Welcome to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Our department is proud to offer three distinctive BS degree programs in the United States—Ceramic Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Semiconductor Engineering. We launched our Semiconductor Engineering program in Fall 2025. We also provide MS and PhD degrees in in Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, and Ceramic Engineering and minors in Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering.  

Thanks to one of the largest undergraduate enrollments in the nation, we are a top 20 MSE department in terms of size in the United States. MSE department in the U.S. Missouri S&T is internationally recognized for excellence in graduate education and for pioneering research across ceramics, metals, and advanced materials. Notably, our research productivity has tripled since 2014 and is the largest in terms of expenditure of any department at our university. 

Ceramic Engineering focuses on the development and manufacturing of inorganic, non-metallic materials. This includes a wide range of applications such as biomaterials, refractories, ultra-high-temperature materials, glass and glass-ceramics, electronic materials, cement-based systems, structural ceramics, and composite materials. Undergraduate students gain a strong foundation in transforming raw materials into advanced ceramic systems, with an emphasis on tailoring physical and chemical properties to meet specific application needs such as extremely high temperatures. 

Metallurgical Engineering centers on the extraction, processing, and production of a wide range of metals and alloys, including iron, aluminum, and copper. Our department is a national leader in critical‑metal extraction research and has built long‑standing partnerships through hosting one of the country’s largest steelmaking industrial consortia. Students learn how to recover metals from ores and recycled sources, refine and process them into usable forms, and design alloys with targeted mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. The curriculum also covers modern manufacturing methods, including both traditional (subtractive) and advanced (additive) techniques. 

Our interdisciplinary semiconductor engineering program combines core engineering fundamentals with specialized knowledge from materials science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and chemical engineering. It is designed to prepare students for careers in fields such as microelectronics, nanotechnology, energy, healthcare, intelligent systems, cybersecurity, and materials supply chains. Additionally, the program equips students with a foundation to pursue advanced degrees in areas like semiconductor physics, optics, advanced electronics, and intelligent manufacturing. 

Materials Science and Engineering is a foundational discipline that drives innovation across all areas of engineering. Advances in materials enable breakthroughs in fields such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, defense, electronics, energy, manufacturing, nuclear, and optics. Our graduates are highly sought after by leading organizations in these industries. 

All our undergraduate programs distinguish themselves with small class sizes, easy access to faculty, hands-on experience with advanced manufacturing, characterization and testing tools and plentiful opportunities for getting involved in research projects.  

I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our programs, faculty, staff, and students. We are confident you will discover a vibrant and forward-looking academic community within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Dr. Sridhar Seetharaman
Professor of Metallurgical Engineering
Chair of Materials Science and Engineering