Materials Science and Engineering
B.S. Department of Materials Science and Engineering · UC Irvine · 2026-2027 Catalog
Program Educational Objectives: Graduates of the Materials Science and Engineering program will (1) establish a productive Materials Science and Engineering career in industry, government or academia; (2) apply critical reasoning and the requisite analytical/quantitative skills in seeking solutions to materials science and engineering problems; (3) promote innovation in materials discovery, development and design through effective leadership, skilled communications, and multidisciplinary teamwork; (4) exhibit a commitment to engineering ethics, environmental stewardship, continued learning, and professional development.
(Program educational objectives are those aspects of engineering that help shape the curriculum; achievement of these objectives is a shared responsibility between the student and UCI.)
The undergraduate major in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) provides students with a thorough knowledge of basic engineering and scientific principles. The undergraduate curriculum in MSE includes (a) a core of Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics; (b) basic Engineering courses; (c) Materials and Engineering core; and (d) technical courses in Materials Science, Engineering, and Sciences.
Admission
High School Students: See School Admissions information.
Transfer Students: Preference will be given to junior-level applicants with the highest grades overall, and who have satisfactorily completed the following required courses: two years of approved calculus, one year of calculus-based physics with laboratories (mechanics, electricity and magnetism), completion of lower-division writing, one year of general chemistry (with laboratory), and one course in introductory programming. For course equivalency specific to each college, visit https://assist.org.
Students are encouraged to complete as many of the lower-division degree requirements as possible prior to transfer. Students who enroll at UCI in need of completing lower-division coursework may find that it will take longer than two years to complete their degrees. For further information, contact The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at 949-824-4334.
Requirements
All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Major Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics and Basic Science Courses: | ||
| Core Courses: | ||
| ENGR 1A | General Chemistry for Engineers | |
| orCHEM 1A | General Chemistry | |
| CHEM 1B & CHEM 1C | General Chemistryand General Chemistry | |
| CHEM 1LC | General Chemistry Laboratory | |
| MATH 2A & MATH 2B | Single-Variable Calculus Iand Single-Variable Calculus II | |
| MATH 2D | Multivariable Calculus I | |
| MATH 3A | Introduction to Linear Algebra | |
| MATH 3D | Elementary Differential Equations | |
| MATH 2E | Multivariable Calculus II | |
| PHYSICS 7C & PHYSICS 7LC | Classical Physicsand Classical Physics Laboratory | |
| PHYSICS 7D & PHYSICS 7E | Classical Physicsand Classical Physics | |
| PHYSICS 7LD | Classical Physics Laboratory | |
| Engineering Topics Courses: | ||
| Core Courses: | ||
| MSE 60 | Laboratory in Synthesis and Characterization of Materials | |
| MSE 69 | Electronic and Optical Properties in Materials | |
| MSE 151 | Polymeric Materials | |
| MSE 155 | Mechanical Behavior and Design Principles | |
| MSE 155L | Mechanical Behavior Laboratory | |
| MSE 158 | Ceramic Materials for Sustainable Energy | |
| MSE 164 | X-ray Diffraction, Electron Microscopy, and Microanalysis | |
| MSE 164L | X-ray Diffraction, Electron Microscopy, and Microanalysis Lab | |
| MSE 165A | Thermodynamics of Materials | |
| MSE 165B | Diffusion and Heat Transport in Materials | |
| MSE 165C | Materials Kinetics and Phase Transformations | |
| MSE 165CL | Laboratory in Materials Kinetics and Phase Transformations | |
| MSE 175 | Design Failure Investigation | |
| MSE 189A & MSE 189B & MSE 189C | Senior Design Project Iand Senior Design Project IIand Senior Design Project III | |
| MSE 190 | Materials Selection and Design | |
| EECS 70A | Network Analysis I | |
| orENGRMAE 60 | Electric Circuits | |
| ENGR 54 | Principles of Materials Science and Engineering | |
| ENGR 150 | Mechanics of Structures | |
| orENGRMAE 150 | Mechanics of Structures | |
| ENGRMAE 10 | Introduction to Engineering Computations | |
| ENGRMAE 30 | Statics | |
| orENGR 30 | Statics | |
| orENGRCEE 30 | Statics | |
| ENGRMAE 150L | Mechanics of Structures Laboratory | |
| Engineering Electives: | ||
| Students must complete a minimum of four courses from the lists below (at most two of the courses can be Basic Science or Engineering Electives, and at least two courses must be Technical Electives): | ||
| Basic Science or Engineering Electives | ||
| BIO SCI 93 | From DNA to Organisms | |
| BME 50A | Cell and Molecular Engineering | |
| BME 50B | Cell and Molecular Engineering | |
| EECS 70B | Network Analysis II | |
| ENGR 7A & ENGR 7B | Introduction to Engineering Iand Introduction to Engineering II 1 | |
| ENGRMAE 52 | Computer-Aided Design | |
| ENGRMAE 80 | Dynamics | |
| orENGRCEE 80 | Dynamics | |
| orENGR 80 | Dynamics | |
| PHYSICS 52A | Fundamentals of Experimental Physics | |
| STATS 7 | Basic Statistics | |
| Technical Electives | ||
| BME 110B | Biomechanics II | |
| BME 111 | Design of Biomaterials | |
| BME 120 | Sensory Motor Systems | |
| CBE 175 | Electrochemical Engineering | |
| EECS 170A | Electronics I | |
| EECS 174 | Semiconductor Devices | |
| EECS 176 | Fundamentals of Solid-State Electronics and Materials | |
| ENGR 165 | Advanced Manufacturing | |
| ENGRMAE 114 | Fuel Cell Fundamentals and Technology | |
| ENGRMAE 117 | Solar and Renewable Energy Systems | |
| ENGRMAE 118 | Sustainable Energy Systems | |
| ENGRMAE 145 | Theory of Machines and Mechanisms | |
| ENGRMAE 147 | Vibrations | |
| ENGRMAE 151B | Mechanical Engineering Design II | |
| ENGRMAE 153 | Advanced BIOMEMS Manufacturing Techniques | |
| ENGRMAE 157 | Lightweight Structures | |
| MSE 141 | Nano-Scale Materials and Applications | |
| MSE 142 | Synthesis and Properties of Biological, Biomimetic, and Bio-Inspired Materials | |
| MSE 171 | Green Engineering: Theory and Practice | |
| MSE 178 | Fundamentals of Materials Processing: How are Materials Processed to Make Things? | |
| MSE 174 | Composite Materials Design | |
| orENGRMAE 155 | Composite Materials and Structures | |
| MSE 176 | Surface and Adhesion Science | |
| MSE 199 | Individual Study 2 | |
| Students select, with the approval of a faculty advisor, any additional engineering topics courses needed to satisfy school and department requirements. | ||
| Engineering Professional Topics Course: | ||
| ENGR 190W | Communications in the Professional World | |
| (The nominal Materials Science and Engineering program will require 189 units of courses to satisfy all university and major requirements. Because each student comes to UCI with a different level of preparation, the actual number of units will vary. Dual engineering majors are reminded that they are required to satisfy all requirements of both majors individually. Students should not assume that courses for one, such as senior design, will satisfy the requirements of the other, without prior approval.) | ||
- ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B is available only to lower-division students. Both ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B must be completed to count as one Engineering Elective course.
- May be used to satisfy a maximum of one elective course requirement.
Students majoring in MSE may elect, with approval of their faculty advisor, to use available engineering electives to complete one of the following specializations.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization in Materials Processing | ||
| Requires a minimum of three courses from: | ||
| ENGR 165 | Advanced Manufacturing | |
| ENGRMAE 153 | Advanced BIOMEMS Manufacturing Techniques | |
| MSE 171 | Green Engineering: Theory and Practice | |
| MSE 178 | Fundamentals of Materials Processing: How are Materials Processed to Make Things? | |
| MSE 174 | Composite Materials Design | |
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization in Energy Materials and Sustainability | ||
| Requires a minimum of three courses from: | ||
| CBE 175 | Electrochemical Engineering | |
| ENGRMAE 114 | Fuel Cell Fundamentals and Technology | |
| ENGRMAE 117 | Solar and Renewable Energy Systems | |
| ENGRMAE 118 | Sustainable Energy Systems | |
| MSE 141 | Nano-Scale Materials and Applications | |
| MSE 171 | Green Engineering: Theory and Practice | |
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization in Biomaterials: | ||
| Requires a minimum of three courses from: | ||
| BME 110B | Biomechanics II | |
| BME 111 | Design of Biomaterials | |
| BME 120 | Sensory Motor Systems | |
| ENGRMAE 153 | Advanced BIOMEMS Manufacturing Techniques | |
| Specialization in Electronic and Functional Materials: | ||
| Requires a minimum of three courses from: | ||
| EECS 170A | Electronics I | |
| EECS 174 | Semiconductor Devices | |
| EECS 176 | Fundamentals of Solid-State Electronics and Materials | |
| MSE 141 | Nano-Scale Materials and Applications | |
| MSE 176 | Surface and Adhesion Science | |
| Specialization in Structural and Mechanical Materials: | ||
| Requires a minimum of three courses from: | ||
| ENGR 165 | Advanced Manufacturing | |
| MSE 178 | Fundamentals of Materials Processing: How are Materials Processed to Make Things? | |
| MSE 174 | Composite Materials Design | |
| ENGRMAE 145 | Theory of Machines and Mechanisms | |
| ENGRMAE 147 | Vibrations | |
| ENGRMAE 155 | Composite Materials and Structures | |
| ENGRMAE 157 | Lightweight Structures | |
Sample Program
A sample program of study for the major in Materials Science and Engineering is available in the Undergraduate Student Affairs Office. Students should keep in mind that this program is based upon a sequence of prerequisites, beginning with adequate preparation in high school mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Students who are not adequately prepared, or who wish to make changes in the sequence for other reasons, must have their program approved by the MSE undergraduate program advisor. Materials Science and Engineering majors are encouraged to consult with academic counselors as needed, and students who are academically at risk are mandated to see a counselor as frequently as deemed necessary by the advising staff.
Sample Program of Study — Materials Science and Engineering
Freshman
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 2A | MATH 2B | MATH 2D |
| ENGR 1A | CHEM 1B | CHEM 1C |
| ENGRMAE 10 | PHYSICS 7C | CHEM 1LC |
| General Education | PHYSICS 7LC | PHYSICS 7D |
| General Education | PHYSICS 7LD |
Sophomore
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 3A | MATH 3D | MATH 2E |
| PHYSICS 7E | MSE 60 | EECS 70A |
| ENGR 30 | Engineering Elective | MSE 69 |
| ENGR 54 | General Education | Engineering Elective |
Junior
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| MSE 165A | MSE 165B | MSE 165C |
| ENGR 150 | MSE 155 | MSE 165CL |
| ENGRMAE 150L | MSE 155L | MSE 190 |
| MSE 164 | ENGR 190W | General Education |
| MSE 164L | General Education | General Education |
Senior
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| MSE 151 | MSE 175 | MSE 189C |
| MSE 189A | MSE 189B | General Education |
| MSE 158 | Engineering Elective | General Education |
| Engineering Elective | General Education |