Our doctoral-level programs in materials engineering provides a multidisciplinary education and research environment focused on developing and applying advanced materials for a wide range of industries including aerospace, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.

With a strong foundation in composite materials, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing and thin film science, students explore the design, synthesis and characterization of materials to address emerging technological challenges. Through cutting-edge research and industry collaboration, graduates gain the expertise and problem-solving skills necessary to drive innovation in materials development, sustainability and engineering applications.

At the doctoral level, we offer two different paths — a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) and a doctorate of engineering (D.E). The Ph.D. is the more traditional path that focuses predominantly on theory and the D.E. has an applied, industrial focus.

We offer a variety of technical courses taught by subject-matter experts who bring their real-world experiences to the classroom. The materials engineering program at UD has a long tradition of advanced, cutting-edge research. Additionally, you’ll have access to dedicated research laboratories on campus, as well as facilities at the University of Dayton Research Institute, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Air Force Research Laboratories and several major private industries.

While our graduate students are taught and mentored by our research-active faculty in a broad spectrum of areas, some of our focus areas include the following:

Additive manufacturing of metals and hybrid materials
Battery and fuel cell development
Biofabrication processes
Biomaterial development
Composite system design and processing
Computational modeling of materials and transport processes
Nanomaterials and thin film materials
Sensor and flexible electronic development

Our faculty are active on or have previously led large research projects from funding agencies including, but not limited to, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Office of Naval Research.

Plan of Study

University Catalog for overview and courses for the Ph.D. and DE in materials engineering degree.

Both the Ph.D. and D.E. require 60 semester hours beyond the M.S. degree.

Ph.D. option
- 12 semester credit hours of materials engineering courses
- 12 semester credit hours of engineering or advanced science elective courses
- 6 semester credit hours of approved mathematics elective courses
- 30 semester credit hours of dissertation

D.E. option
- 21 semester credit hours of materials engineering courses
- 12 semester credit hours of engineering or advanced science elective courses
- 6 semester credit hours of approved mathematics elective courses
- 21 semester credit hours of dissertation

Admission Requirements

In addition to the online application, the following are required:

Official academic records of all previously attended colleges or universities, submitted directly from the colleges or universities to the Office of Graduate Admission Processing. Hand-carried transcripts, official copies marked “Issued to Student” and unofficial copies are not acceptable.
Two letters of recommendation.
A personal statement or résumé.
Results from the GRE are not required; however, candidates are welcome to submit a score in support of their application.

Applicants must have both undergraduate and M.S. degrees from an accredited program in engineering, physics, chemistry, applied mathematics or other appropriate program of study. Applicants with a different undergraduate degree may be required to complete prerequisites. Applicants should have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Some programs require higher GPAs for admission. In some cases, applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be admitted on a conditional basis.

Additional requirements apply for international students.