Welcome! NC State offers a plethora of resources and opportunities - the struggle is finding them all! This page is dedicated to connecting you with those resources and opportunities in order to make the most out of your academic career.
If there is a resource/opportunity you know about that isn't listed or if there is something you would like to know more about, email Hillary Stone, hmstone2@ncsu.edu.
8-Semester MSE Degree Plans
MSE (BS) (no concentration)
1 processing elective, 1 engineering elective, and 3 technical electives
BIO 183, MSE 485, 1 processing elective, and 2 biomaterials electives
MSE 465, 2 nanomaterials concentration electives, 1 processing elective, and 1 technical elective
MSE Degree Semester by Semester Plan (Google Sheet version with prerequisites & notes)
Tip: Use this to see when a course was last offered.
Includes categories and course lists.
The ABM program gives you the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years.
Academic Advising: Ms. Hillary Stone, hmstone2@ncsu.edu, appointment calendar
Academic Advising: Ms. Hillary Stone, hmstone2@ncsu.edu, appointment calendar
Undergraduate research opportunities
Explore MSE faculty bios and the Faculty Information Slides to identify individual faculty to potentially work with based on research interests, then reach out to them directly.
Students can do research for pay OR for academic credit (counts as a technical elective!)
See upcoming workshops, department events, and important dates and deadlines
Volunteer at the University Open House (Saturday in October) and at the Engineering Open House (Saturday in March)
Paid positions 1-2 weeks every summer for MSE High School Summer Camp Counselor positions
MSE Department Workshops
"How to Sell Yourself as an MSE Graduate" is typically offered once per year.
Material Advantage Student Chapter regularly hosts professional development workshops and panels.
Recommended Tip: Conduct Informational Interviews!
The NCSU Career Guide includes informational interview recommendations.
Studying Abroad as an MSE Student (step-by-step guide by the MSE Advisor)
Study abroad application overview
Important application deadlines
Understanding study abroad costs
Funding Information Sessions are offered 2-3 times/semester
Study Abroad Scholarship Information and Deadlines
TIP: There is funding through EYE for engineering students to study abroad! Apply through the Study Abroad Scholarship Application.
Drop-in and by-appointment study abroad advising
Includes all course requirements to complete each Engineering College major and concentration; great for registration preparation & long-term planning
Tip: Within the degree, click on “Semester Sequence” to see the 8-semester plans (instead of the list of course requirements by category).
for engineering-level STEM courses like MA-141, MA-241, PY-205/206, and CH-101/102
Support in addition to the MSE Department Advising
laptop loan program, software assistance, computer labs, and more
Offers Drop-In Hours, Individual Counseling, and Training and Outreach
Albright Entrepreneurs Village
The Albright Entrepreneurs Village provides sophomores and other upper-class students the chance to live and work with entrepreneurial-minded peers. Residents of all disciplines can explore and develop their entrepreneurial interests in an environment that inspires creativity and innovation.
Engineering Village
The Engineering Village is an extension of the College of Engineering’s First-Year Program introducing students to the field of engineering. It encourages thoughtful consideration of complex challenges facing our communities.
WISE Village is a living and learning community created for female-identifying first-year and sophomore students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Membership in WISE provides a powerful networking opportunity with other goal-oriented women as you pursue your STEM major.
Active Minds
Active Minds is a student organization that seeks to improve communication, community, and education surrounding mental health on campus. Active Minds is sponsored by the College of Engineering- Office of Access, Wellbeing and Engagement.
Programs are open to ALL NC State Engineering students (without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factor). Students do not have to apply to become a member of the Women and Minority Engineering Programs (WMEP).
The Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) is based on the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) grand challenges and is a multi-year, research-based program that is designed to prepare students to be 21st-century problem solvers. At NC State Engineering, the GCSP includes a multitude of unique experiences that combine coursework, research, extracurricular activities, internships, study abroad, and volunteer opportunities.
Engineering-Related Student Organizations
The NCSU Aerial Robotics Club (ARC) was formed in October 2000 to participate in flying robotics competitions. ARC’s aim is to create an outlet for engineering students to challenge themselves in completing missions the world deems currently impossible, specifically, to create a fleet of autonomous vehicles for research and for competitions.
Alpha Omega Epsilon is a professional and social sorority composed of female engineering students and alumnae. The sorority was founded on November 13, 1983, at Marquette University. The Gamma Chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon upholds the goals of its parent organization to further the advancement of female engineers, specifically those women studying engineering at NCSU. See parent organization.
The NCSU chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) actively promotes Native American students in the fields of engineering and science. Its mission is to substantially increase the representation of American Indian and Alaskan Natives in engineering, science and other related technology disciplines. See parent organization.
AquaPack Robotics provides students with an exciting opportunity to apply classroom skills to a challenging design project: building an autonomous underwater vehicle. Although we are primarily affiliated with the Electrical and Computer Engineering department, our team includes students from various engineering and science disciplines. AquaPack Robotics Website.
The purpose of the Artificial Intelligence Club is to provide a platform where individuals with an interest in AI come together to share knowledge, collaborate on projects, and discuss advancements in the field. We will provide skill development in the form of workshops and tutorials. The AI club will facilitate networking events where we will invite speakers and attend conferences.
The Drone Racing Club at NCSU is intended to enrich people’s understanding of drones and their applications by giving members the opportunity to build a drone and race it in nationwide competitions. By introducing people to the world of drones through drone racing, we hope that we can spark their interest in other drone applications. We encourage the use of this technology and are open to participation from all in the community who have interest.
The NC State University Student Chapter of the Electrochemical Society (ECS) is a branch of the national organization. The Electrochemical Society focuses on the advancement of electrochemical and solid-state science through research, discussion, and learning. As a student, you can gain access to a wealth of travel opportunities, networking events, and professional connections by joining the NC State ECS Chapter.
The Embedded Machine Learning club raises awareness about Machine Learning (ML) by conducting outreach and to advance member knowledge and skills in ML with internal education. It provides members a hands-on opportunity to gain technical and leadership skills, increase professional development, build career networks, and propel internship search, and provides impactful ML solutions to community partners including research groups and other club organizations in addition to hosting and participating in ML-related competitions.
The goal of the Engineering Ambassadors organization is high-quality service throughout the College of Engineering, the development of leadership skills, as well as personal and professional growth. Engineering Ambassadors are involved with activities related to recruiting, student retention, and promotion of the goals of the First Year Engineering Program and the College of Engineering.
The Engineering Entrepreneurs Program (EEP) is the hub of the technology entrepreneurship ecosystem at NC State University. At its core, the EEP provides a transformational entrepreneurship education experience for students through its fully-immersive, multi-disciplinary, simulation-like learning environment. The EEP seeks to inspire, to empower, and to challenge its students to change the world and radically improve the human condition.
Established in 1987, the Engineers’ Council, or “E-Council,” is the representative assembly for the engineering undergraduate student body at NC State University. It addresses the concerns of undergraduate engineering students and is responsible for the appropriation of funds to engineering student organizations. It also sponsors such events as Engineering Career Fair and Engineers Week.
The NCSU chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is dedicated to improving lives through the creation and implementation of sustainable projects to address the needs of disadvantaged peoples. EWB-NCSU also works to help the local community through service. See parent organization.
The NCSU Region 2 student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is dedicated to fulfilling its mission of increasing the number of black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. NSBE has a long tradition of programs geared toward the successful recruitment, retention, and graduation of black engineers. See parent organization.
Open Hardware Makerspace is creating a community and environment at NCSU to foster the development and innovation of technical hobbyists with various interests, from basic woodworking to advanced robotics. We aim to be inclusive of all technical interests and provide the knowledge and the tools necessary to pursue them, both on campus and through outreach to the surrounding community. By empowering technological experimentation, we will be a birthplace of new ideas.
We design, build, and compete an off-road UTV style of racecar in annual collegiate competitions sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Our program is housed under the College of Engineering at N.C. State. The unique opportunity to design and build a new racecar from scratch every year gives students a wealth of hands on engineering experience working on something they enjoy. Students studying engineering are given a chance to apply what they learn in the classroom and develop important skills that are applicable in the automotive engineering field.
North Carolina State University reactivated its student chapter of Professional Engineers of North Carolina (PENC) in 2009. The chapter focuses on 1) educating students about their career future and preparing them for interviews and communications with prospective employers, and 2) promoting licensure. PENC at NCSU is open to all engineering students across campus. See parent organization.
The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) was founded in November 2007 to help Asian heritage scientific and engineering professionals achieve their full potential. SASE’s mission is to prepare Asian heritage scientists and engineers for success in the global business world, celebrate diversity on campuses and in the workplace, and provide opportunities for members to make contributions to their local communities. Through SASE at NC State University we hope to enable and provide the students at NC State opportunities to grow and connect with their community and culture while also expanding their professional networks.
The mission of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is to promote the development of Hispanics in engineering, science, and other technical professions to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equality. See parent organization.
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world’s leading professional society advancing manufacturing knowledge and influencing more than half a million manufacturing practitioners annually. The student chapter is a one-stop shop for busy students, offering everything from hard-to-find technical information on state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and applications to providing unparalleled networking opportunities to help students launch careers in manufacturing. See parent organization.
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. NCSU SWE sponsors programs focused on women’s issues in engineering and works to encourage K-12 girls to have an interest in engineering and science. See parent organization.
Team of students working to build and race a solar car to be used for energy-efficient vehicle competitions. The vehicle will be designed with US automotive design laws in mind and result in a street-legal solar vehicle to be marketed and commercialized.
Tau Beta Pi is the only engineering honor society representing the entire engineering profession. It is the nation’s second-oldest honor society, founded at Lehigh University in 1885, to offer engineering students a chance to be in an honorary society like Phi Beta Kappa, which did not accept technical students. Our Alpha chapter of North Carolina was founded on October 10, 1925. See parent organization.
This club focuses on providing learning opportunities through meetings with industry professionals, learning about the industry on trips to events and parks, connecting students with career and internship opportunities, and participating in relevant projects and competitions. Here you will have the opportunity to meet with everyone from Disney Imagineers and Universal engineers and maintain professional connections. We also love to engage socially and provide a supportive community of students with similar interests. Please join us in our magical adventures!
Theta Tau is the oldest and largest professional engineering fraternity in the United States, with a diverse membership of men and women studying engineering. The fraternity promotes the social and professional development of its members both during and after college. The NCSU Rho chapter of Theta Tau was founded in 1924, the same year the engineering department became a college. See parent organization.
Wolfpack Formula Hybrid is a student organization that designs and fabricates a hybrid racecar to compete annually in the Formula Hybrid SAE competition. We are an interdisciplinary organization open to students of all majors including but not limited to: Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Computer Science, Business, and Design.
Funding is available to support participation in a wide range of experiences to enhance your education in the College of Engineering. Examples include: Study Abroad, Alternative Spring Break trips, Professional Development Conferences/Webinars, Technical Certifications, Developing Cultural Competence, Career & Leadership Programs and a whole lot more!
The Benjamin Franklin Scholars program is a community of highly motivated students who pursue degrees in both the College of Engineering and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (or Economics).
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Award (by nomination)
Faculty Senior Scholar (by nomination)
E 490: Fundamentals of Engineering(FE) Exam Preparation - 1 credit course
The FE Exam is taken in preparation for the PE Exam. For the FE exam, there isn’t an MSE concentration so students take the FE OD (other discipline). This course is vital since topics are covered that MSE doesn’t cover (such as fluid dynamics). There is an MSE discipline of the PE exam: Principles And Practice Of Engineering (PE) Exam: Metallurgical and Materials discipline.
Engineering Drop-In Hours (see MSE Undergraduate Google Calendar for the current semester's dates, times, and location)
Resume Examples (see "engineering" and "research" for most applicable examples)
Recommended semester-long AND summer engineering-specific programs (based on major)
Study abroad application overview
Important application deadlines
Study Abroad Scholarship Information and Deadlines
TIP: There is funding through EYE for engineering students to study abroad! Apply through the Study Abroad Scholarship Application.
Understanding study abroad costs
Funding Information Sessions are offered 2-3 times/semester
Study Abroad Scholarship Information and Deadlines
TIP: There is funding through EYE for engineering students to study abroad! Apply through the Study Abroad Scholarship Application.
Drop-in and by-appointment study abroad advising
Academic Calendar & Important Deadlines
Academic Calendar
for important dates like each semester’s drop/withdrawal deadline
Degree Planning & Major/Minor Options
All NC State 8-semester degree plans
for exploring major and concentration options
Requirements to change majors by college/department
Change-of-Major drop-in advising
for students interested in pursuing non-engineering-related majors who need help preparing to change majors and planning their semester schedules
All NC State minor plans and instructions on how to add a minor
Course Planning & Registration Tools
The MSE Academic Advisor can only add you to courses within MSE. For all other enrollment requests, students must contact the department offering the class.
Includes categories and course lists.
Transferring Courses to NC State
Cooperating Raleigh Colleges’ Program
for students interested in taking 1-2 classes at a Raleigh college/university at NO additional cost during a Fall or Spring semester - GREAT option for students interested in completing certain classes, such as chemistry and physics, elsewhere
NC State’s transfer equivalency database
for students interested in completing NC State degree requirements at other colleges/universities - this is how you identify which courses at other institutions are equivalent to - and therefore fulfill - specific classes at NC State
How to transfer courses to/from NC State and other institutions
for degree requirements that students choose to complete elsewhere
The Caldwell Fellows program seeks first-year students who are engaged in the life of the community (both on- and off-campus), who are curious, natural leaders, and are willing to learn and reflect on themselves. The program provides intensive leadership development opportunities, volunteer service, and experiential learning opportunities. It also includes a tuition scholarship and access to an annual experiential learning grant fund that students may apply for each year.
The curricular core of the University Honors Program is the HON seminars, which are small, graduate-style, classes designed to expose students to how multiple disciplines approach and try to solve problems. The co-curricular dimension of the UHP is the Honors Forum, which includes a guest lecture series, arts and culture events, and field trips to sites of historic and cultural significance around the Triangle. In addition, students must complete three high-impact experiences that illustrate they are putting knowledge into action. And finally, students will create a multimedia portfolio in which they capture artifacts from their undergraduate career and synthesize them into a meaningful learning narrative.
Academic Success Center
offers drop-in, group, and by-appointment tutoring at D.H. Hill Library on Main Campus, as well as academic peer mentoring for students hoping to improve their studying and time-management skills
Math Multimedia Center
offers drop-in tutoring for math-specific courses
Chemistry Tutorial Center
offers drop-in tutoring for chemistry-specific courses
Physics Tutorial Center
offers drop-in tutoring for physics-specific courses
Engineering Study Groups
for engineering-level STEM courses like MA-141, MA-241, PY-205/206, and CH-101/102
“Study Buddies” feature in Navigate Student connects you with classmates who want to form study groups.
Change-of-Major Drop-In Advising
for students interested in pursuing non-engineering-related majors who need help preparing to change majors and planning their semester schedules
for setting up personal and/or academic accommodations - for example, receiving extended time to complete exams
info for students interested in healthcare-related careers and the education required to pursue them
Designed to complement the guidance students receive through their assigned academic advisor and college, the Transfer Student Coordinator provides an extra layer of support for students who have transferred to NC State University.
NC State’s scholarship database.
Application typically opens at the beginning of December and the deadline is always February 15 for the following academic year.
One of NC State’s most robust/prestigious scholarship opportunities that awards $9,000/year in funding
for students interested in working on-campus to offset college costs; arguably one of the best on-campus employment opportunities
Resident Advisors in particular are allotted their own single room, as well as a dining stipend for on-campus eating
for students struggling to access and/or afford basic necessities
Includes a free on-campus food pantry and other food- and housing-related resources
Emergency funds available for unexpected expenses
Loaner laptops available to check-out and use for free at NC State Libraries
Business attire available for free at NC State’s Clothing Closet
NC State's Counseling Center
for immediate and/or short-term emotional support
Intake paperwork: https://go.ncsu.edu/cou-intake
Remember, the Counseling Center's intake paperwork is only available during certain hours of the day, Monday through Friday! Visit the "Make an Appointment" link above to identify those specific times
Drop-in, no commitment, intro-to-counseling consultations
for those new to mental health support and unsure where to start
Individual AND group counseling offered, including help with addiction and career exploration, as well as virtual (telehealth) counseling
Visit this page on International Student Support to review a few brochures on "What to Expect," "Reasons to Visit" and "Common Questions" in your native language.
Psychiatric services are also available
for medication management of mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc.
Off-campus mental health provider options
for specialized and/or long-term, ongoing emotional support
Drop-in spaces
for casual self-care experiences with others
for fostering mental health via goal setting, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, time management, and resilience.
Craft classes (in-person & virtual; costs vary)
Visit the The African American Cultural Center, and sign-up for their weekly newsletter
Visit Multicultural Student Affairs, and sign-up for their weekly newsletter
Visit the LGBTQ Pride Center, and sign-up for their weekly newsletter
Visit the Women's Center, and sign-up for their weekly newsletter
Career assessments, programs, and even courses are available to explore potential interests
Includes information on how to conduct informational interviews and who to ask!
Free professional headshots available via photo booth
OnePack Empowered Program
for neurodivergent students seeking career support that acknowledges and accounts for their neurodivergent needs and traits
NC State’s job & internship database
Study abroad application overview
Important application deadlines
Study Abroad Scholarship Information and Deadlines
TIP: There is funding through EYE for engineering students to study abroad! Apply through the Study Abroad Scholarship Application.
Understanding study abroad costs
Funding Information Sessions are offered 2-3 times/semester
Study Abroad Scholarship Information and Deadlines
TIP: There is funding through EYE for engineering students to study abroad! Apply through the Study Abroad Scholarship Application.
Drop-in and by-appointment study abroad advising
Hillary Stone; MSE Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Make an appointment: https://ncsu.campus.eab.com/pal/NOrI73-f_x
Drop-In Advising is on Wednesdays from 1:00 - 3:30 PM in 3002B, EB1.
Email: hmstone2@ncsu.edu