Ceramic Engineering

Highly competitive & one of only two CE programs in the nation of its kind.

If you envision a professional career in applied science and engineering with a focus on ceramics and related materials, the Ceramic Engineering BS program at Alfred University, one of only two of its kind in the nation, is definitely for you. Here you'll gain the expert knowledge and complex skills needed to thrive in a highly dynamic and competitive industry.

School/Division

Campus Locations

Main Campus - Alfred, NY

Major

Ceramic Engineering (BS)

Double Major

Double Major option(s) offered.
Learn More

Minor

none offered

Program Contact

Gabrielle Gaustad

engineering@alexblog.net

607-871-2953

In addition to Alfred University’s physical education requirement and global perspective requirement and the School of Engineering general requirements, the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering are:

  • CEMS 203 Introduction to Ceramic Powder Processing
  • CEMS 214 Structure and Properties of Materials
  • CEMS 215 Microscopy and Microstructural Characterization
  • CEMS 216 Bonding and Structure of Materials
  • CEMS 235 Thermodynamics of Materials
  • CEMS 237 Thermal Processes in Materials
  • CEMS 251 Mechanics of Materials 3
  • CEMS 314 Ceramic Processing Principles
  • CEMS 317 Sintering
  • CEMS 322 Introduction to Glass Science
  • CEMS 342 Thermal and Mechanical Properties
  • CEMS 344 Properties II: Electrical, Magnetic, and Optical
  • CEMS 347 Spectroscopy
  • CEMS 349 X-ray Characterization
  • CHEM 105 General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 106 General Chemistry II
  • ENGR 101 Introduction to Engineering
  • ENGR 102 Computer Aided Design
  • ENGR 104 Computer Aided Engineering
  • ENGR 110 Technical Communication
  • ENGR 11x Exploration Labs (select 2, 1 credit each)
  • ENGR 220 Circuit Theory I
  • ENGR 305 Engineering Statistics
  • ENGR 306 Engineering Economics
  • ENGR 395 Engineering Design
  • ENGR 480 Senior Capstone Project
  • MATH 151 Calculus I
  • MATH 152 Calculus II
  • MATH 253 Calculus III
  • MATH 271 Differential Equations
  • PHYS 125 Physics I
  • PHYS 126 Physics II
  • Ceramic Electives
  • Technical Electives
  • Humanities, Social Science and Arts electives

For more information, please review the School of Engineering Curriculum by Semester Worksheets by degree program.

Ceramic Engineering is available as a double major to students in the following programs: Biomaterials Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering. Students earning a double major in Ceramic Engineering will complete all required courses for Ceramic Engineering along with courses required for their primary Engineering major.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DOUBLE MAJORS

The BS program in Ceramic Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Materials, Metallurgical, Ceramics and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

If you have varied interests in engineering but are unsure which you excel at or enjoy working with the most, consider exploring our Undecided Engineering pathway. The Inamori School of Engineering provides this option to students who are undecided as first-year students and allows them to discover the field of engineering that's the best fit for them.

Undergraduate Full-Time Enrollment (from Fall Census)
Major 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Biomat. Eng./Biomed Mat. Eng. 24 25 32 30 31 33 34
Ceramic Engineering 35 39 44 61 68 68 63
Electrical Engineering N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Glass Engineering Science 11 11 19 23 24 15 15
Materials Sci and Engineering 19 31 38 36 48 48 48
Mechanical Engineering 119 145 167 194 168 182 185
Renewable Energy Engineering 19 27 40 44 29 30 44
Undecided Engineering 18 17 34 22 26 26 37
Non-Degree 0   0 0 2 4 4
Unduplicated Headcount 245 295 374 410 394 402 426
B.S. Graduates (August Through May)
Major 2022-2023 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020 2018-2019 2017-2018 2016-2017
Biomat. Eng./Biomed Mat. Eng. 3 4 12 7 4 8 7
Ceramic Engineering 8 15 8 21 16 12 19
Electrical Engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Glass Engineering Science 2 2 7 3 3 0 4
Materials Sci and Engineering 7 15 8 9 16 7 10
Mechanical Engineering 28 58 35 53 36 51 37
Renewable Energy Engineering 13 11 14 6 10 10 12
Total Degrees 61 105 84 99 85 88 89

What Will You Do?

Within the past few years, graduates have obtained jobs as:

  • Optical Materials Engineer - United States Research Laboratory
  • Leadership Development - Guardian Industries
  • Application Engineer - ASK Chemical L.P.
  • Product Engineer - Morgan Advanced Materials
  • Process Engineer - Saint-Gobain SEFPRO
  • Glass Engineer - Saxon Glass Technologies
  • Ceramic Engineer - Surmet Corp.
  • Materials Engineer - Lockheed Martin
  • Ceramic Quality Control Engineer - Boston Valley Terra Cotta

Program Educational Objectives

Program educational objectives (or PEOs) are broad statements that describe what we expect graduates of AU's Ceramic Engineering program to attain 3-5 years after graduation. PEOs are reviewed and revised regularly to ensure that the program educational objectives are relevant to the needs of today's employers.

During the first few years after graduation:

  1. The graduates of our Ceramic Engineering program function as engineers in the field of ceramics or material science, serving the ceramic and related industries and academia, with the tools necessary to sustain a long and productive career in the field.
  2. The graduates of our Ceramic Engineering program are innovators in the field of ceramic engineering, and related materials fields, and bring their background and hands-on experience to problem-solving and the development of efficient and sustainable manufacturing practices.
  3. The graduates of our Ceramic Engineering program will be able to design experiments, appropriately treat, evaluate, and interpret data generated in manufacturing processes (such as process control and loss data) or from experimental results, through statistical analysis, data presentation, etc., for the purposes of understanding trends, making predictions, and communicating effectively in the workplace.
  4. The graduates of our Ceramic Engineering program bring professional expertise and organizational skills to their careers in industry or academia and relate science and technology to a wide range of technical fields.

Program Outcomes (Student Learning Outcomes)

Graduates of the Ceramic Engineering program at Alfred University will have:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Similar Programs

Students enrolling in the Ceramic Engineering major often bolster their education by double majoring or minoring in these other closely related fields:

All Undergraduate Programs