Overview
Building strategically on our diverse expertise in materials, in collaboration with local and global partners, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering here at McMaster University is internationally recognized as a destination of choice, where students, scholars, alumni and employers partner in a journey of learning, discovery and innovation.
McMaster is engaged in leading edge material science and engineering research and has concentrated research groups that collaborate with international industrial sponsors including:
- Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy
- Steel Research Centre
- Centre for Automotive Materials and Corrosion
Thesis based: Research programme requiring the completion of the equivalent of 4 half graduate level courses ( 12 units) plus presentation and defence of a thesis embodying results of an original investigation is required.
This program is intended mainly for full-time candidates but may be taken on a part-time basis.
Have questions about the program?
M.A.Sc. – Accelerated Masters Option
Undergraduate students enrolled in Materials Science and Engineering will be allowed in the first or second term of their penultimate year to apply for the Accelerated M.A.Sc. You must identify a supervisor from the faculty whom you will be working with and the supervisor must agree to fund you for the summer research work as well as one year of graduate studies.
A minimum sessional average of 9.0 in the year of application is required in order to apply for the Accelerated Option. You may drop out of the Accelerated Option at any time prior to entering Graduate Studies without any effect to your undergraduate degree, and the permission to follow the Accelerated Option as an undergraduate does not guarantee acceptance into Graduate Studies, you must meet the qualifications for admission to the graduate program as set by the School of Graduate Studies.
You will be allowed to take one course in your final year of undergraduate studies at a 600-level that is offered within our department; no external courses whether in another department of Engineering or in another faculty will be acceptable for this course.
Consistent with all other students taking the M.A.Sc. degree program, you must complete 20 months of work towards your thesis project. The Accelerated Option will allow up to 8 months of work towards that project to have been completed prior to admissions into Graduate Studies. The 8 months of research will be accomplished starting after the penultimate year of undergraduate studies with a departmental supervisor for two summer terms or one summer term and the MATLS 4K06 senior thesis.
A maximum of 8 months of work will be counted towards the M.A.Sc. project prior to enrolling in Graduate Studies
You must apply to Graduate Studies by the end of the final year of their undergraduate program and are expected to begin either in May or September of the year you graduate. You must follow the normal application procedures to Graduate Studies and must meet the requirements of the department and Graduate Studies pertaining to any applicant interested in joining the M.A.Sc. program. Failing to enter Graduate Studies will have no influence on your undergraduate transcript.
M.A.Sc. – Areas of Research
- Nanotechnology
- Nanomaterials
- Energy and fuel cells
- Automotive materials and corrosion
- Steel and steelmaking
- Recycling
- Electrochemical technology
- Biomaterials
- Electronic materials
- Computational modelling
- Physical metallurgy
- Polymers
M.A.Sc. – Admission Requirements
For admission to the M.A.Sc. degree program, a strong baccalaureate degree is required with at least a B+ standing (equivalent to McMaster GPA = 9.0) in engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences.
If all minimum requirements are met for admission to the MSE program, your application will be made available to all faculty currently accepting students. You will be contact by any interested faculty directly and any offers of admission will come from the School of Graduate Studies.
Please note a completed application consists of the following documents:
Transcripts
English Language Proficiency
Statement of Interest
Letters of Recommendation – 2 academic reference submitted electronically by referee
Transcript
- Please attach to online application
- Transcript of academic work completed to date. If the final transcript does not show that a completed degree has been conferred, an copy of your diploma is also required.
- Official copy of these documents will be required if an offer of admissions is made.
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Letters of recommendation
- Letters of Recommendation are submitted electronically. Please follow the directions that are provided once you have initiated your application.
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English Language Proficiency
- Please attach to online application
- Applicants whose native language is not English will be required to furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language. Such applicants are required to supply this evidence as part of their application. Applicants may be exempted from this requirement if they have completed a university degree at which English is the language of instruction (Please attach proof – letter from institution)
- The most common evidence is a score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Equivalent scores on other recognized tests may also be considered.
- Minimum accepted TOEFL scores (as outlined in the Graduate Calendar for the Faculty of Engineering):
- iBT: (Internet Based Test): 88
- Paper Based Test: 550
- Computer Based Test: 213
- The IELTS is also accepted, with a minimum score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each category.
- Please note that TOEFL scores expire after two years. Only current tests will be considered.
- The McMaster University Institution Code is 0936.
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering’s Code is 69. - Students who have completed an Academic ESL program through Canadian academic institutions may petition to have this considered in lieu of TOEFL. Please attach all documents/proof to online application
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Statement of Interest
- Please attach to online application
- Simply a few paragraphs indicating the type of research you are interested in pursuing.
Resumé – (Optional)
- Please attach to online application
- In the same format as you would submit for an employment opportunity.
Acceptance Deadlines
Applications are available for review by all faculty members until the acceptance deadline. If a faculty member is interested in your application, you may be contacted by the member on or before the acceptance deadline. Applicants do not need to find a supervisor before they apply. Please see the Admission Deadline page for Acceptance deadlines.
Due to high volume of applications, the department cannot provide status requests.
M.A.Sc. – Admission Deadlines
Applications open 11 months prior to start of term. Deadlines are listed below. If you cannot have all of the required materials submitted by these deadlines, we cannot guarantee that a decision concerning your application will be processed by the time of your desired entry date (especially if you need time to obtain a student visa).
- For May Admission:
- International Students Deadline: November 15
- Domestic Students Deadline: February 1
- Acceptance Offer Deadline: on or before February 25
- For September Admission:
- International Students Deadline: March 15
- Domestic Students Deadline: June 1
- Acceptance Offer Deadline: on or before June 30
- For January Admission:
- International Students Deadline: July 15
- Domestic Students Deadline: October 1
- Acceptance Deadline: on or before October 30
Due to high volume of applications, the deaprtment cannot provide status requests.
M.A.Sc. – Tuition and Funding
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers the following funding for MASc students:
Approximate annual salary:*
Domestic – $27,343.50
International – $30,643.50
2021/22 Tuition and Fee amounts for “Research” programs can be found on the School of Graduate Studies website.
*Subject to change. This is valid only for 2021/22 academic year. Specific financial details will be provided in your offer letter.
M.A.Sc. – Request More Information
Thank you for your interest in McMaster University Faculty of Engineering. Please fill out the form below, and we will connect with you to answer all of your questions.
M.A.Sc. – Related Courses
Code | Title | Instructor | Outline | Info |
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MATLS 6D03 Graduate | Corrosion and its Control (Not offered 2023-24) |
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MATLS 6FF3 Graduate | Synthesis, Applications and Environmental Impact of Nanomaterials (Offered: Winter 2024) |
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MATLS 6I03 Graduate | Sustainable Manufacturing Processes (Offered: Winter 2024) |
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MATLS 721 Graduate | Advanced Thermodynamics and Phase Transformations (Not Offered 2023-24) |
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MATLS 724 Graduate | Materials Characterization by Electron/Ion Microscopy (Offered: Fall 2023) |
Sessional Instructor: Dr. Bhavesh Kamaliya
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MATLS 725 Graduate | Transmission Electron Microscopy (Offered: Winter 2024) |
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MATLS 726 Graduate | Advanced Topics in Electrochemistry (Not Offered 2023-24) |
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