Central to the Materials Science interdisciplinary approach are the two core courses required of all students in the program: Physics and Chemistry of Materials (6010G) and Advanced Topics in Materials Science (6020G). These courses will be team-taught by faculty in the program at both institutions and will provide a broad perspective on materials research.

In addition to a broad classroom perspective on Materials Science, students will complete a research thesis supervised by one of the members of the program. Through participation in the program, students will develop problem solving skill, experimental design skills, research initiative and the ability to work independently. Where possible, they also will be given the opportunity to attend national and international conferences and publish in peer reviewed journals.

The formal requirements for the M.Sc. degree in Materials Science are the following:

1. The residency requirements of the university in which the student is registered must be satisfied. The normal length of time for completion of the M.Sc. is expected to be five or six semesters. Students are expected to complete the program in consecutive semesters. All program requirements must normally be completed on site at UOIT or Trent.
2. Each student must complete the core courses 6010G (Physics and Chemistry of Materials) and 6020G (Advanced Topics in Materials Science).
3. Each student must attend and successfully complete the non-credit courses 6000G (Graduate Seminar in Science Communication I) and 6100G (Graduate Seminar in Science Communication II) in each Fall and Winter semester of their program.
4. At least four one-term courses acceptable for graduate credit must be completed with at least a 70% final grade in each course. Normally, courses taken for credit are those designated as Graduate Courses within the program. One of the four courses may be a fourth-year undergraduate course, approved by the student's supervisor and the graduate coordinator.
5. The student must meet with his/her supervisory committee within the first six months of registration, and subsequently at least once every six months. The committee consists of the student’s supervisor and at least two other faculty members in the program; each supervisory committee must include at least one faculty member from each institution. While one meeting in a year must be a formal one, the other meeting may be held informally; in the latter case, apart from the student and the supervisor, the meeting must involve at least one other member of the committee. A supervisory committee meeting must be held if a student requests it and the Director approves.
6. An acceptable thesis on a research topic must be submitted. Detailed specifications of the format of the thesis are available from the appropriate Graduate Office. Acceptance of the thesis requires the approval of an Examining Committee following an oral defence of the thesis. The Examining Committee normally consists of three faculty members: the supervisor, one other member of the supervisory committee, and one member who is not on the supervisory committee and is appointed by the Director to chair the Committee.