Materials Engineering

Program Overview

The 100% online, 30-credit hour materials engineering (mse) concentration is packed in our Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)/Master of Science (MS) degree.  This program is for professionals who want to enhance their careers through developing cutting-edge knowledge in materials science and engineering as well as leading innovations in the five main classes of materials - metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and biomaterials. As a student in this program, you will focus on materials topics and technical knowledge like additive manufacturing, machine learning, high-resolution microscopy, and materials fatigue. Students can even learn how materials engineering transforms athletics. Purdue University's online graduate engineering program is ranked #3 in the top ten programs by U.S. News and World Report. Please note:  MSE is an abbreviation used by Purdue University for the Master of Science in Engineering degree, the School of Materials Engineering, and Materials Engineering courses. 

Further information can be found in the below flyers.

Materials Engineering Concentration Flyer

Materials Engineering Course Flyer

Course Topical Areas:

Online Plan of Study Overview

The MSE/MS master's program offers a wide range of flexibility in course options. After you begin your studies at Purdue, an academic advisor will help you create a Plan of Study (POS) to best fit your educational needs and career goals. Every POS varies based on student interest, time, and course load. 

Degree requirements checklist:

_____ total Materials courses ( 9 hours)
_____ total other engineering courses (9 hours)
_____ total other elective courses  (12 hours)
_____ total credit hours (30 hours)

Note: At least 18 hours must be graduate level, engineering courses taken at Purdue University.

View detailed MSE concentration requirements

Additional Additive Manufacturing Professional Development

Purdue University’s online Additive Manufacturing (AM) certificate offers professionals an opportunity to analyze industry case studies and stay current with the rapidly industrializing area of AM technologies and 3D printing. You will not earn credit for this program. The 100% online Additive Manufacturing Certificate courses are designed to provide students and/or professionals fundamental knowledge of AM skills that can be immediately applied to their projects and used to advance their careers. 

The professional certificate programs are offered in collaboration with the Purdue School of Materials Engineering and The Barnes Group Advisors, a Pittsburgh-based consulting company providing additive manufacturing and 3D printing expertise.

The course offerings and descriptions are as follows:

Additive Manufacturing Essentials

In this course, students will learn the basic steps in each AM process as defined by ASTM F42, study real-world applications of AM, and categorize material types used in AM. Upon completion of the course, students will be expected to identify and explain the essential concepts of AM, how AM works, and the different materials and processes of additive manufacturing. 

The course is split into five 100% online, self-paced modules that usually take 1-3 hours to complete: Module 1, Overview of Additive Manufacturing; Module 2, Industries Using Additive Manufacturing; Module 3, Additive Manufacturing Processes per ASTM F42; Module 4, Additive Manufacturing Advantages for Decision Making; Module 5, Additive Manufacturing Use Cases.

Additive Manufacturing Technology and Materials

This course discusses the technical and commercial considerations of additive manufacturing processes, the materials used in each process, and the common steps of an additive manufacturing workflow. Upon completion of the course, graduates will be expected to identify and explain various materials and technology deployed in AM along with the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The course is split into five 100% online, self-paced modules that usually take 1-3 hours to complete: Module 1, The Current State of Additive Manufacturing; Module 2, Vat Photopolymerization, Material Jetting, and Material Extrusion; Module 3, Powder Bed Fusion and Directed Energy Deposition; Module 4, Binder Jetting and Sheet Lamination; Module 5, Additive Manufacturing Materials.

Additive Manufacturing Design

In this advanced AM course, students will learn to distinguish between AM design innovation and AM design mitigation techniques. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to discuss in detail the digital process steps of an AM design workflow, define AM design considerations, compare factors across various AM processes to achieve design goals, and apply AM design principles to standard design features. 

This course consists of 100% online, self-paced modules that usually take 1-3 hours to complete, video lectures, in-depth discussions of course concepts, quizzes, online self-tests, a case study, and an online final exam. Students will have the opportunity to work closely with each other and the instructor to master course material. 

Additive Manufacturing Business & Economics

In this course, students will form a business case for additive manufacturing by learning how to identify cost drivers and opportunities for cost savings in AM, and by developing core AM industrialization strategies. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to develop a business case for AM, identify important business considerations and cost drivers, discuss capital expenditures vs. outsourcing considerations, identify business savings sustained by use of AM, and distinguish between AM for prototyping and AM for production.

This course consists of 100% online, self-paced modules that usually take 1-3 hours to complete, video lectures, in-depth discussions of course concepts, quizzes, online self-tests, a case study, and an online final exam. Students will have the opportunity to work closely with each other and the instructor to master course material. 

 Each AM course is worth 2 CEUs (20 contact hours over 5 weeks).

Visit The Barnes Global Advisors course page for further information.