Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program
The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) program gives you the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. Four graduate courses (12 credit hours) can be taken while you are an undergraduate student and can be double-counted towards both your bachelor’s and master’s degree. This allows you to get a non-thesis Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MR) degree or a thesis-based Master of Science (MS) – Materials Science and Engineering degree within a year of completing your B.S. degree.
Degree Options
| MS Degree Requirements | MMSE Degree Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Title in Application | Master of Science (MS) – Materials Science and Engineering | Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MR) – On-Campus |
| MSE Coursework | 15 hrs of MSE graduate-level courses | 18 hrs of MSE graduate-level courses |
| Additional Coursework | 9 hrs of graduate-level courses from technical disciplines | 12 hrs of graduate-level courses from any combination of MSE, chemistry, physics, math, or other engineering courses** |
| Research | 6 hrs of MS thesis research* | Not required. Research projects cannot be used to fulfill MMSE degree requirements. |
| Thesis | Required | Not required |
| Total Hours | 30 | 30 |
*ABM students choosing the MS degree must identify a faculty member willing to provide and supervise a suitable master’s research project. This faculty member will become the chair of the student’s MS thesis committee and will serve as the student’s academic advisor.
**subject to approval by the student’s academic advisor
Application Eligibility
- Students may apply once they have completed a minimum of 75 credit hours in their undergraduate programs, including credits earned from advanced placement, but prior to the completion of their bachelor’s. Students typically apply the fall of their junior year.
- Transfer students must have completed a minimum of 24 hours as a full-time student at NC State.
- Students must have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.500 at NC State at the time of admission into the ABM program.
Typical ABM Program Schedule
| Undergraduate Years | FALL | SPRING |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. Junior Year | Apply to MSE ABM Program | 1 double-counted course |
| B.S. Senior Year | 1 double-counted course Apply to The Graduate School | MSE 580 + 1 double-counted course |
| Master’s Year | FALL | SPRING |
|---|---|---|
| MS (thesis Master’s) | 3 hrs of MSE 695 thesis research + 6 hrs of graduate-level courses | 3 hrs of MSE 695 thesis research + 6 hrs of graduate-level courses |
| ~ OR ~ | ||
| MMSE (non-thesis Master’s) | 9 hrs of graduate-level courses | 9 hrs of graduate-level courses |
Application Procedure
STEP 1: Interested students who meet the GPA requirement should schedule a meeting with the Undergraduate Academic Advisor and Director of Graduate Programs to discuss eligibility, graduate program options, and develop tentative academic plans for both the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs (this is called the ABM Plan of Work).
Note: The ABM Plan of Work must be signed by the MSE Academic Advisor and the MSE Director of Graduate Programs before you complete step 2.
STEP 2: Typically during the fall of Junior year, students will apply for the MSE ABM Program by submitting the Google Form linked below. Applicants must indicate whether they will pursue the MS (thesis) or MMSE (non-thesis) track. Additionally, the application must include the signed ABM Plan of Work, contact information for one recommender*, and a personal statement.
*It is the student’s responsibility to request a letter of recommendation. The recommender can email the letter of recommendation directly to Ms. Hillary Stone at hmstone2@ncsu.edu.
STEP 3: Applicants will receive a formal acceptance (or denial) from the MSE Director of Graduate Programs. To remain in the program, students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.5.
Note: Only graduate courses with a minimum grade of B can be double-counted. Courses with a grade lower than B cannot be counted towards the master’s degree.
STEP 4: Towards the end of the bachelor’s program (typically in the fall of Senior year)*, ABM Program participants must submit the standard Graduate School application by the published Graduate School deadlines. This includes an application fee, contact information for three recommenders, a personal statement, and the approved ABM Plan of Work form.
*Submit the application only after the Graduate School opens the portal for the semester marking the start of your graduate year. Do not apply until the correct semester option is available. Example: If you graduate in Spring 2026, your entry term for the Graduate School application will be Fall 2026.
Notes:
- Be careful to select the correct master’s degree program in your application:
- Non-thesis: Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MR) – ABM
- Thesis-based: Master of Science (MS) – Materials Science and Engineering – ABM
- All double-counted courses must be completed before the undergraduate graduation date.
- Students in the ABM must receive the bachelor’s degree prior to entering graduate status.
- Any deviations from the approved ABM Plan of Work form, require that the updates be approved by the Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs as well as the Graduate School.
- A minimum of 18 credit hours must be taken within the MSE Department.
Allowable Course Substitutions
Students admitted to the program may substitute up to four 400-level undergraduate courses (12 credits) for graduate-level courses:
| Course Title | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. Required Course | ||
| Materials Forensics (Senior Spring) | MSE 480 | MSE 580 |
| Electives* | ||
| Nuclear Materials (Fall only) | MSE/NE 409 | MSE/NE 509 |
| Processing of Metallic Materials (Fall only) | MSE 440 | MSE 540 |
| Ceramic Processing (Fall only) | MSE 445 | MSE 545 |
| Polymer Technology and Engineering (Spring only) | MSE 455 | MSE 555 |
| Composite Materials (Spring only) | MSE 456 | MSE 556 |
| Microelectronic Materials Science and Technology (Fall only) | MSE 460 | MSE 560 |
| Introduction to Nanomaterials (Fall only) | MSE 465 | MSE 565 |
*Depending on the concentration chosen, MSE curricula also include three or four elective slots that can be used to complete the other two double-counted courses. These can be chosen from the list above, other MSE graduate-level courses, or from graduate courses in other disciplines that also satisfy the MS or MMSE degree requirements.
Application Procedure, Requirements, Continuing Eligibility, and Withdrawal
Download the ABM Plan of Work: NC State ABM Plan of Work (PDF) | NC State ABM Plan of Work (DOCX)
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