Curriculum Map and Plan of Study

Primary courses: Materials Concentration

Students are required to take six 3-credit courses with a Material concentration. However, not all these courses need to be from the MSE Department. Students can take courses from other Engineering or Science departments, provided they are pertinent to the field of Material science, engineering and its applications.

MSE PMP Coursework

Required Primary Courses

*Required primary courses for students without prior Materials science or Materials Engineering background:

Course
Credit Hours
MSE 600 "Fundamentals of MSE"
MSE 530 "Materials Processing in Manufacturing"
3
3

Examples of Primary (Material concentration) Courses

Course
Credit Hours
MSE 50200 Defects in Solids
MSE 50500 Modeling and Simulation of Material Processing
MSE 51000 Microstructural Characterization Techniques
MSE 51200 Powder Processing
MSE 53100 Quantitative Analysis of Microstructure
MSE 53500 Lean Manufacturing of Materials
CHE 54000 Transport Phenomena
CHE 56400 Organic Elect. Materials & Devices
CHE 54300 Polymer Reaction Engr & Reactor Analysis
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

Examples of Professional Development Elective Courses

Course
Credit Hours
ENGR 50200 Engineering Leadership
ECE 55700 Integrated Circuit Fabrication Laboratory
CE 59801 Breakthrough Thinking for Complex Challenges
CHE 59700 Medical Devices and Applications
CHE 59700 Process Safety (Special topics in Chemical Engineering)
IE 53000 Quality Control
IE 55800 Safety Engineering
ABE 59100 Understanding Federal Science Policy and Funding
CE 52400 Legal Aspects in Engineering Practice
CS 59300 Machine Learning Theory
ECE 56200 Introduction to Data Management
IE 54500 Engineering Economic Analysis
IE 57000 Manufacturing Process Engineering
IE 57700 Human Factors in Engineering
IE 59000 Project Management
ME 55300 Product and Process Design
ME 55700 Design for Manufacturability
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

Management Electives

Course
Credit Hours
MGMT 58600 Python Programming
MGMT 67000 Business Analytics
OBHR 68100 Managing Behavior in Organizations
MGMT 61000 Financial Management
MGMT 62000 Marketing Management
MGMT 66000 Intro to Operations
ECON 60600 Microeconomics
MGMT 65000 Strategic Management
MGMT 60000 Accounting for Managers
ECON 60800 Macroeconomics
MGMT 56500 Strategic Sourcing and Procurement
MGMT 57500 Supply Chain Technology
MGMT 52200 New Product Development
MGMT 65300 Negotiations in Organizations
MGMT 69000 Storytelling with Data
MGMT 69000 Change Management
2
2
2
3
2
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

*Not a complete list of elective options.

Practical Experience Options

Independent study (directed research) offers students an opportunity to integrate practical experience into their academic journey. Students can earn up to 6 technical credits (3 credits per semester), which contribute towards fulfilling the Materials Science (primary) course requirement on their plan of study. Projects undertaken in this option must focus on industry applications. The process is student-driven: students explore research areas, network and collaborate with MSE faculty to identify project opportunities. An established application and approval process ensures that the projects’ scope align with the program’s mission. Additionally, students are required to complete the final report. This option is especially valuable for students interested in pursuing careers in Research and Development in the industry.

Independent study/directed research resources:

Meet MSE Faculty

Download Template for Application and Proposal (DOC)

Independent research is included as a Variable Title Course (MSE 69700) on a Plan of Study.

Adding Course to Your Schedule

YouTube Video Tutorial

Data Mine program

Students can also gain practical experience through the Purdue Data Mine program, which connects them with project opportunities available through 80+ corporate partners. Similar to Directed research, students can earn up to 6 credits (3 credits per semester) towards their technical requirements.

Students interested in Data Mine program will need to complete a pre-requisite course:

  • TDM 51100 Data Mine Program Prerequisite

Explore Data Mine Program

Co-op and Internships

PMP students have the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships or co-op programs. However, please note that participating in an internship may extend your time to graduation. Internships are neither mandatory nor guaranteed. We encourage students to pro-actively utilize Purdue University extensive career development and networking resources, including Purdue Center for Career Opportunities, Career Success Handbook, Industrial Roundtable and Spring Expo. Additionally, networking with fellow PMP and Graduate students is an excellent way to build valuable professional connections.

Students are required to notify the MSE PMP Director, Dr. Inna Elsner (ielsner@purdue.edu), if they intend to pursue an internship or co-op opportunity and when they obtain an offer. Additionally, students must register for MSE 69600 course upon receiving their internship offer. Domestic students can go to work after one semester of study. International students must have 2 semesters of study prior to going to work for an internship (1 academic period of work). Summer does not count as one of these 2 semesters. For international students, if they are part of a co-op program, meaning their offer meets the criteria of grad co-op described here, they may work after one semester of study. Additional note: co-op requires a student to work at least 2 terms with the same employer.

*International students are required to complete the CPT (F1-Curricular Practical Training) application with ISS (The Office of International Students and Scholars) through the Purdue ISS portal (myISS account).

International Students and Scholars

MyISSPortal