This detailed slide deck describes requirements has been prepared for MS students and is presented at the beginning of each semester.

Master of  Science Students are required to complete a research project in the form of a Thesis (written thesis and an oral presentation) or a Non-Thesis (poster and oral presentation).

The guidelines and deadlines that must be met for the MS degree defined by the Graduate School here:

Forms

The Graduate School’s Guide for Submission of the Doctoral which includes Master’s thesis information

The Master’s program coordinator will hold a meeting each semester to review research, defense timelines and graduation requirements for Master’s of Science students. In general, an MS student should find their research advisor and begin working with them no later than the end of their second semester.

See this presentation from our mandatory meeting in September 2022  MEMS Research Internship Requirement Review 2022 for more details.

If you have questions, please contact shauntil.gray@duke.edu

A listing of current Master of Science projects can be found at this link.  Note the semester in which they are offered before contacting faculty.

For Faculty

Advising a master of science student is a rewarding mentorship activity that allows you to train the next generation of creative thinkers in academia and industry.  This responsibility provides an opportunity for you to engage PhD and postdoctoral students in the advisement practice while performing research that is essential to the operation of your laboratory.

Frequent engagement with the student is required; weekly meetings are encouraged where project direction, updates, and research findings are discussed and archived.

The master of science project can be any of the following:

  1. a continuation of a project that has been performed in your lab under your advisement to produce more data and develop generalized understanding of a problem that is being solved,
  2. development of a new project that answers a relevant research problem in the selected subfield, that can be completed in the two semesters, or
  3. the expansion of a project that was started in a graduate or undergraduate course within your field of expertise.

Students are expected to determine a faculty advisor no later than the beginning of their second semester.

For Faculty and Students

During faculty and student meetings, please ensure that you clearly define your expectations for the project including, but not limited to:

  1. frequency of meetings,
  2. selection between thesis or non-thesis,
  3. documentation and journaling of progress,
  4. frequency of periodic project milestones, design sprints, and research deadlines, and
  5. communication methods and key laboratory personnel.

Our goal is to provide students and faculty with a rewarding academic experience and will assist in any way we can.

Please reach out to us if you need any help finding an advisor or in recruiting students to your lab.

A Master of Science Degree in MEMS is part of the Duke Graduate School which has its own Academic Policies and Forms.

Use The Grad School’s document finder to quickly locate a Graduate School form, policy, or reference guide.

Check out the Duke Engineering Master’s Career Hub for job listings, campus, local and, regional events, articles, advice, and training.

MEMS dedicated Career Services Senior Specialist 

Chloe Benjamin, M.Ed.  -she/her/hers-

Duke Engineering Master’s Programs Career Services

chloe.benjamin@duke.edu

Make an appointment with me

The following certificates are available to students pursuing MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. 

Aerospace Research (SOAR) – Learn more »

Photonics – Learn more »

If you are an international students who is interested in CPT or OPT, please visit VISA services here:

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

  • You may decide to work off-campus during your summer in graduate school.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

  • After graduation, you may elect to work in a company domestically.