M.Eng. Degree Requirements

Applications for the MSE M.Eng. program are available online through the Cornell University Graduate School.

Credit requirements

Total credits

  • 30 qualifying credits minimum
    All credits must be graduate level (5000+)

Project credits

  • 4-8 credits in MSE M.Eng. project courses (MSE 5010, 5011, 5070)

Course requirements

Core courses

Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in a materials program enroll in the core courses. (Students who have completed a materials undergraduate degree waive the core courses and fulfill total credit hours with additional technical electives.)

  • MSE 5830 - Thermodynamics of Condensed Systems
  • MSE 5840 - Kinetics, Diffusion, and Phase Transformation
  • MSE 5801 - Materials Structure and Electronic Properties
  • MSE 5802 - Materials Structure and Mechanical Properties

Capstone project

Students enroll in project course(s). MSE 5010 and MSE 5011 are typically taken in a two-semester series.

Professional development and colloquium

Students enroll in two semesters of professional development practicum and one semester of colloquium.

  • MSE 5005 - MSE M.Eng. Professional Development
  • MSE 8010 - Materials Science and Engineering Colloquium

Management elective

Students enroll in one management course.

  • CEE 5900 - Project Management
  • NCC 5540 - Managing and Leading in Organizations
  • NBA 6650 - The Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation

Technical electives

All remaining credit requirements are fulfilled with graduate-level technical electives.

GPA and grade requirements

To obtain an M.Eng. degree, students must meet the MSE conditions for good academic standing for graduate students, including:

  • 2.50 minimum semester GPA in M.Eng. courses
  • 2.50 minimum cumulative GPA in MSE courses