Missouri S&T plans to launch a new bachelor’s degree program in semiconductor engineering in fall 2025. The program will help address a workforce shortage in the profession that could soar to tens of thousands in the coming years, according to federal and industry employment projections.
“Students who enroll at Missouri S&T learn to think critically and address problems through the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies,” said Dr. David Borrok, S&T vice chancellor and dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “Microelectronic chips and semiconductor devices have transformed modern society and will continue to shape the future to meet human needs. Graduates from our new program will be at the forefront of these exciting advancements.”
The new program will be made possible by a $20 million private investment.
Part of the investment will fund a new 2,500-square-foot cleanroom on the first floor of S&T’s Applied Research Center, with construction expected to be completed by late 2026.
Cleanrooms are essential in semiconductor engineering to prevent contamination from dust, airborne particles and other impurities. Even the smallest contaminants can cause technology to malfunction and cause major problems.
“Not only will this state-of-the-art cleanroom be utilized to support new degree programs, but it will also bring exciting new possibilities for university research,” said Volokh. “This will have huge implications not only for our semiconductor engineering program, but also for nanotechnology, microelectronics and materials science research in general.”
Volokh said the interdisciplinary program will be a natural fit for the S&T campus because semiconductors are the basis for many electronic devices and other advanced technologies, and semiconductor manufacturing is a precision engineering field that requires ultra-pure chemicals, simulation models, advanced tools for measurement and analysis, and data-driven automation.
S&T already has faculty with expertise in these fields, offering courses focused on electrical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, and more.
Dr. Michael Moats, professor and department chair of materials science and engineering, said his department will manage the program in collaboration with S&T’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. He said the program will also benefit from industry partnerships S&T has established with Missouri companies that already play a large role in the semiconductor supply chain.
“This program will have an immediate impact and its graduates will have an immediate and significant impact on the state’s economy and the nation’s economy,” he said.
The 128-credit program offers students two areas of emphasis: semiconductor device engineering and semiconductor process engineering.
Moats said he expects interest in the program from students in Missouri, across the U.S. and around the world.
Students entering the university for the first time in fall 2025 can apply now at apply.mst.edu with the expectation of being approved for the program within the next few months. For more information, visit go.mst.edu/semiconductorengineering
About Missouri S&T
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university in Rolla, Missouri, enrolling more than 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers more than 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is ranked among the top public universities in the nation for salaries, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.
