PhD in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

A US bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution.

As part of your online application, you must upload one copy of the scanned unofficial transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution where you earned (or will earn) a degree; studied for one semester or more; earned 12 or more hours of credit; or took classes that relate to your graduate study interests.

Request letters of recommendation from people best qualified to attest to your capacity for graduate work. We prefer to have academic references representing your major field, though we realize that there are situations where this may not be possible. In such circumstances, seek out people who can comment on qualities that will be relevant to your academic pursuits, particularly research.

As part of your online application, you must upload a Life Experiences Statement. The statement should be no more than one (1) page single spaced. Please provide a brief statement that highlights the unique life experiences that have shaped your personal and professional identity and prepared you for graduate work. Share how these experiences have influenced your perspectives and your vision for leveraging them to contribute to Duke’s academic community.

As part of your online application, you must upload a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). This document should summarize your education, academic achievements, work history, and professional accomplishments. It may also include a list of skills, publications, research experiences, and other credentials that demonstrate your preparedness for graduate study.

Write a statement (single-spaced, 12-point font) addressing the questions below. 1. Please describe your past research experience at your college/university, REU, or relevant industry experience (500 words max). What questions were you working to address? What experimental, computational, or theoretical skills did you learn? 2. For any grades lower than a B, please explain the circumstances of this grade and any steps you took to make sure you learned the material (50 words max). 3. Why are you interested in pursuing a PhD? And why at Duke? Which faculty members and research areas are you interested in and why? (200 words max) 4. Earning a PhD is a challenging and intense experience. Please share a past experience where you have had to overcome challenges and how you addressed the challenges (200 words max). 5. (Optional) Duke MEMS is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. How will you contribute to this community (100 words max)? Possible examples include past leadership roles in student groups, volunteer work, demonstrated ability to work with teams, teaching and tutoring experience, etc. 6. (Optional) Please describe your current career goals (100 words max). Duke MEMS prides itself in the success of our PhD students in industry and academia. Many students do internships in industry or national labs during their PhD. In addition, the new Thomas Lord Engineering in Service to Society Fellowship provides funding for PhD internships in government, policy, and non-profits.

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