The timeline for completing the program is flexible and designed to accommodate the student?s needs. The required 36 credits can be completed in as short as 9 months or over a 2-year period. In place of a traditional thesis, each student works with their faculty adviser to complete a final project or find an internship opportunity. This project/internship is designed to carry out an analysis and recommend solutions to an existing problem based on the individual's newly developed skills in Materials Science and Engineering.