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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

Materials Science and Engineering, MS

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Materials Science and Chemical Enginering Department, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Degrees Awarded: Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering
 
 
Chairperson: Dilip Gersappe, Engineering Building 316
Graduate Program Director: Michael Dudley, Engineering Building 312
Department Administrator: Chandrani Roy,  (631) 632-4174
Graduate Program Coordinator: Vacant
Department Staff Assistant: Elaine Soto (631) 632-8483
 
Department Office: Engineering Building 314
Email: ESMandCME_GradInfo@stonybrook.edu (current students must email here)
Admissions Email: ESMandCME_GradAdmissions@stonybrook.edu (prospective students/applicants please email here)

 

The Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares students to lead innovative research across a broad range of emerging fields. With strong foundations in both theoretical and experimental methods, the program is designed to train the next generation of materials scientists and engineers to tackle the complex technological and societal challenges of our time.

Our research-intensive graduate programs focus on cutting-edge areas such as energy storage and conversion, catalysis, hard and structural materials, computational materials science, microelectronics, nuclear materials, polymers and soft materials, sustainable engineering, and thermal spray technologies. From the molecular scale to real-world applications, students are immersed in collaborative research that spans disciplines and impacts diverse industries.

Since its inception, the department consistently secures significant external research funding and currently holds the highest per capita faculty research funding at Stony Brook University. In 2024, faculty research expenditures exceeded $12.5 million.

The department is home to several leading research centers, including the Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) for Energy Storage Technologies, the Center for Mesoscale Transport Properties, the Garcia Polymer Center, the Center for Thermal Spray Research, and the Institute for Gas Innovation and Technology. The department maintains strong collaborations with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), offering students and faculty access to world-class research facilities such as the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS). These partnerships enable groundbreaking work in advanced materials characterization and imaging. Additionally, through the New York State Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR), the department engages in impactful joint research projects with industry, further extending the reach and application of its innovations.

A defining feature of our programs is the integration of research into the educational mission. Graduate students work closely with faculty, student researchers, and staff in an energetic and collaborative environment that fosters innovation and discovery. This commitment to experiential learning ensures that our students are not only advancing knowledge but are also equipped to make significant technological and societal contributions.

Consistent with Stony Brook University’s mission as a premier research institution, the graduate programs in the department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering stands as the cornerstone of our academic offerings-providing a rigorous, research-oriented path for those aspiring to lead in academia, national laboratories, and industry.

Admission Requirements

Application Website

Application Deadlines

Accelerated B.E./MS & B.S./ MS
 
The Accelerated BE/MS program allows undergraduate students in Engineering Science (ESG) or Engineering Chemistry (ECM), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their major to apply at the end of their junior year. This program enables students to earn both a Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science degree at the end of their fourth year and a Master of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the end of their fifth year. 
 
Students in the program can take up to two graduate courses as technical electives during their undergraduate studies, which count toward both their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Per Graduate School policy, up to 6 credits taken during the undergraduate senior year may be applied to both degrees, allowing students to complete the program within five years (i.e., one additional year or two semesters for the MS). Curriculum Highlights:
  • Junior-year Engineering Science students take ESM 455 in place of ESM 335.
  • Senior-year students take ESM 513 in the fall as a substitute for ESM 335, along with another graduate course in the spring.
Students who have already taken ESM 335 are not eligible to take ESM 513 and must replace it with another graduate-level ESM course to fulfill the Master’s program requirements.  
 
Admission Requirements for Accelerated degree
 
  1. Applicant must be an Engineering Science (ESG) or Engineering Chemistry (ECM) major with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 in the major at the time of application in their junior year. 
  2. Students are encouraged to apply to the five-year program by the end of the spring semester of their junior year. 
  3. A 3.0 GPA in the major must be maintained to transition into the graduate program during the fifth year.
  4. Please contact the department at ESMandCME_GradAdmissions@stonybrook.edu to apply to the program. 
 
Declaration to Accelerated Program Process:
  • Interested students in ESG and ECM program request to declare the BE/MS or BS/MS accelerated program. 
  • The ESM graduate committee reviews the student’s request, offer admission, and processes the student’s declaration to the BE-BS/MS sequential accelerated degree program.
 
Additional Notes:
  • Students in the accelerated program are encouraged to complete at least 6 credits of graduate coursework before matriculating into the graduate program.
  • Students generally matriculate into the graduate program at the start of their third semester in the accelerated program.
  • To matriculate into the Graduate School, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their major.
 
The Master’s in Materials Science and Engineering is a 30-credit program, with at least 24 credits required to be completed as a matriculated graduate student. For additional details about the program, students are encouraged to consult the department at ESMandCME_GradAdmissions@stonybrook.edu 
 
Applicants interested in a graduate degree who do not meet these criteria are encouraged to apply directly to the M.S. program in their senior year. 
 
As an undergraduate, students will be charged tuition at the undergraduate rate for both graduate and undergraduate courses. Once the graduate career begins in the 5th year of the program, the student will be subject to graduate tuition, fees and Graduate School regulations. Students will be permitted to live in Graduate Housing however they will no longer be eligible for Undergraduate Financial Aid. 
 
Students who transfer to Stony Brook must complete at least one semester at Stony Brook before they will be considered for admission to the five-year BE-BS/MS program and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis to ensure they meet all other requirements to qualify for the combined degree program.   
 
Admission Requirements for Combined DDS/MS Degree in Materials Science and Engineering
 
The DDS/MS program in Materials Science and Engineering is designed to prepare outstanding clinical scientists thoroughly versed in clinical research capable of addressing significant issues in oral health. The master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering may add an additional year so that students graduate with both degrees in five years. The DDS/MS degree provides considerable depth to the clinical degree, including a broad understanding of modern research in Materials Science. Having the MS degree strengthens any subsequent application to clinical specialty programs or academic positions.
 
Applicants interested in the combined DDS/MS Program must first be admitted to the DDS program at Stony Brook University. Outstanding applicants will be invited to submit a second application after matriculation in the graduate school, submitted at any time during the first two years of study. For the combined DDS/MS, applicants must apply separately to both the DDS program and the MS program.
 
 
After you are admitted to the combined DDS/MS program, you are required to follow the MS degree requirement path in Materials Science to complete the degree.
 
Admission Requirements for M.S. degree
 
Minimum requirements for admission to graduate study in Materials Science and Engineering (ESM) are as follows:
  1. A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related area from an accredited college or university; (or a closely related field).
  2. A grade point average of at least B (i.e., 3.0/4.0) in all mathematics, engineering, and science courses.
  3. 3 Recommendation Letters
  4. TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5 (for international applicants) score is required. Please reference for minimum score requirements. Official scores sent directly to the graduate school via ETS-Institutional code: 2548; Departmental code 69.
  5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test (Optional)
  6. Acceptance by both the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering and the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

A. Plan of Work

The MS degree in Materials Science and Engineering is primarily a degree for students who wish to equip themselves with a more solid foundation in the principles of Materials Science for further advanced study or pursuing a career as professional engineers. Master’s degree candidates may elect a thesis or non-thesis option. New admitted MS Students must declare their Thesis or Non-Thesis Track Option by the end of their first semester. Accelerated BE/MS or BS/MS students must declare their Thesis or Non-Thesis Option at the time of matriculating as a graduate student.

B. Course Requirements

  1. An average grade of B or higher is required for all core courses.
  2. A minimum of 30 graduate credits are required to graduate with a M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering: 
  • Of which a minimum of 24 graduate course credits are required to be completed 
    • (excluding ESM 599: Research, ESM 697: Materials Science and Engineering Colloquium, ESM 595: Project Course)
  • Three core courses (ESM 511 - Thermodynamics of Solids ; ESM 513 - Strength of Materials ; and ESM 521 - Kinetics of Materials ) for a total of 9 credits. 
  • Additional five elective courses within the ESM program for a total of 15 credits are required. 
  • All courses taken outside the Department require permission from the Graduate Program Director.
  • All students must complete ESM 697 - Materials Science Colloquium  for the duration of their coursework until graduation for 0 credit. This course does not count towards the 30 graduate coursework credits but is a required course to graduate.

M.S. Non-Thesis Track Option

The election of this option must be made by the student by the end of their first semester of admission to the program and will be considered a terminal degree. For students who opt for the Non-thesis option, the culmination of the degree is earned by completing an appropriate project. A project must be a written proposal/report that summarizes the goals and objectives of a capstone project intended to demonstrate a student’s readiness for their field. This project proposal document must be submitted by the student to a committee of three members, at least two of whom are core faculty members in the department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, including the project advisor and/or the graduate program director. 
 
The project option is recommended for students who wish to pursue a career in industry that does not involve Research & Development (R&D). Students pursuing the project option must enroll in ESM 595  for 3 or 6 credits to document completion of the project.
 
Note: If enrolled in less than 6 credits for ESM 595, the student must then complete the 3 required credits by completing additional coursework as elective to complete a total of 30 credits to graduate.

M.S. Thesis Track Option

The election of this option must be made by the student by the end of the second semester of admission to the program and is normally considered part of the Ph.D. sequence. Students may not transfer to the Non-Thesis Option while registered for a Thesis Master’s or a Ph.D. degree. For students who opted for the thesis option, the culmination of the degree is earned through appropriate research completed under the supervision of a research advisor. The thesis option is recommended for students who will be continuing on for their doctoral degree or for students who wish to pursue an industrial career that involve Research & Development (R&D) focus. The thesis must be approved by three faculty members, at least two of whom are core faculty members in the department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, including the research advisor. Students must enroll in ESM 599  for 6 credits under the research advisor within the department or the graduate program director to complete and submit a thesis on their research submitted digitally through Stony Brook University’s ProQuest/UMI ETD administrator site following guidelines provided by Grad School and the department.

C. Final Recommendation

Upon fulfillment of the above requirements, the Graduate Program Committee will recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School that the Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering with a Non-Thesis or Thesis degree be conferred or will stipulate further requirements that the student must fulfill.

D. Transfer to Other Options

Transfer to another degree option in the Department can be made only with the written permission of the Graduate Program Director.

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