The Program in Materials Science and Engineering at UC San Diego is interdisciplinary, with the participation of faculty members from several departments. Faculty from the following departments participate in the Program in Materials Science and Engineering: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), Structural Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), NanoEngineering, Chemistry, and Bioengineering. The Director of the program, in consultation with the executive committee carries out the governance of the program. The executive committee coordinates all affairs of the Program in Materials Science and Engineering, including student admissions, degree requirements, graduate courses in materials science given by various participating departments, maintenance of laboratory instructional facilities, seminars, special courses, part-time instructors, and related matters.
Undergraduate preparation for pursuing the M.S. and Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at UCSD would normally include a degree in materials sciences, or in engineering or physical sciences, such as physics, chemistry, geology, and related disciplines. Students are expected to have adequate mathematics, physics, chemistry, and related basic sciences background.