Periods of our civilization have names associated with materials – stone age, bronze age, iron age and the silicon age. Materials impact all aspects of your daily life and will continue to do so in the future. The more we understand materials, the more we imagine the future with fantastic devices and advancements enabled by materials. This initial specialization introduces a limited number of material science and engineering concepts. The topic presentations are at the concept level without being mired in heavy mathematics. Participation in each course is best done by initially having a firm sense of what MSE does and its impact on society. Topics in this specialization span from atom bonding and crystal structure to diffusion and phase diagrams. Some of the position titles that may benefit from this course include Materials Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Aerospace Engineer and Materials Quality Control. Others who want to explore the world of materials will find it helpful.

Introduction to Materials Science

Introduction to Materials Science
This course is part of Materials Science for Technological Application Specialization

Instructor: Terry Alford
Access provided by Veterans Transition Support
15,606 already enrolled
218 reviews
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
The role of materials engineers in contemporary engineering practice.
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 6 modules in this course
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructor

Offered by
Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.
Learner reviews
- 5 stars
81.65%
- 4 stars
11.92%
- 3 stars
3.66%
- 2 stars
1.37%
- 1 star
1.37%
Showing 3 of 218
Reviewed on Apr 6, 2024
Very knowledgeable professor who is clearly passionate for the topic!
Reviewed on Aug 18, 2025
I think this course is essential for every material science students and researchers.
Reviewed on Nov 14, 2024
I enjoyed learning new things about materials science, and the professor was very knowledgeable, with clear and understandable explanations. Thank you for this valuable educational opportunity.
Explore more from Physical Science and Engineering

Arizona State University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology
¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.

