The Ph.D. degree in Materials Science provides students with extensive scientific training, cutting-edge research opportunities and engineering skills necessary for a variety of careers in academy and industry. Program faculty and students conduct research through Kent State's participating departments and the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute. Such research includes liquid crystal synthesis and molecular design; properties of liquid crystals and related advanced materials; lyotropic liquid crystals and bio-related materials, opto-electronics; and nanoscience and nanotechnologies. These important research foci are inherently interdisciplinary.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
Develop an advanced understanding of the fundamental science of liquid crystals and related advanced materials and ability to apply acquired knowledge of physical and chemical properties of soft materials and devices such as liquid crystals, polymers, colloids and active matter.
Gain experience in presenting scientific data in research publications, articles, posters and oral presentations.
Apply acquired knowledge to the discovery of new advanced materials and development of advanced materials-based devices and applications.
Examples of Possible Careers
Computer and information research scientists
Physical scientists, all other
Physicists
Materials scientists
Biochemists and biophysicists
Biological scientists, all other
Chemists
Chemical engineers
September 2025
Kent State University
800 E. Summit Street,
KENT,
Ohio,
44240, United States
Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
Minimum 525 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
Minimum 71 TOEFL IBT score (internet-based version)
Minimum 74 MELAB score
Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
Minimum 50 PTE score
Minimum 100 Duolingo English score
Application Deadlines: Fall Semester: January 15
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.