ATTENTION PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS:
We will start accepting applications for Fall 2026 in the fall of 2025. Our early applications deadline will be Dec. 15 and our final applications deadline will be Jan. 15. In rare cases, we consider applications outside of that cycle.
If you are thinking of applying, please consider attending one of the 1-hour info sessions and Q&A below. This will provide an opportunity for potential applicants to learn more about the campus, the department and the Ph.D. program. You will have an opportunity to ask questions of faculty member and a representative from the Graduate Division. The meetings will be held on the Zoom platform, and we will contact you with sign on information shortly before the event.
11/4 at 9 a.m.: Register online
12/2 at 9 a.m.: Register online
MBSE students may participate in research centers at UC Merced such as the "Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines."
Thank you for your interest in our program!
The Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering (MBSE) graduate group offers a multidisciplinary research and training program for master-level and doctoral students who want to be at the forefront of the modern revolutions in materials science technology.
The program applies the tools of nanotechnology to create transformative nano materials with exciting new properties through the implementation of nano-scale and/or bio-inspired devices for applications in human health, green energy, artificial intelligence, and environmental sensing. MBSE students will be exposed to, and benefit from, a thoroughly multidisciplinary training that synergistically incorporates elements from engineering, physics, chemistry and biology.
Our students also enjoy a wide choice of experiences from a rich toolset that includes:
❯ molecular and cell biology; biophysics; advanced spectroscopy and imaging; protein engineering; microfluidics;
❯ materials synthesis and manipulation; electrochemical, electronic and optical characterization; structural analysis and imaging; cutting edge nano-manufacturing;
❯ computational modeling and simulation
All Ph.D. students in MBSE receive tuition and fee support, as well as a stipend, so long as requirements are met. We encourage applications from students with undergraduate degrees in any relevant discipline.
View the MBSE digital brochure
To apply, visit the UC Merced Graduate Division website.
