Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Materials Science and Engineering under Duffield Engineering.
Undergraduate · Cornell Duffield Engineering
Cornell Materials Science and Engineering: labs from year one to a senior project
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Materials Science and Engineering is a major in Cornell Duffield Engineering. The department describes top-tier equipment, hands-on experience in several courses in the first three years and an advanced senior lab or independent research in the fourth. This guide sets out what the page says.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Materials Science and Engineering
Taken from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Cornell's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Hands-on early
Direct, hands-on experience in several courses in the first three years.
A fourth-year capstone
An advanced senior lab programme or independent research.
Facilities
The department highlights top-tier equipment.
The SAT or ACT is required
Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Cornell Admissions: First-Year Applicantsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Majorsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Department of Materials Science and Engineering: majorengineering.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The major's curriculum pages, course descriptions, college admission requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
The major
What the college and department pages say the major is
The department's page says undergraduates have access to top-tier equipment and facilities, direct hands-on experience in several courses in their first three years, and in the fourth year either an advanced senior lab programme or independent research with a faculty member. It adds that Cornell has been at the cutting edge of materials science for more than 60 years and lists student project teams and the Cornell Materials Society. This guide does not describe the curriculum, which it did not read.
Is it the right major?
Materials Science and Engineering beside Mechanical and Biological Engineering
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
MSE fits if
you want to study the materials behind technology, in labs from early on.
Mechanical Engineering fits if
you want machines and energy. Avandy's Cornell Mechanical Engineering guide covers it.
Engineering Physics fits if
you want physics in engineering. Avandy's Cornell Engineering Physics guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A college application and the SAT or ACT
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, so the college is part of the application; the pages read list Materials Science and Engineering under Duffield Engineering. Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The pages read do not mention A levels or the IB by name, and Cornell says all students must show a strong command of English. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Cornell's.
Do you want lab-based learning from early on?
The department stresses it.
Do you want Duffield Engineering?
The major is listed there.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Cornell's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Cornell's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cornell has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Cornell for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the major page and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Cornell University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Cornell University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Which Cornell college is Materials Science and Engineering in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under Duffield Engineering.
Is there a senior project?
The department describes an advanced senior lab programme or independent research with a faculty member.
Which college is it in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under Duffield Engineering.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Cornell says first-year applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Cornell name A levels or the IB on these pages?
No. The pages read do not mention them by name.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Cornell's wording with no entry-year label. Check Cornell's pages again when Cornell publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cornell Materials Science and Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their chemistry, physics and mathematics, how they weigh materials against other engineering and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.