Graduate Credit Certificate in Laser-Materials Processing and Laser-Based Manufacturing

The Graduate Credit Certificate Program in Laser-Materials Processing and Laser-Based Manufacturing prepares engineers to integrate laser-materials processing into the concurrent design and manufacturing of multiscale components and systems of the future. It offers a multidisciplinary curriculum drawing upon the strengths of several Penn State engineering departments and the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory.

To be awarded the Laser-Materials Processing and Laser-Based Manufacturing certificate, students must successfully complete the program with a grade of B or higher and 12 credits of graduate course work, including E SC 540 and three of the following courses: E SC 541, E SC 542, E SC 543, E SC 544, or other courses approved by petition.

Admission Requirements

An applicant must hold either a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a postsecondary degree that is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate degree earned from an officially recognized degree-granting international institution. Graduates in engineering, the sciences, or medicine who present a 3.0 grade-point average will be considered for admission. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 GPA may be made for students with professional experience or special backgrounds, abilities, and interests.

There is no special category for a certificate-seeking student. Individuals must complete the Postbaccalaureate/Graduate Certificate Application. A certificate student’s status will be classified as nondegree unless the student is currently enrolled in a degree program, in which case, the degree status will remain as is. An applicant who is also applying for admission to a degree program must complete both a degree application and a Postbaccalaureate/Graduate Certificate Application and pay the application fee for both.

International applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). The minimum acceptable composite score for the IELTS is 6.5

International applicants who have received a baccalaureate or graduate degree from the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales. 

GRE scores are not required for non-degree graduate students. Individuals who wish to apply to the graduate degree program in engineering science and mechanics must submit an application for admission, along with all of the required supporting documentation, including GRE scores.

Required Courses

Engineering Science (E SC) Courses:

• E SC 540: Laser Optics Fundamentals (3)
• E SC 541: Laser-Materials Interactions (3)
• E SC 542: Laser Integrated Manufacturing (3)
• E SC 543: Laser Microprocessing (3)
• E SC 544: Laser Laboratory (3)

Click here to view a complete list of all engineering science courses, including course descriptions.