»MSE Graduate Programs Application Instructions and Online Application
ANNUAL DEADLINE:
PhD Degree Program – December 15
MS Degree Program - January 15
We only admit students one time per year for our upcoming autumn quarter.
APPLICATION FORMAT:
The application is completed online via the UW Graduate School application since you are applying to both the MSE Program and for Graduate Admission. You do not need to submit any printed materials at the time of application. If an offer of admission is made, official printed materials will be requested at that time to be submitted to the Graduate School.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Each application is given a holistic review of scores, grades, recommendations, resume, and statement of purpose plus any additional information you choose to provide online. Since we typically have more than 300* applications and aim for about 10-15* each year, it is difficult to guess an individual applicant’s chance for admission. We do not have a very complete picture of all the applicants and available funding (if applicable) to provide them with support until after the deadline.
*These numbers do not apply to the MSE Applied Program since we just launched this program in 2012.
APPLICATION ACCESS:
The Graduate School Application is accessible via https://www.grad.uw.edu/applForAdmiss/
STEPS TO COMPLETE APPLICATION FOR MSE PROGRAMS:
Create Graduate School Applicant Profile:
As you begin the online application process, you will create an Applicant Profile containing basic applicant data, such as your name, contact information, and geographical information. Based on the information entered in your Applicant Profile, the system will identify your application type (i.e., US citizen or international, degree seeking or graduate non-matriculated, etc.) and present you with the relevant checklist of application requirements and step-by-step instructions.
Select the degree program to which you are applying:
You can refer to the following website for more details for each of these programs http://depts.washington.edu/mse/prosp_students/prospgradstudents.shtml
Materials Science & Engineering (PhD)
to apply for the PhD Program
Material Science & Engineering (MSE - Applied)
to apply for the Master’s non thesis program (fast track, one year program)
Resume/Vitae:
The resume or vitae should include a complete history of your academic experience, work experience, volunteer work, membership in professional organizations and/or licenses held, honors received (scholarships, awards, etc.), and publications (if any). Where appropriate, items listed should be interpreted in terms of their relevance to materials science and engineering.
Recommendations:
Three recommendations are required. An electronic form is provided to the recommender through a direct email from Graduate Admissions once they are designated in the online application. Recommendations should be requested of individuals who have knowledge of your academic performance and/or performance in a work setting and who can evaluate your potential for or commitment to a future in materials science and engineering.
Statement of Purpose:
This is a one-page statement of your reasons for desiring to pursue graduate studies in our department, your desired specialty area, and your research interests. Be sure to clearly state your degree objectives.
College Transcripts:
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited University (or completion of degree prior to autumn quarter when ready to enroll). The minimum grade requirement for the last 90 quarter/60 semester hours is a 3.00. (The mean GPA for 2012 new students was 3.6.) Applicants are required to upload an unofficial transcript to their online application for each college/university attended where a degree was earned (bachelor's degree or higher).
If an offer of admission is made, applicants planning to enroll must submit an official degree transcript (University of Washington transcripts excluded) to the Office of Graduate Admissions upon request.
Test Scores:
Test scores must arrive by the application deadline in order for your application to be reviewed; schedule testing dates accordingly. The University of Washington's Institution Code for score reporting is 4854.
GRE:
The GRE is required for all applicants. GRE scores are valid for five years from the time the exam was completed. Our incoming mean scores for GREs for our incoming 2012 cohort is V: 155, Q: 158 A: 3.75 and GPA 3.6. We don’t currently have statistics for the applied master’s program that launched in 2012.
TOEFL (English Proficiency Exam):
Applicants whose native language is not English -- and who have not received the equivalent of a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited US institution or an institution where all instruction is in English -- must submit a valid official score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Only score reports less than two years old from the test date to the application deadline will be accepted. The minimum test score requirement is 92 (TOEFLIbt), 237 (TOEFLC), 580 (TOEFL), or 7.0 (IELTS).
No waivers of the English competency requirement will be given. For additional information, see the Graduate School website http://www.grad.washington.edu/admissions/info.shtml#requirements.
PREREQUISITES:
All students entering the graduate program in Materials Science and Engineering are expected to develop background equivalent to a BS degree in Materials Science and Engineering. This is evaluated upon entry; students receive guidance on means to enhance their knowledge in areas where there may be deficiencies. Specific program pre-requisites, which may be satisfied after entry into the program, are:
Knowledge of fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering equivalent to MSE 170
Knowledge of crystallography equivalent to MSE 331
Background in materials properties equivalent to MSE 362 and MSE 351
Knowledge of kinetics equivalent to MSE 322
Understanding of thermodynamics equivalent to the level of MSE 421
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Since we typically have more than 300 applications, it is difficult to guess an individual applicant’s chance for admission. We do not have a very complete picture of all the applicants and available funding to provide them with support until after the deadline.
It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all required application materials are submitted by the posted deadline. If any required materials are missing, the application will be considered incomplete and may not be reviewed. Applicants can review the status of their applications at any time after submission, to check on letters of recommendation, test scores, etc.
A $75.00 application (processing) fee is required upon submission for each application. After you submit your application, you can no longer make changes or corrections.