Meet the Global Demand for Semiconductor & Microelectronics Engineers

Purdue University's Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Engineering, with a major in Microelectronics and Semiconductors, equips professionals with the leadership skills needed in the dynamic microelectronics field, addressing the increasing demand for semiconductor engineers. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association's State of the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Report (2023), approximately 36% of semiconductor professionals hold advanced degrees, a significant contrast to the 14% average in other fields.

Endorsed by Purdue's renowned Semiconductor Degrees Program (SDP) and backed by industry-leading companies, our program stands out as the sole degree program exclusively dedicated to semiconductors and microelectronics within a top 10 nationally ranked engineering college. Delivered through online modalities, this master's program accommodates the schedules of working professionals, offering practical, focused training that can be immediately applied to the workforce.

The curriculum draws from various schools, colleges, and departments across Purdue University, including the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the Elmore Family School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and the School of Materials Engineering. Students have the opportunity to enroll in courses covering supply chain management, materials engineering, circuit design, systems design, and more, enabling them to build a comprehensive skillset and meet the rising demands for semiconductor-related expertise.

Curriculum

This degree requires 30 credit hours total with at least 18 hours of Purdue graduate engineering courses. Course subjects suggested for the online master’s in microelectronics and semiconductors includes:

  • Circuit Design
  • Devices and Manufacturing (DM)
  • System Design (SD)
  • Supply Chain Management

The degree awarded is either the Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) or the Master of Science (MS) depending upon your undergraduate degree; the major is Microelectronics and Semiconductors. The full curriculum can be found here.

Students can choose their courses from a wide suite of available 1, 2 and 3-credit hour course options.

After you begin your studies at Purdue, an academic advisor will provide you with tools to map out a plan of study and help you define a concentration tailored to align with your specific goals. Your academic advisor will also help you identify a faculty advisor.

Admissions Requirements

Criteria for Admissions

  • Minimum GPA of a 3.0
  • Math Background: One semester each of Calculus I, Calculus II and either Linear Algebra or Differential Equations
  • Engineering Background: Preferred undergraduate degree in Engineering, Science, Mathematics or Technology.

Application Requirements

  • Transcripts from all universities attended
  • 3 recommenders
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • A professional resume
  • Math prerequisite checklist, if applicable

Full admissions requirements

Application Deadlines

  • For Fall Start: August 1
  • For Spring Start: December 1
  • For Summer Start: May 1

Tuition*

  • Resident of Indiana: $1,139 per credit hour
  • Nonresident of Indiana: $1,459 per credit hour
  • Domestic students and permanent residents may qualify for the following types of financial aid: US federal financial aid, Military, veterans, and military-connected students

*The cost of attending Purdue varies depending on where you choose to live, enrollment in a specific program or college, food and travel expenses, and other variables. The Office of the Bursar website shows estimated costs for the current aid year for students by semester and academic year. These amounts are used in determining a student’s estimated eligibility for financial aid. You can also use our tuition calculator to estimate tuition costs.

Student Testimonial

Wyatt DuVall, Principle Design Engineer, ASML

Wyatt DuVall

Why did you decide to pursue the Purdue Master’s in Semiconductors?

I work in the semiconductor industry (in equipment manufacturing, working on EUV Lithography), but know very little about semiconductors. Additionally, there are good opportunities to take a wide variety of courses, which can really help augment my tool kit at work. Finally, there is a large national push to increase our domestic semiconductor talent pool, and I find it quite motivating to be a part of that.

What courses are you looking forward to taking?

  • Chip design courses. (What are the building blocks of a chip, and how do we combine them to make useful products?)
  • Chip manufacturing courses. (What are all the steps in the chip manufacturing process, where are the bottlenecks and challenges, what steps will be a major focus going forward, and what chip manufacturing technologies can I leverage for my own work?)
  • Material science courses. (Outside of being quite relevant to semiconductors, they’re also extremely relevant for my job.
  • Process development courses. (I do a lot of process development at work, what are some industry standards I should be aware of?)

What has your experience been like so far?

It has been very good. Returning to school has definitely prompted a shift in how I think about problems. at work.

Some courses have been a bit too deep in the electron-weeds for me – diving deep into the Schrodinger equation is pretty far from my day-to-day job and I didn’t find that to be very helpful. On the other side of the coin, courses that went over fundamentals of how semiconductors function, material properties, etc., have been very educational and surprisingly helpful in my role. 

I’m already quite busy with work and life outside work, so adding a Master’s degree to my schedule was probably a silly thing to do. That said, the program is generally very flexible, which has been fantastic. Without that level of flexibility, I would have struggled greatly, but as it is, it’s manageable to cruise through one course per semester.

Learn read more about Duvall and his educational experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s up to each student to determine how many classes they want to take per semester. Most students working full time typically take one or two classes each semester, or 3-5 credit hours.

Transfer credits will be officially reviewed for transferability after admission with academic and faculty advisors. Course descriptions and syllabi will be required. 12 transfer credits can be utilized for the Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) programs; the amount accepted will vary depending on a student’s concentration and plan of study. Approved credits will be applied within a student’s electronic Plan of Study as electives. Transfer credits can only be applied towards IDE majors and not graduate certificates. If a student transfers to a program outside of IDE within Purdue's College of Engineering, previously honored equivalencies and transfer credit approval is not guaranteed. Students should inquire further with their new program. In order for courses to be evaluated for transfer, they must first meet all of the following requirements:  Graduate level from an accredited institution

  1. Never used towards a previous degree program
  2. Engineering or STEM-related courses
  3. A grade of a B- or better
  4. Students typically need to be an active graduate student within the last 5 years for credit to be utilized.
Once admitted, students will work with their advisor to discuss the academic history and possible transfer credit.

No. Neither your diploma nor transcript will indicate that any coursework was completed online. Diplomas read Master of Science or Master of Science in Engineering depending on the degree conferred. Transcripts will include the major name: Microelectronics and Semiconductors.

The degree earned will be a Master of Science (MS) or Master of Science in Engineering (MSE). Those with an undergraduate degree in an area outside of engineering are eligible for the MS, while those with an undergraduate degree in engineering are eligible for the MSE. Note that the program is Interdisciplinary Engineering and the major is Microelectronics and Semiconductors.

Diplomas include the degree name – either Master of Science or Master of Science in Engineering depending on the degree conferred (see ‘what degree will I earn” FAQ for more information). Transcripts include the program and major name—e.g. Interdisciplinary Engineering with a major in Microelectronics and Semiconductors Neither your diploma nor transcript will indicate that any coursework was completed online. Diplomas and transcripts for students completing online programs look identical to the documents provided to an on-campus, residential student.

You must have a GPA of 3.0 in all plan-of-study coursework to successfully complete the degree. Graduate-level transfer courses are not included in your GPA calculation.

Engineering and math/statistics courses run on the standard academic calendar with full-semester-length courses. Online business (MGMT) courses run on the alternative academic calendar, which means there are two modules offered each semester – e.g. fall 1 and fall 2. Students may be enrolled in overlapping calendar courses but are not able to start a new term before the current term concludes. For example: students enrolled in a full semester, standard spring course may not take a summer module 1 course as the alternate calendar summer term begins before the standard spring term ends.

For your first term, we recommend a 500-level course. Be sure to review the course prerequisites and needed prior knowledge to ensure you are prepared for the course.

Students enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering with a specialization in Microelectronics and Semiconductors, which is supported by Purdue University Online, receive robust support from a dedicated team of student engagement professionals. All students have an assigned academic advisor, who is available for one-on-one support and helps students with academic-related questions or issues. Academic advisors also offer workshops on topics relevant to academic planning and preparation, including plan of study workshops and specialty info sessions for students enrolled in specific programs. Additionally, students have an assigned student success coach, whose role is to support students who may be struggling in the online learning environment. Students have access to their assigned success coach from the point they accept their offer of enrollment through graduation. Success coaches also work to build community among online students, including offering networking events, resources, and opportunities for professional development.

A graduate student is expected to maintain a graduation index representing a B average (3.0/4.0 GPA) or better. A student's 30 credits of graduate coursework must be cumulatively calculated at a 3.0 or higher in order to receive the Degree. For more details on policies and grading information, please visit: Policies and Procedures for Administering Graduate Student Programs - Purdue University - Modern Campus Catalog™ - see section VI for grading policies.