Materials Science & Engineering
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is an interdisciplinary field where the scientific fundamentals of materials, their structure and properties and their design and processing for real-world applications are explored. Developing new equipment for materials development, and exploring new uses for existing and new materials are also essential tasks of MSE, particularly to meet the needs of modern technology. MSE offers two bachelor’s degrees, one in MSE and another in MSE with a degree option in Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering. A BS-to-MS program is also available to highly qualified undergraduates. Preparing our students for the wide variety of jobs that await them is our highest priority. Our graduates find employment in the aerospace, automotive, biomedical, chemical, construction, electronics, energy and telecommunication industries. We are proud to lay the foundations for successful careers in many sectors of the economy, from academia to industry.
Major category:
Minor available
Curricular options: Nanoscience & Molecular Engineering
Area(s) of interest: Engineering
websiteDegree requirements
Applicant type
First-year students can apply to the UW to begin autumn quarter or winter quarter (U.S. applicants only)
An application for general admission to the UW is required for all transfer students. UW accepts general applications for Autumn and Winter with some select majors allowing applications in Spring. Review your intended major’s website for information about which quarters it is open for admission.
Preparation for the major is a factor in transfer admission.
Use the information below to help you prepare for this major. Read more about applying to the UW as a transfer student.
- Visit MyPlan to run a degree audit.
- Use the UW Equivalency Guide to find out how courses taken at a Washington state community or technical college will transfer to the UW.
- UW college and school graduation requirements
Department admission information
- Transfer students must submit two separate applications: one to the Office of Admissions and one to Material Science & Engineering.
- To be eligible to apply, you must have a 2.0 (“C” grade) minimum GPA in each prerequisite course and a 2.5 cumulative GPA in all the prerequisites. Completion of 64 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required. These are minimums; the actual GPA of those admitted is much higher.
- To plan your transfer, be sure to utilize the Engineering transfer admission website, and contact the department if you have additional questions. A separate departmental application is required in addition to the UW application for admission.
- For more information, please visit the department’s website.
Read more about applying to the UW as a transfer student.
Courses REQUIRED for admission:
- CHEM 142 NSc RSN – General Chemistry 1
- CHEM 152 NSc RSN – General Chemistry 1
- CSE 122 NSc RSN – Introduction to Computer Programming II 2 or CSE 123 NSc RSN – Introduction to Computer Programming III 2 or CSE 142 NSc RSN – Computer Programming I 2 or AMATH 301 NSc – Beginning Scientific Computing 2
- MATH 124 NSc RSN – Calculus Analytic Geometry I 1
- MATH 125 NSc – Calculus Analytic Geometry II 1
- MATH 126 NSc – Calculus Analytic Geometry III 1
- MATH 207 NSc – Intro to Diff Equations 2
- PHYS 121 NSc RSN – Mechanics 1
- PHYS 122 NSc – Electromagnetism 1
- MSE 170 NSc – Fundamentals of Materials Science 2
- English composition C 1
Entering transfer information:
Total undergraduates: 110
Total from Washington community colleges: 16
Entering transfer GPA (from WA community colleges):
3.75 – 4.00: <5
3.50 – 3.74: 5
3.25 – 3.49: 7
3.00 – 3.24: <5
2.75 – 2.99: <5
2.50 – 2.74: <5
2.49 and below: <5
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- All courses completed prior to the application deadline.
2
- All completed prior to autumn quarter.