What is material science?

Material science refers to the properties of solid materials and how the structure and composition of a material determine its properties. It helps engineers improve and design products by testing and researching materials to determine how to manipulate them for best results. Material science affects every field that involves engineering, including electronics, telecommunications, ground transportation, medicine, energy, and aerospace, for example.

Why is material science important to learn?

It's important to learn material science in order to come up with new and innovative products. It is necessary for lowering costs of production and creating long-lasting products. Material science is also important to learn because it is part of engineering design and how different materials will perform in your project, helping you determine which to use.

What are typical careers that use material science?

Any career in engineering will use material science. This is used in many areas of engineering but you can also become a material engineer. In these careers you will test and research different types of material in order to determine the best way to create a product. You will use your knowledge in the area to create new materials and find any possible product failure which helps to create better and innovative product designs.

How can online courses help me learn about material science?

Online courses can help you learn about material science by giving you the knowledge you need to progress in the field. The courses offer a variety of levels to get you ready for the next step. Online courses offer you the flexibility to work around your schedule, and the experts that teach them are available to answer questions and guide you in each course. You will have lectures and readings as well as assignments that will help you gain an understanding of material science. These courses can supplement your existing knowledge or be at a higher level to deepen your understanding of the topic.

What are the benefits of taking an online Material Science course?

Online Material Science courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Material Science skills. Choose from a wide range of Material Science courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Material Science courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Material Science, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Material Science Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Material Science Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
Arizona State University
Materials Science for Technological Application
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Failure Analysis, Structural Analysis, Manufacturing Processes, Laboratory Testing, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Management, Process Control, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Physical Science, Engineering Calculations, Engineering Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
188 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Arizona State University
Introduction to Materials Science
Skills you'll gain: Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Semiconductors, Physics, Physical Science, Failure Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
141 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Fundamentals of Materials Science
Skills you'll gain: Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Structural Analysis, Physical Science, Physics, Semiconductors, Thermal Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
189 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Preview
University of California, Davis
Materials Science: 10 Things Every Engineer Should Know
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Analysis, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Failure Analysis, Electronics Engineering, Electronics, Physical Science
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.5K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
Georgia Institute of Technology
Material Processing
Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Processes, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Engineering, Thermal Management, Process Analysis, Physical Science, Engineering Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Preview
Georgia Institute of Technology
Material Behavior
Skills you'll gain: Structural Analysis, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Semiconductors, Physics, Chemical Engineering
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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IBM
Python for Data Science, AI & Development
Skills you'll gain: Jupyter, Web Scraping, Python Programming, Data Collection, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Pandas (Python Package), Programming Principles, Data Structures, NumPy, Data Processing, Data Manipulation, Application Programming Interface (API), Data Import/Export, Computer Programming, Data Analysis
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
42K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
Duke University
Data Science Math Skills
Skills you'll gain: Probability, General Mathematics, Bayesian Statistics, Calculus, Graphing, Descriptive Statistics, Algebra, Derivatives
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
13K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Genomic Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Bioinformatics, Unix Commands, Biostatistics, Molecular Biology, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Unix, Programming Principles, Data Management, Correlation Analysis, Statistical Methods, Command-Line Interface, Science and Research, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data Analysis Software, Data Structures, R Programming, Computational Thinking, Jupyter, Python Programming
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
6.7K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Google
Google Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Data Presentation, Data Storytelling, Data Cleansing, Data Visualization, Data Validation, Rmarkdown, Data Integrity, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Ethics, Dashboard, Ggplot2, Data Quality, Stakeholder Communications, Data Literacy, Data Visualization Software, Data Analysis, SQL, Interviewing Skills, Analytical Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
172K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
Mathematics for Machine Learning and Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Linear Algebra, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Bayesian Statistics, Probability Distribution, Probability & Statistics, Sampling (Statistics), Calculus, Applied Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics, A/B Testing, Statistics, Probability, Numerical Analysis, Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Data Science, Machine Learning Algorithms, Dimensionality Reduction, Machine Learning
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
2.8K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
Yale University
Financial Markets
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Investment Banking, Portfolio Management, Finance, Capital Markets, Financial Services, Corporate Finance, Derivatives, Investments, Financial Regulation, Risk Management, Behavioral Economics, Equities, Underwriting, Securities (Finance), Lending and Underwriting, Market Dynamics, Governance, Insurance, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG)
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
31K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months