Graduate Programs
Admission Requirements and Procedures
The School of Materials offers three graduate degree programs:
Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering
M.S. (thesis) in Materials Science and Engineering
M.S.E. (non-thesis) in Materials Science and Engineering
The application procedures for all three degree programs are essentially the same except that the non-thesis master’s degree does not require a GRE. Students must apply through the ASU Graduate College online application. Students designate on the application the specific major they seek or they can choose non-degree status. The online application should be completed first before sending supplementary materials.
If you do not have web access and need a paper application, contact the Graduate College s Office at the address listed below. Make sure you state that you have no web access.
Application materials are sent to the Graduate College where they scanned and uploaded to a web application file accessible to the department.
Documents should be mailed in a timely manner so that they are received by the admission deadlines. Obtaining copies of official transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores, and recommendation letters can sometimes take weeks, so prospective students are advised to start the process three months prior to the application deadline. A master’s degree is not required for admission to the Ph.D. program, although many of the applicants who apply to the Ph.D. program have completed a master’s in engineering or the applied sciences.
1. Application Materials to be submitted to the Graduate College
2. Application Materials to be submitted to the School of Materials
4. Evaluation by the Admissions Committee
6. Additional Information for International Students
1. Application Materials to be submitted to the Graduate College
The following application materials must be submitted directly to the Admissions Office of the ASU Graduate College. The information is scanned and/or uploaded to a web file accessible by the department.
Graduate College Admissions
Arizona State University
PO Box 871003, Tempe AZ 85287-1003
Tel: (480) 965-6113
Email: grad-q@asu.edu
Web: http://graduate.asu.edu
Notes
Application for Admission
Online application can be accessed at:
Application Fee:
Domestic students $65
International Students $80
This fee is assessed by the Graduate College for processing of the application. The fee cannot be waived or deferred.
Transcripts
Official transcripts only – no photocopies.
TOEFL for international students
Official TOEFL must be sent to ASU by ETS.
- Code for ASU: 4007
- Department Code: 99
- Score cannot be more than two (2) years old.
- Minimum score required by the School of Materials:
250 (CBT) computer based and 600 paper based (PBT), internet based (iBT) 85.Supplemental Application
Download form (PDF)
Resume
List publication citations; do not send actual articles.
Statement of Purpose
Download form (PDF)
Three (3) Recommendation Letters
Download form (PDF)
2. Application Materials to be submitted to the School of Materials
Please send unofficial copies of the following two documents to the School of Materials
Yolanda Murphy
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
School of Materials
Arizona State University
PO Box 878706
Tempe AZ 85287-8706
Tel: (480) 727-9314
Fax: (480) 727-9321
Email: yolanda.murphy@asu.edu
Notes
Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts.
GRE
General test only. Subject tests (physics, chemistry, etc.) are desirable, but not required. Unofficial copies are acceptable.
3. Application Deadlines
Application materials must be received (postmarked) by the following dates in order to be considered for financial aid:
Fall semester - February 1st
Spring semester – October 1st
4. Evaluation by the Admissions Committee
Applications will not be reviewed and evaluated until all materials have been received by both the Graduate College and the School of Materials.
Once the application file is complete, it will be sent to the School of Materials Graduate Admissions Committee for evaluation and recommendation. Please allow a minimum of 5-6 weeks after the deadline for evaluation of your application. The committee will forward its recommendations to the Graduate College.
The Graduate College reserves the right to review all recommendations. The applicant will be notified by the School of Materials of the committee’s recommendation. Formal written letters of admission will be mailed to the student by the Graduate College.
Admission to the School of Materials graduate program is highly competitive. The school receives approximately 150 applications each fall semester and admits approximately 15% of the applicant pool. The program cannot determine an applicant’s chances of admission in advance. A strong academic record and good test scores are critical but a strong record of research or other scholastic activity outside the classroom is also desirable . This is best communicated both in the statement of purpose and in the letters of recommendation. These documents should describe in detail the specific activities and the personal initiative, creativity and resourcefulness of the applicant.
5. Financial Aid
Nearly all students in the doctoral program are supported by teaching or research assistantships for the duration of their studies. Most incoming students begin with a teaching assistantship (TA). Some students will begin a research assistantship (RA) upon entry to the program, pending available funding from individual faculty. Both TA and RA awards are awarded on a highly competitive basis, and are reserved for students with outstanding credentials. Financial aid is not awarded to applicants for the Master’s non-thesis degree.
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistants work approximately 20 hours per week supporting instruction, in lower division undergraduate courses in materials engineering, chemistry or physics. The TA works under the supervision of the instructor assigned to the course.
Duties of the TA may include lecturing, leading discussion groups, serving as assistants to laboratory classes, and grading tests and papers. A normal teaching assistantship award consists of a bi-weekly stipend, a full waiver of graduate tuition, and free major medical health insurance.
New TAs are required to attend a mandatory TA orientation and training session prior to the start of their assignments. International students whose native language is not English must show proof of English proficiency in order to be allowed to work in the classroom as a TA. The university requires that international students take and pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or the ASU SPEAK test.
Research Assistantships
Most students will transition from a TA to a Research Assistantship (RA) in their second year of the Ph.D. program. RAs perform research under the guidance of faculty members. As with TA awards, RA awards consists of a bi-weekly stipend to cover living expenses (RA stipends are generally higher than TA stipends); a full waiver of graduate tuition; and free major medical health insurance.
Fellowships and Scholarships
Exceptional candidates can be nominated for fellowships and scholarships. Two of these fellowships are the Science Foundation Arizona Fellowship which provides $25K including tuition remission. The Fulton School of Engineering Fellowships for domestic students provides a $5K supplement to the financial aid package. For further information on scholarships and fellowships, contact the graduate advisor at yolanda.murphy@asu.edu.
6. Important Information for International Applicants
The Division of Graduate Studies has additional important information for international students, available at: http://graduate.asu.edu/admissions/international.html
- General Admission Requirements
- Official Academic Credentials
- English Proficiency
- Obtaining a US visa
- ICE Information
- International Student Office (ISO)
- Spoken English for teaching Assistants (TA)
- F-1 and J-1 Applications
Financial Guarantee
ASU health Insurance
Employment
7. Contact Information
If you have questions about the admission procedures, please contact the School of Materials Graduate Admissions Coordinator:
Yolanda Murphy
Tel: (480) 727-9314
Fax: (480) 727-9321
Email: yolanda.murphy@asu.edu
