Master of Engineering

Earn a Master's Degree in One Year

About the M.Eng. Degree

The one-year Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree is the most flexible degree we offer. With two different tracks to choose from, students can mold the degree to fit their interests and goals, whether they include training in additional engineering, computer science or management courses. 

Students with a background in any science or engineering-related field are encouraged to apply. Minimum qualifications for the degree involve a full year of physics, chemistry and engineering-level math, including linear algebra and differential equations. No prior research experience is required, though demonstration of success in some undergraduate core coursework in materials science and engineering will strengthen your application.  

The M.Eng. degree can be completed at full-time or part-time status and is open to both recent graduates and those currently in the workforce. The majority of our master’s students find jobs in industry after graduation. Check out our "After UC Davis" page for examples of where some of our graduates have found employment. 

Degree Requirements

Students will begin with the core courses for the degree under the guidance of an assigned Graduate Advisor. The five core courses are listed below: 

• EMS 260: Advanced Thermodynamics of Solids.

• EMS 262: Advanced Topics in Structure of Materials.

• EMS 264: Transport Phenomena in Materials Processes. 

• EMS 272: Advanced Functional Properties of Materials. 

• EMS 274: Advanced Mechanical Properties of Materials. 

Students can select from two tracks to satisfy the elective requirements.

Track A: Capstone Course

Students who select this track will take anywhere from two to three elective courses, and two graduate capstone project courses in their second and third quarters. For electives, students can select from any available upper-division undergraduate course (courses numbered 100-199) or graduate-level course (courses numbered 200-299). Popular electives include those from physics, chemistry, computer science, management and other engineering disciplines. In consultation with the grad advisor, students will select courses each quarter based on the student’s career goals and aspirations.  

During the graduate capstone project courses (EMS 280A/B), students will work either individually or in small groups to pursue design projects intended to provide advanced experience in the processing, selection and evaluation of engineering materials. Each individual or group will generate an experimental plan and will conduct any necessary experiments with the general assistance of the instructor or graduate advisor. The courses will culminate in a final report project detailing the results of the design project and the connections to the fundamentals of materials science and engineering learned in the core curriculum.

Track A Sample Schedule (full-time student)

Track B: Internship

Students who select this track will also take anywhere from two to three electives but will participate in an internship during their last quarter or over the summer. In Fall Quarter, students will enroll in one unit of internship credit to work on locating an internship with the help of the graduate advisor and the Internship and Career Center. Once an internship has been located, students should enroll in at least 10 units of EMS 292: Internship in Spring Quarter. During Spring Quarter, students are expected to provide an interim progress report at the mid-point of the quarter detailing progress and activities at the internship. At the conclusion of the internship, the student will submit a final capstone report (approx. 15 to 30 pages) on activities completed during the internship and how the activities relate to the broader field of Materials Science and Engineering.

Track B Sample Schedule (full-time student)

A program of study form is available to help with planning the course schedule. Check out our full list of degree requirements for more information.

Students who matriculated Fall 2019 or earlier, please see the 2009 degree requirements.

To learn more about transferring course work please go to Graduate Studies webpage on the topic. 

To view examples of past MEng reports please use your UCD email to log into our Box folder here.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How will I pay for my master's degree?
• The majority of our master’s students receive a fee remission, which covers almost all of the in-state fees and health insurance costs, from employment as a teaching assistant (TA) or reader either within or outside of the department in fields such as chemistry, math or other engineering disciplines. If you have filed a FAFSA, you may be eligible for further aid through the Office of Financial Aid. For more information, check out "Funding Your Degree." 
• How likely is it that I will obtain a teaching assistant or reader position? 
• For the 2017-18 academic year, 100 percent of our master’s students who wished to obtain a teaching assistant or reader position were able to. Some students were also employed in other departments, such as Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Math. The Graduate Studies employment webpage also offers a full listing of jobs available to graduate students. 
• How is the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree track different from the Master of Science (M.S.) degree track? 
• Though the two degree tracks have a lot of overlap, there are a few key differences. The M.Eng. degree is more coursework-based, culminates in a capstone project and can be completed in one year. The M.S. degree tends to be more research-based, culminates in filing a thesis with the Office of Graduate Studies and typically takes two years to complete.