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From plastics used in surgical implants to high-performance ceramics used in the international space station, newly engineered materials play vital roles in modern technology and economy. Materials science and engineering majors study the structure, properties and behavior of materials in order to improve their qualities and adapt them for new uses. Our program provides the background you'll need to work in research, processing and material design.
Real World
Majors in materials science and engineering benefit from the practical nature of the program when seeking employment. Graduates are working in technical positions in industries ranging from automotive safety research to petrochemical refining and semiconductor design.
Major Requirements
You will begin with a rigorous series of courses in mathematics, natural sciences and basic engineering to prepare yourself for more advanced study. At the upper-division level, you may choose to specialize in an area such as aerospace structures, environmental engineering or biomedical engineering. Regardless of your specialization, you will master principles of thermodynamics, laboratory analysis and materials testing. In your senior year, you will be required to complete a capstone course in materials engineering design to integrate your coursework and prepare for the transition to graduate study or the workforce.
Major Adviser
Name: Brad Horton
Contact: bhorton@ucdavis.edu, (530) 752-2504
A Student Perspective
One of the best aspects of the program is the range of laboratory classes and experiences offered. The labs are very well-equipped, and many courses allow for individual interaction between undergraduate students and professors or teaching assistants. Everyone in the department, from professors to technicians, is very approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. All of my professors care a great deal about their students and how well we learn.
~ Jonathan Tao, senior
A Faculty Perspective
Our department has an inherently interdisciplinary approach. Collaborating across the boundaries of traditional fields is the wave of the future in scientific and engineering research. I think we do that especially well in chemical engineering and materials science.
~ Dr. Jim Shackelford, professor
College of Engineering
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