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
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Fundamentals of Materials Science
Skills you'll gain: Engineering, Physics, Manufacturing Processes, Physical Science, Thermal Management, Semiconductors, Mechanics, Failure Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
180 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Arizona State University
Materials Science for Technological Application
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Manufacturing Processes, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Management, Engineering, Process Control, Physical Science, Process Engineering, Failure Analysis, Engineering Analysis, Science and Research, Reliability, Systems Of Measurement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
174 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Georgia Institute of Technology
Material Behavior
Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Processes, Structural Analysis, Physical Science, Engineering, Semiconductors, Physics, Mechanics
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Arizona State University
Introduction to Materials Science
Skills you'll gain: Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Processes, Physical Science, Failure Analysis, Semiconductors, Science and Research, Systems Of Measurement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
131 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Georgia Institute of Technology
Material Processing
Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Processes, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Thermal Management, Physical Science, Semiconductors, Physics, Process Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
University of California, Davis
Materials Science: 10 Things Every Engineer Should Know
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Failure Analysis, Manufacturing Processes, Structural Analysis, Thermal Management, Electronic Components, Mechanics, Physical Science, Electronic Systems
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.5K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IBM
Introduction to Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Big Data, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Apache Hadoop, Apache Hive, Data Collection, Data Mart, Data Warehousing, Data Storytelling, Apache Spark, Data Cleansing, Data Lakes, Data Visualization Software, SQL
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
18K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Shiny (R Package), Rmarkdown, Exploratory Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Leaflet (Software), Version Control, Statistical Analysis, R Programming, Data Manipulation, Data Cleansing, Data Science, Statistical Inference, Predictive Modeling, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data Visualization, Plotly, Machine Learning Algorithms, Interactive Data Visualization, Probability & Statistics, Knitr
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
51K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Applied Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Plotly, Data Wrangling, Data Visualization, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Cleansing, Jupyter, Matplotlib, Data Analysis, Pandas (Python Package), Data Manipulation, Seaborn, Data Import/Export, Predictive Modeling, Web Scraping, Interactive Data Visualization, Statistical Analysis, Automation, Python Programming
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
58K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Yale University
Financial Markets
Skills you'll gain: Investment Banking, Risk Management, Financial Market, Financial Regulation, Financial Services, Finance, Business Risk Management, Securities (Finance), Financial Policy, Capital Markets, Behavioral Economics, Banking, Corporate Finance, Governance, Insurance, Underwriting, Equities, Derivatives, Mortgage Loans, Decision Making
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
30K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Stanford University
Writing in the Sciences
Skills you'll gain: Grant Writing, Peer Review, Technical Writing, Technical Communication, Writing, Journals, Editing, Science and Research, Grammar, Proofreading, Storytelling, Data Ethics
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
9.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Pohang University of Science and Technology(POSTECH)
Ferrous Technology I
Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing and Production, Production Process, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Physical Science, Environmental Issue
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
696 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months