials for applications of interest
- Develop and improve methods for the analysis of complex materials
- Assist in the selection of materials for product application, the calculation of design parameters, the performance of material properties testing
- Apply scientific methods to resolve technical challenges related to materials and their use in products and processes
Advanced degree opportunity
More than 25 percent of all MSE B.S. degree recipients are enrolled in a graduate degree program at places such as MIT, UC Berkeley, Penn State, Georgia Tech, Purdue and NC State.
What else adds value?
- Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Internships to work in the profession while getting your degree.
- Engineering Career Fair to find your future employer.
- Order of the Engineer to join the professional engineering community.
- Professional Engineer (PE) License for added certification
- Student Organizations to engage outside the classroom.
- Study Abroad for global exposure and understanding.
- Centennial Campus, MSE’s home on NCSU’s research campus.
- Research Triangle Park (RTP) for university + industry collaboration.
- NCSU Libraries | Triangle Research Libraries | Hunt Library because “the only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Albert Einstein
