Doctoral program · Rossin College
PhD in Materials Science and Engineering
The PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science prepares doctoral researchers to discover, design and characterize materials by combining experimental, computational and data-driven techniques.
- Degree awardedDoctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering
- DepartmentMaterials Science and Engineering
- Typical time to degree4 to 6 years
- Credit hours72 minimum
- DeadlineDecember 15
- GRENeither accepted nor reviewed
- Application fee$50 USD
Overview
What the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering is
The program is built around the processing-structure-properties-performance framework, which links how a material is processed to its structure, its properties and its performance. Original research, rigorous scholarship and multidisciplinary collaboration are how students push the boundaries of materials discovery, design and characterization.
Graduates are prepared to lead in academia, national laboratories and advanced industry. Students also develop as educators and communicators: every PhD student serves at least once as a full teaching assistant before the end of the third year.
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering maintains the authoritative program detail. See the department page.
Research
Materials research for health, sustainability and discovery
Faculty and doctoral students across these thrusts take on grand global challenges: materials that advance human health, sustainable materials and manufacturing, and new ways to characterize materials with machine learning. The aim is to drive innovation and establish sustainable solutions.
Processing and properties of nanomaterials
Control of matter at the smallest scales underlies new tools for medicine and technology. This area links how nanomaterials are processed to the properties they show, and it includes interdisciplinary projects on fabrication at the nanoscale and on materials for bioapplications.
Focus topics: Solid free-form and nanoscale fabrication, Materials for bioapplications.
Electronic materials and packaging
Electronic devices depend on the materials inside them and on how those materials are packaged. This area studies electronic materials and packaging alongside interdisciplinary projects in photonics, polymers and composites.
Focus topics: Photonics, polymers and composites.
Metal processing and performance
Work here connects how metals and ceramics are processed to how they perform in service, in support of sustainable materials and manufacturing.
Focus topics: Ceramics.
Microstructural characterization
Characterizing a material’s microstructure shows why it behaves as it does. Researchers in this area work in Lehigh’s nanotech facilities and apply machine learning to advance characterization.
Affiliated research centers
Institute for Functional Materials and Devices
Center for Polymer Science and Engineering
Energy Research Center
Institute for Metal Forming
International Materials Institute
Degree requirements
What the doctorate requires
A minimum of 72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or 48 credits with a prior technical master’s degree from another institution. Lehigh publishes the following complete set of requirements.
- Credit hours
A minimum of 72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or 48 credits with a prior technical master’s degree from another institution. Credits beyond the course requirements are earned through dissertation credits or maintenance of candidacy credits. No course in which the grade earned is less than C- is credited toward the degree.
- Required core courses
10 credits: MAT 401 Thermodynamics, MAT 403 Structure/Property Relations and MAT 405 Kinetics.
- Additional MAT coursework
9 credits, all from 400-level courses, excluding MAT 451 and MAT 499.
- Departmental seminar
MAT 451 Materials Science and Engineering Seminar, a 0 credit seminar. Full-time MSE graduate students are expected to enroll every fall and spring semester.
- Technical electives
Electives chosen with your advisor, from inside or outside the MAT subject code. There is no limit on the number of elective credits.
- Dissertation credits
MAT 499 Dissertation, with a minimum of 1 credit. It is repeatable without limit after you pass the qualifying exam and until you are admitted to candidacy.
- Qualifying exam
A research-based exam, typically taken at the end of the first year and no later than the end of the second year. It evaluates whether you can understand and explain concepts and answer questions on the general knowledge of materials science and engineering, and whether you can identify and formulate interesting new research hypotheses and develop a research plan to explore them. You are eligible when you have a GPA of at least 3.0 (B or better) in each of MAT 401, MAT 403 and MAT 405. If the first attempt is not successful, you have a second and final chance to retake it within 6 months. Passing is required to proceed in the program and leads to forming your doctoral committee within 12 months.
- Annual reviews
Annual reviews give you structured, regular feedback on your dissertation progress and research activities. Take the first review when you form your doctoral committee and within 12 months of passing the qualifying exam, then repeat the review every year until you defend your dissertation.
- General exam and research plan defense
The dissertation general exam evaluates your ability to synthesize, integrate and critique knowledge across your discipline to frame new research problems, and it clarifies the methods you will apply to your research questions. You become eligible after you pass the qualifying exam and form your doctoral committee, and it is recommended within 1 to 2 years after the qualifying exam. If you do not pass, you may retake it no sooner than 5 months and no later than 6 months after the first attempt, and a second attempt is the last. Passing permits you to apply for candidacy.
- Teaching assistantship
Every PhD student serves at least once as a full teaching assistant before the end of the third year after starting the program. Additional assistantships are optional.
- Admission to candidacy
You are eligible once you have completed all coursework requirements (the core courses with a B or better and at least 9 credits of additional coursework) and passed the qualifying exam and the general exam. Apply for candidacy at least 1 year before the planned completion of the degree.
- Dissertation and defense
Submit your dissertation to the doctoral committee and defend it to the general public and the committee. You can submit and defend once your advisor agrees, all other program requirements are complete and your GPA is 3.0 or greater.
- Courses that do not count
Courses with an ESLP or EAPC subject code, master’s thesis credits (MAT 490), undergraduate-only 300-level courses, ENGR 492 Summer Research and ENGR 496 Summer Work Experience.
- Foreign language
The department does not require a foreign language.
Year by year
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| End of year 1 | Take the qualifying exam, typically at the end of the first year and no later than the end of the second. |
| Within 12 months of passing | Form your doctoral committee and take your first annual review. Reviews continue every year until you defend your dissertation. |
| 1 to 2 years after the qualifying exam | Take the general exam and research plan defense, which permits you to apply for candidacy. |
| Before the end of year 3 | Serve at least once as a full teaching assistant. |
| At least 1 year before completion | Apply for admission to candidacy. |
| Final stage | Submit your dissertation and defend it to the general public and your doctoral committee. |
Curriculum
Core and required courses
| Code | Course | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 401 | Thermodynamics | Thermodynamics of materials processes. |
| MAT 403 | Structure/Property Relations | Structure of materials and relationship to properties. |
| MAT 405 | Kinetics | Diffusion, nucleation and growth kinetics. |
Careers
Where graduates work
Materials science and engineering alumni work wherever new materials are made, tested and put to use.
Our alumni work in manufacturing, natural resources, life sciences, defense and space, education, information technology and research. Common roles include materials engineer, metallurgical engineer, research scientist, staff scientist, product development manager, senior manager of high temperature materials, postdoctoral researcher and lecturer, and some alumni move into management, executive and finance roles. The program prepares graduates to lead in academia, national laboratories and advanced industry.
Employers where our alumni most often work include:
- RTX (Raytheon)
- ExxonMobil
- Sandia National Laboratories
- Brookhaven National Laboratory
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Merck
- Apple
- IBM
Alumni also work at Johnson & Johnson, GKN Hoeganaes, Medtronic, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Saint-Gobain, Vision Equipment and Corning.
Based on current employers of Lehigh materials science and engineering alumni, all degree levels, who graduated between 1996 and 2025.
Funding
Financial support
All PhDs at the Rossin College are 100% fully-funded, however, funding sources may vary by department. Funding covers PhD tuition and a stipend.
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering does not publish program-specific stipend or assistantship figures; ask the graduate contact below what funding looks like for this program.
- PhD applicants wishing to be considered for financial assistance should submit a complete application no later than December 15 for a fall semester start.
- Named opportunities open to Rossin College doctoral students include the Rossin Research Scholars program, Pasteur PhD Partners (P3), and the SEED-EF NSF National Research Traineeship, see special opportunities for Lehigh PhD students.
- Financial aid for Lehigh’s graduate programs consists mainly of fixed-rate federal student loans through the Office of Financial Aid.
- Loan eligibility requires enrollment at least half-time, six credits during the academic year, three credits in summer.
- Emergency loans and grants are available through the Graduate Life Office.
Admissions
How to apply
Applications for admission, all semesters, all levels, are completed online. Applications open September 1; PhD applications for fall admission are due December 15 for financial aid consideration.
Application open dates and deadlines are determined by individual departments. Contact the department concerning relevant deadlines and available start terms.
What to submit
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts (with English translation for international applicants)
- Statement of purpose / essay
- Letters of recommendation (typically three)
- Résumé or CV
- Application fee of $50 USD
Materials Science and Engineering requirements
- Prior degree: At least a bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent from a foreign institution, in materials science and engineering or a related engineering or science discipline by the time you enroll. A prior master’s degree is not required, though it is encouraged in materials science and engineering or a related engineering or science discipline.
- GPA: Applicants are typically expected to hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. An applicant below 3.0 may be considered with significant, documented research accomplishments, relevant industrial experience or compelling extraordinary circumstances.
- English proficiency: Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency in line with the standards of the International Center for Academic and Professional English (ICAPE), so that they can carry out the duties of a teaching assistant.
- Review: The MSE graduate director reviews each application as a whole, in consultation with the MSE Graduate Committee.
- Deadline: The deadline for applications is December 15.
GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed for any Rossin College graduate program.
English proficiency minimums
| Test | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | Overall 81 (old scale) / 4 (new scale); Speaking 22/4, Writing 20/4, Reading 20/4, Listening 16/4 |
| IELTS | Overall 6.5; Speaking 6.5, Writing 6, Reading 6.5, Listening 6 |
| Duolingo English Test | Overall 125; Speaking 125, Writing 120, Reading 125, Listening 110 |
| Cambridge | Overall 176; Speaking 176, Writing 169, Reading 176, Listening 169 |
| Pearson (PTE) | Overall 68, with 53 or higher on each band |
Scores expire two years from the test date. MyBestScore and One Skill Retake formats are not accepted. Waivers are available for applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of an English-speaking country, earned a U.S. degree with two or more years of in-person study, earned a degree taught in English in an English-speaking country, or studied or worked full-time in an English-speaking country for two or more years within the last five.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which department at Lehigh offers the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
The PhD in Materials Science and Engineering is offered by Lehigh University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Full program detail, faculty and current requirements are maintained on the department’s own page: https://engineering.lehigh.edu/mse/graduate/phd
What is the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Lehigh?
It is a research doctorate that cultivates research scholars who push the boundaries of materials discovery, design and characterization. Students use experimental, computational and data-driven techniques and the processing-structure-properties-performance framework, through original research, rigorous scholarship and multidisciplinary collaboration.
How long does the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering take?
4 to 6 years. The qualifying exam is typically taken at the end of the first year, and the general exam is recommended within 1 to 2 years after it.
How many credits does the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering require?
A minimum of 72 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, or 48 credits with a prior technical master’s degree from another institution.
Do I need a master’s degree to apply to the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
No. A prior master’s degree is not required, though it is encouraged in materials science and engineering or a related engineering or science discipline. You need at least a bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent from a foreign institution, in materials science and engineering or a related engineering or science discipline by the time you enroll. A prior technical master’s degree from another institution lowers the credit requirement from 72 credits to 48.
What GPA do I need to apply to the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
Applicants are typically expected to hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. An applicant below 3.0 may be considered with significant, documented research accomplishments, relevant industrial experience or compelling extraordinary circumstances.
Is the GRE required for the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
No. GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed for any P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate program.
When are applications due for the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
The application deadline is December 15. The MSE graduate director reviews each application as a whole, in consultation with the MSE Graduate Committee.
What English proficiency scores are required?
International applicants must meet Lehigh’s minimum scores: TOEFL iBT overall 81 (old scale) or 4 (new scale); IELTS overall 6.5; Duolingo English Test overall 125; Cambridge overall 176; or Pearson (PTE) overall 68. Scores expire two years from the test date. Waivers are available in defined circumstances.
Is the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering funded?
All PhDs at the Rossin College are 100% fully-funded, however, funding sources may vary by department.
What courses does the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering require?
Three core courses are required: Thermodynamics (MAT 401), Structure/Property Relations (MAT 403) and Kinetics (MAT 405), for 10 credits. You also take 9 credits of additional 400-level MAT coursework, advisor-guided technical electives with no limit on credits, a departmental seminar, and dissertation credits to reach the credit total.
What is the qualifying exam for the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
It is a research-based exam, typically taken at the end of the first year and no later than the end of the second. It tests your knowledge of the field and your ability to formulate new research hypotheses and a plan to explore them. You need a GPA of at least 3.0 in each core course to take it, and if the first attempt is not successful you may retake it once, within 6 months.
What happens after the qualifying exam?
You form a doctoral committee within 12 months and begin annual reviews. You then take the general exam and research plan defense, recommended within 1 to 2 years after the qualifying exam, and apply for candidacy at least 1 year before you expect to finish. The program ends with a dissertation that you defend to the general public and your doctoral committee.
Do PhD students in Materials Science and Engineering have to teach?
Yes. Every PhD student serves at least once as a full teaching assistant before the end of the third year after starting the program, and additional assistantships are optional. Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency in line with the standards of the International Center for Academic and Professional English so that they can carry out the duties of a teaching assistant.
What research areas can I work in as a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering student?
Doctoral research covers microstructural characterization, processing and properties of nanomaterials, ceramics, electronic materials and packaging, and metal processing and performance, with interdisciplinary projects in photonics, polymers and composites, solid free-form and nanoscale fabrication, and materials for bioapplications.
What careers do PhD in Materials Science and Engineering graduates pursue?
Alumni work in manufacturing, natural resources, life sciences, defense and space, education, information technology and research. Common roles include materials engineer, metallurgical engineer, research scientist, staff scientist, product development manager and postdoctoral researcher.
Who do I contact about the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
The department can be reached at rmk220@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-4222. General Rossin College graduate inquiries go to engineering@lehigh.edu.
What courses do students take in the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering?
Required courses include Thermodynamics, Structure/Property Relations and Kinetics. Other courses students can choose from include Solidification, Current Topics in Materials, Metal Forming Processes, Mechanical Behavior of Ceramic Solids, Optical Properties of Materials and Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy, among others. Coursework is planned with your advisor and doctoral committee, and the Lehigh course catalog carries the current requirements.
Contact
Talk to the department
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Address
Whitaker Laboratory
5 East Packer Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18015-3195
Phone and email
(610) 758-4222
rmk220@lehigh.edu
P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
19 Memorial Drive West
Bethlehem, PA 18015
engineering@lehigh.edu
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