Materials Science and Engineering Major
A materials science and engineering degree prepares students to take on society’s sophisticated needs for materials in advanced technologies. Students emerge with the ability to design, manufacture and characterize materials for improved performance and sustainability for wide-ranging uses, including renewable energy storage and conversion, health and medical technology, computing and communications.
Materials scientists and engineers create and study materials at the atomic level and select materials for specific uses, extend or recycle the limited supply of materials, or develop new materials that enable new technologies. As a student, you are offered a balance of technical breadth and depth delivered by a department internationally recognized as a leader in the field. You will emerge with the vision to identify a need, perform analysis and deliver a solution.
Drexel Engineering incorporates hands-on experience in all aspects of learning. Through exposure to the latest advanced methods and breakthroughs, technology, research opportunities, real-world incorporation into the classroom and the Drexel Co-op, you will emerge ready to start a career making an impact.
Tracks in Materials Science and Engineering
Electives allow you to follow your interests by taking coursework with a specialized theme. The tracks within materials science and engineering include:
- Materials for Energy: Explore advanced materials and processing techniques being used to improve the capacity, efficiency, reliability and durability of energy generation, supercapacitors, batteries and energy conversion devices like solar cells.
- Materials for Medical Technologies: Learn about and understand the structure, composition and processing of materials used to treat and prevent diseases, enable tissue engineering, and advance medical device technology.
- Materials for Sustainability: Study the materials recycling and environmental impact of inefficient consumption of natural resources, greenhouse gas emitting materials processing, and the use of toxic materials, in order to drive the use of more sustainable materials.
- Manufacturing and Materials Processing: Innovate and evolve traditional and emerging materials in many key manufacturing processes. These include additive manufacturing such as 3D printing, powder metallurgy, computational materials design, and advanced materials synthesis techniques that are increasingly being used in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors.
- Custom track: Work with your advisor to create a cohesive group of technical electives focused on your interests. This works well for students wanting to explore Soft Materials, Electronic/ Photonic Materials or other types of materials specializations.
Hometown: Townson, Maryland
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Class Year: 2024
Marley's Story
Drexel Engineering Co-Op
Co-op crystallizes understanding of your chosen field. You come away knowing more about the options for a career path, your preferred work environment, and become more confident about the focus within your chosen discipline. The context you gain provides you with the ability to start your career ready to make a difference.
Learn more about co-op.
Curriculum and Requirements
Materials Science and Engineering students are required to successfully complete 186.5 credits for graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering. The required courses for the degree are a combination of engineering and elective courses that empower students to pursue their interests in the field.
Visit the Drexel Catalog for more information or learn more about our admissions requirements.
Minors
Students can add a minor offered in any area at Drexel, including minors within the College of Engineering. Popular choices include business, product design, environmental science and entrepreneurship.
Career/Job Outlook
Careers in materials science offer many paths for employment. Job titles can include research scientist, materials engineer, patent examiner, supplier quality engineer, manufacturing engineer, product development engineer, plastics engineer, biomedical engineer, research scientist, professor and more. The median salary for a materials engineer is $100,140, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Drexel outcomes include:
- 100% of material science and engineering majors are employed or in graduate school within one year.
- $78,700 average salary for Drexel material science and engineering graduates one-year after graduation
- 25% receive job offers from co-op employer
Student Experience
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