The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires completion of core coursework, oral defense of a written research proposal, independent research, and a doctoral dissertation. Students seeking the Ph.D. degree are prepared for research activities through exposure to research topics and approaches in required graduate courses and through formal laboratory instruction by research advisors and senior researchers. Professional development is formalized through required coursework addressing career related topics , through teaching assistantships, participation in professional societies, and attendance at local and national research meetings.
PhD Degree Requirements- Required Credit Hours: 90 beyond the bachelor’s degree
- Required: 18 hours EMA5000–6000 level courses with a minimum grade of C or better and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above
- Maximum: 6 credits hours of coursework outside the Department; of these 3 credit hours may be an undergraduate course with a course number 3000–4999
- Maximum 8 credits EMA 6905 — Individual Work
- Maximum 5 credit hours EMA 6910 — Supervised Research
- Qualifying Exam
- Proposal Defense
- Admission to Candidacy
- PhD Dissertation Defense
Admissions Requirements
- Fall Deadline – December 5th
- Graduate applications are not reviewed for admission purposes until the application is complete. Qualified applications received after the deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis. Fall classes start at the end of August each year and Spring classes begin around the first week of January. Applications and supporting documents must be completed in time for us to make a decision and to provide admission letters to the applicant. International applicants must allow enough time for the Office of International Students (UFIC) to process the paperwork to allow the applicant to obtain a visa.
- To be considered for departmental financial aid you should have your application complete by the deadline for admission.
- Fee Payment Cover Memo (for fees paid by personal check or money order)
- The Department follows the UF Graduate Admissions requirements.
- Two UF units review your application to the UF Graduate School: the UF office of Graduate Admissions and the MSE Department.
- The office of Graduate Admissions determines your eligibility for admission to the university, and the department determines your eligibility for our graduate program.
- Admission is based on the entire graduate application.
- Submit official transcripts from each university attended to the Office of Admissions.
- A short statement of purpose. This statement may outline your background, relevant experience, reason for pursuing graduate studies, and why you are interested in MSE at UF. The statement may also be used to describe unique academic pathways, performance or other factors that may be used in a holistic evaluation of the applicant.
- 3 letters of recommendation. These letters may evidence technical competency, academic strengths and weaknesses, and/or interpersonal and communication skills. Please do not send these to the department. They should be submitted online.
- Strong background in engineering or science with at least a B average (GPA=3.0/4.0) for all upper-division undergraduate coursework. For reference, the first quartile and median undergraduate GPA of students entering the PhD program over the past several years has been 3.74 and 3.5, respectively, on a 4.0 scale.
- All entering students are expected to be competent with using computers to solve problems (e.g. use of spreadsheets) and present results (e.g. use of word processing and presentation software).
- GRE scores that are acceptable to the MSE Department. Generally, a score of 308 or higher. Please send these to the Office of Admissions.
Codes for ETS:
- UF Institute Code = 5812
- MSE Dept. Code = 1403
Additional Requirements for International Students
International Students applying to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate program must:
- have a college-level education that is equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate (B.S.) degree. Transcripts and an official copy of the degree certificate in the native language and an English translation must be submitted.
- be proficient in reading, writing and speaking English; as demonstrated by acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and GRE-verbal scores.
- TOEFL = 550 (paper) or 213 (computer) or 80 (internet)
- Verbal GRE scores of at least 320 (on tests taken before August 1, 2011) or 140 (on tests taken from August 1, 2011 onward)
- Admission to the PhD program typically requires the commitment of a faculty member to advise and financially support a student, in addition to meeting the department and university admission standards. In absence of this agreement, all applications may be considered for admission to the MS program.
An applicant who did not receive their undergraduate degree from an English-speaking country must take the TOEFL. Scores must be submitted as part of the application process. The TOEFL, a comprehensive test of English-language skills, is given several times during the year at many locations around the world. TOEFL registration forms can be obtained outside the United States or by writing to:
TOEFL Box 899 Princeton, New Jersey 08541 United States of America Telex: 843420Once a student is officially admitted, the MSE Department will request an I-20 from the University of Florida International Center (UFIC).
International applicants are required to document proof of financial support for the first year. The International Student Advisors at the UFIC will contact admitted students via email to request this information.
Additional information about the I-20/DS-2019 process as well as additional resources for international applicants can be found at the UFIC website or at the International Admissions information page.
How Do I Begin The Application Process?
Note: you will be directed to University of Florida General Admissions webpage. Choose the appropriate application and follow the directions provided.
Financial Assistance