<p>I will probably be going to UIUC or UMich (if i am lucky)... For these schools, I said that I would be majoring in MatSE... but I need to know more about the major to make sure....</p>
<p>From what ive heard, its a boring major... why? Is it hard?
I dont want to be studying in-depth stuff in math or physics etc...</p>
<p>Basically, any input or comments about this field would be very nice...</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>From what I have heard, it is a very interdisciplinary major. Instead of going in depth in one discipline, you have to learn moderate amount about a lot of different disciplines, and then learn how to integrate them.</p>
<p>I think that sort of field is fun, but it's a personal preference thing.</p>
<p>ah thanks, ive heard about the interdisciplinary comment, but then ive also heard that it was very boring, so i was confused...</p>
<p>I'll be Captain Obvious and just say that, "it depends on what you like."</p>
<p>well ok... but i still want to hear more comments about this major...</p>
<p>When I think Material Science, I think a) that's hard, b) sounds fun, and c) can they make adamantium and fuse it to my skeletal structure? Maybe with some kewl claws?</p>
<p>IMO, material science does incompass a lot of fields but their focus is rather precise. I see a material science helping others predict how materials will interact, on a molecular level, and how to synthesize materials that will interact with other materials in a manner that they desire. Paint chemistry, catalysts, metallurgy, semiconductors, polymer manufacturing, nanotechnology etc. all would be subcatagories for this major, virtually an alchemist. </p>
<p>The</a> Future of Your Discipline - Materials Science</p>
<p>Exciting stuff.</p>
<p>ive heard that MSE is easy compared to other types of engineering.... is it probably just which way you go with it?</p>
<p>I'm in MSE. I can't say whether it's easier or harder than any other majors since I've only been in this one but it SEEMS like it's about average for engineering. Whatever I say is only really valid at Virginia Tech for sure but its probably valid elsewhere too.</p>
<p>For the first little while (1.5-2 years) you'll be taking pretty much the same classes as everybody else in MSE. Classes like Statics, Calc, Thermo, Intro to MSE classes, and some basic Polymer, Metal, electronic material and ceramics classes. After that you get to specialize in any of the above or nanomaterials and you'll mostly be taking classes in that discipline. I'm doing metals and there are a lot of properties of materials to learn, but at the end of the day we get the opportunity to make new materials, and that is really exciting to me. If you have any other questions feel free to ask me in here or over PM.</p>
<p>Also, the job market, as far as I know, is pretty good. There aren't a lot of material science engineers, so if the job requires one they don't have a whole lot to choose from. I've had 0 trouble landing either of the two internships I've gotten.</p>
<p>edit: Also, it's usually a smaller program at schools in terms of the number of students. Here we get about 25 a year. This has advantages and disadvantages, but overall I like it because it lets everybody get to know everybody else, including advisers and professors.</p>
<p>thats pretty helpful, thanks</p>
<p>do you guys go deep into math / physics / chem and analyzing the materials and stuff?
or is it more like, conceptual.... are the stuff generally quite easy to understand and comprehend? not so nerve racking?</p>
<p>dont know if im making sense or not.... trying to not contradict myself =</p>
<p>We get into a bit of chemistry, a lot of physics. Not really as much math (the highest math class we have to take is Differential Equations, which is pretty much the minimum for engineers. Theres a lot of "hands on" stuff like labs and what not, like using x-ray spectrometry and everything. You can see a schedule and course descriptions here, which might interest you and give you a good idea of what its like. Undergraduate</a> Catalog-- MSE Course Descriptions</p>
<p>Check the schools your applying to for a course catalog to see what its like there. I think one of our higher up guys is working at UMICH next year, so if you see a Dr. Kampe tell him VT says hi, haha.</p>
<p>Haha im still waiting for UMich results~ bah...</p>
<p>i dont think im really going to like intensive works in the atomic + microscopic level.... i think im more of the macroscopic type.... would that be bad?</p>
<p>Well, a lot of what we study is kind of microscopic. But theres a lot of macro stuff too... I'd say out of all the engineering majors MSE has the most atomic/microscopic level stuff so while I love the major if you hate that sort of thing it could be an issue. Do you have to pick which field of engineering you go into freshman year? We don't at VT, and if you don't there may be an intro to MSE class you could take to get a taste of it.</p>
<p>no, i dont have to pick yet, but i wanna get to know it first since it is high on my "sounds interesting" list...
and about the microscopic stuff.... it seems like every branch is pretty intensive in the nano level either way....</p>
<p>Yeah, and it's not really as much how atoms work as it is understanding how the atoms are interacting (since that is what gives something it's properties.) You're studying the macro, but finding out why it works how it does, and thats the micro.</p>