Materials Science & Engineering (M.S., Ph.D.)

Degrees

The Materials Science & Engineering program offers a Master of Science degree and a Doctoral degree.

Important: Transcripts and letters of recommendation are required of all applicants.

A curriculum vitae or résumé is required.

A statement of purpose is required:

Please describe your plans for graduate study or research and for your future occupation or profession. Include any information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and qualifications for graduate study at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Recommended length is a concise 2-4 pages.

A personal history statement is also required:

Required of all applicants. This statement will be used in conjunction with your application for graduate admission and financial support. Note that the personal history statement should not duplicate the statement of purpose. Recommended length is a concise 1-3 pages.
UC Santa Cruz is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. In an essay, discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.

A statement of previous research is required for Doctoral applicants, optional for Master’s applicants:

Please describe your previous research experience: Include what project(s) you worked on, the overall goals and your specific role. What did you enjoy, and what was challenging? It is more important that you address the points above for one project in depth, rather than to provide a comprehensive list of all of your research experiences, which can be listed on your CV/resume. In any case, limit your statement to two pages.

A faculty sponsor letter is optional:

Applicants to the MSE doctoral program are strongly encouraged to secure a faculty sponsor from MSE-affiliated faculty. A short letter of sponsorship from the faculty member, written on university letterhead and uploaded with the application, can help demonstrate alignment with the program and strengthen the application and may be uploaded in the application.
Applicants seeking assistance in identifying potential faculty sponsors are encouraged to contact the program prior to the application deadline.
Please ask your proposed faculty sponsors to email David Lederman (dlederma@ucsc.edu) to confirm their support, and have them include your Application Reference # in the message.

A research interest statement is optional:

What has made you interested in attending graduate school in your chosen area, and specifically in the UCSC Materials Science & Engineering program? What are your academic and career goals? Limit your statement to one page.