Materials Engineering, M.S.: 30 units

Offered by: College of Engineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering Department

Major Required Major Electives

Culminating Experience

The curriculum matrix for the degree program may be found here. The curriculum matrix is the alignment of courses (curriculum) with the desired goals and student learning outcomes of the program. It shows what is taught and how these outcomes are achieved through the completion of the degree program.

The practice-oriented MS in Materials Engineering program at Cal Poly Pomona builds upon an undergraduate education and facilitates more advanced study. The program offers students an opportunity to develop an understanding of materials principles. This program fulfills the needs of local and regional industry and promotes national interest. The MSMTE program would be the kernel of an interdisciplinary, cross-cutting, postgraduate education initiative designed for students from across engineering disciplines and the physical sciences. The program addresses numerous topics in materials design and processing as they impact the energy, aerospace, chemical, and biomedical engineering sectors. The MSMTE Program is open to students who wish to expand their career opportunities with the acquisition of advanced materials knowledge related to their own respective subject areas.

Mission Statement

This is a program that provides the student with a comprehensive preparation for advanced work in the materials engineering profession. It is designed to accept students with various undergraduate engineering backgrounds. The student completes a course of study individually tailored to the student’s unique talents and professional goals.

Another purpose of the program is to facilitate applied research on relevant engineering topics. Such research should 1) serve societal needs by addressing contemporary issues, 2) contribute to the professional development of both students and faculty and 3) provide preparation for further academic study and research for those students who wish to pursue a Ph.D. degree.

Cal Poly Pomona’s mission is to “Cultivate success through a diverse culture of experiential learning, discovery, and innovation.” The applied nature of the new program and the wide variety of experiential discovery opportunities it offers and state of the art knowledge align with the University’s mission.

Admission Requirements

An applicant for admission to a graduate program must meet university criteria as specified in the Graduate Admissions section of this catalog as well as the criteria outlined below.

Successful applicants will be admitted to the program either unconditionally or with conditions imposed on them. To receive unconditional admission, an applicant must satisfy these criteria:

1. The applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree in an engineering discipline from a program that has been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and for which the accreditation was in effect at the time of award of the degree. The degree must have been granted within five years prior to the proposed beginning of the graduate program. A baccalaureate degree in engineering technology does not satisfy this criterion.
2. The applicant must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.00 in all undergraduate upper division coursework in mathematics, science and engineering and, additionally, in all coursework attempted with graduate standing.
3. A personal statement. A maximum of one page explaining why the applicant is interested in pursuing this degree.
4. A recent resume or CV. A maximum of 2 pages. Courses and experience relevant to this degree program should be included.

Additional requirements may be imposed by department.

Conditional admission may be granted in cases in which the applicant’s academic preparation for graduate study is such that criteria 1.) and/or 2.) above are not satisfied. In such cases, the applicant may be required to submit recent test scores of the Graduate Record Examination, letters of recommendation, or other documents attesting to the applicant’s aptitude for graduate studies. Applicants who do not satisfy criterion 1.) may be required to take a limited number of preparatory courses with no degree credit. When an applicant is admitted conditionally, and if these conditions are not satisfied in the stipulated time period, the student may be dis-enrolled.

Graduate Conditionally Classified

A person may be admitted to a graduate degree or credential program in this category if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, he/she can remedy deficiencies by additional coursework but otherwise satisfies all other university requirements for admission. All prerequisites must be specified by the admitting department at the time of student admission. Academic departments are responsible for tracking conditionally admitted students and must report their academic progress to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and the Graduate Studies Office via a memo on a term basis. Students admitted conditionally will not be allowed to concurrently register for graduate courses that are required for the completion of their projected graduate or professional program. To comply with both existing federal regulations and CSU system policy, conditionally admitted students’ financial aid is limited to private loans. Once all deficiencies are resolved and unconditional status is granted by Cal Poly Pomona, students may be eligible for federal and state aid. Conditional admission does not guarantee unconditional admission to a program.