Graduate school
Graduate School of Engineering

Graduate Programs, Graduate School of Engineering

Upon entering graduate school, students must select one thesis supervisor from among the 22 full professors in the three departments or the 15 full professors in the two research institutes.

Students work primarily under the guidance of their major advisor, but they also must take a certain number of classes from among the following subjects: process engineering for functional devices, process engineering of functional materials, applied physical chemistry of materials, applied physical chemistry of high temperature melts, physics of electrons in solids, theory of phase transformations, theory of crystal dislocations, quantum electronics, science of material systems, numerical analyses of materials processing, applied elasticity and plasticity, functional material systems, functional chemical devices, ferrous process metallurgy, materials process engineering for environment consciousness, biomaterial science and engineering, analytical science, melt-phase processing, gas phase processing, physical refining, photo-induced refining, system engineering, atomistic solids science, atomistic materials designing, fundamentals of interfacial control, electronic devices and materials, magnetic device materials, special functional materials, structural materials, quantum statistical thermodynamics, microscopic and mesoscopic structures and properties of materials, magnetism and magnetic materials, high-temperature materials science, materials science of functional surfaces, nonequilibrium materials, science of structure-controlled materials, engineering materials design by simulation, solid-phase control material processing, processing of material systems, design of composite materials, materials evaluation, joining design, liquid state processing, forming process of solid materials, powder process technology, solidification control and processes, materials engineering in processing, advanced method for nanostructure and composition analysis, and advanced method for nanostructure and morphology analysis.

Students also participate in seminars and advanced lectures. A typical student spends the first year completing most of the required class work. The second year is reserved almost exclusively for conducting research and completing the thesis.

Career Prospects

The departments provide a curriculum that teaches students not only how to prepare and process materials, but also how to control the physical and chemical properties of materials. A student is then able to acquire the professional skills necessary for conducting (a) fundamental and applied research on materials as a materials scientist, or (b) the quality control of materials products in various industries as a materials process engineer. Because of the ever-increasing demand for improved or better characterized materials, the students have a wide choice of rewarding career opportunities not only in industries producing metal or ceramic products, but also in industries that make extensive use of materials, such as electrical, mechanical and chemical-related industries. Most graduates are working for metal or steel producers or in electrical and mechanical-related industries. In 1999, almost 350 companies applied for the services of students from our departments. The total number of alumni from our departments employed by industry has reached about 5300. We have an active alumni society, which serves as an excellent communication network.

Global 30: International Materials Science and Engineering Master Course (IMSE)

The graduate programs of the International Materials Science and Engineering Master course (IMSE) are established as of October 2009. This course is one of the courses offered under the Global 30 programs of Tohoku University, and is organized by the Graduate School of Engineering.

More information is available from IMSE website.