Materials Science & Engineering Undergraduate Certificate

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Learn how materials scientists discover and design new materials

If humanity is to harvest solar energy economically, practicalize quantum computing and develop new medical treatments, it must develop new materials.

By earning Duke’s Certificate in Materials Science & Engineering, you’ll learn the principles underlying the fundamental structures, properties and application of materials. 

Upper-level undergraduate students enrolled in the Pratt School of Engineering and the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences are eligible to complete this certificate.

Features & Benefits

  • Learn with an assigned academic advisor
  • Earn academic credit through independent research
  • Participate in the Duke chapter of the Materials Research Society
  • Access seminars featuring renowned researchers
  • Noted on your Duke transcript
workers in protective garments work in a nanotech cleanroom.

Cleanroom Fabrication, Materials and Device Characterization & Imaging

Duke undergraduates can have research experiences in Duke’s Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility — which features class 100 and class 1000 clean rooms, electron microscopy, MicroCT imaging, X-ray characterization and optical spectroscopy.

Research Facilities

Certificate Requirements

Complete seven (7) courses.

  • Required:

    • ME 221 Structure and Properties of Solids (Spring and Fall)
      • Required course for Mechanical Engineering majors
      • Alternates:
        • BME majors — BME 221
        • Chem majors — Chem 548
        • Physics majors — Phys 516
    • One (1) course from among:
      • ME 412 (Chem 512) Modern Materials (Fall)
      • ME 490 Statistical Thermodynamics of Materials (Spring)
    • EGR 201 Mechanics of Solids
      • Required for ME, CEE and BME majors
    • ME 321 Mechanical Analysis for design
      • Required for ME majors
    • ME 490 Materials of Science Fiction
    • ME 4XX Fundamentals of Polymer Science
      • Note: New course—see DukeHub for details
    • ME 511 Computational Materials Science
    • ME 510 Diffraction of Spectrometry of Materials
    • ME 555 Polymer Science
    • ME 555 Polymer Physics
    • ME 516 Thin-Film Photovoltaics
    • ME 490/ME 555 Molecular Modeling of Soft Matter
    • ME 490/ECE 490 Hands-On Materials Fabrication and Characterization
    • ME 490/555 How to Reverse Engineer Anything
    • ME 491 Independent Project
      • Note: Must be materials-related; requires a detailed plan and prior approval
    • Chem 210 Modern Application of Chemical Principles
      • Pre-requisite: Chem 101 or 110
    • Chem 301 or Chem 310 Introduction to Physical Chemistry
      • Pre-requisite: Chem 210
    • Chem 548 Solid-State and Materials Chemistry
    • Phys 264 Modern Physics
    • Phys 363/ECE 311 Thermal Physics
      • Pre-requisite: Phys 264
    • Phys 464 Quantum Mechanics I
      • Pre-requisite: Phys 264
    • Phys 516 Quantum Materials: Introduction to Solid State Physics
    • CEE 302 Soil Mechanics
    • CEE 422 Concrete and Composite Structures
    • CEE 423 Metallic Structures
    • BME 302 Fundamentals of Biomaterials & Biomechanics
    • BME 590 Advanced Biomaterials
      • Pre-requisite: BME 302
    • BME 524 Nanomedicine
    • ECE 230 Semiconductor Devices
    • ECE 341 Solar Cells
    • ECE 511 Nanoscale Technology
    • ECE 521 Quantum Mechanics
    • ECE 524 Solid State Physics
    • ECE 545 Nanophotonics

    Anchor Important Notes

    • Two elective courses can be required courses in the student’s home department
    • Courses in areas related to Materials Science—such as Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Energy—are also permissible, subject to approval by the certificate coordinator
    • For Duke undergraduate students who wish to pursue the 4+1:BSE+Masters in Materials Science and Engineering, enrolling in the Materials Science Seminar course is needed to fulfill master’s degree requirements. Please consult with the 4+1 Program and the University Program in Materials Science & Engineering.

  • Select one (1) course from among:

    • History—applicable to the role of technology and science
    • Public Policy—applicable to the use and impact of technology
    • Economics

    Examples

    • HIST 106 Science and the Modern World
    • PubPol 199FS Science Law and Policy
    • ECON 112FS Globalization/Corporate Citizenship

    Important Notes

    • Courses must be approved by the certificate coordinator
    • Other course options will be considered on an individual basis, with consideration given to their relevance to the field

Certificate Coordinator