The discipline of materials science & engineering at BIT was founded in 1952 and began postgraduate student training in 1955. It is one of the early institutions authorized to confer doctoral degrees and establish post-doctoral research stations. The discipline has been involved in various national key construction projects and initiatives. 

Focusing on extreme conditions, the discipline researches materials suitable for combustion, detonation, ultra-high speed, and ultra-high temperatures. It also emphasizes the integration and development of new materials for both military and civilian applications, covering areas such as new energy, flame retardancy, and optoelectronics. The aim is to build a distinctive, top-ranking discipline of materials science and engineering.

The School of Materials Science & Engineering comprises seven departments, offers six undergraduate majors, and has a doctoral program in materials science and engineering. Currently, the school has 1,719 students and 310 faculty and staff members. The faculty includes 166 full-time teachers, including 66 professors and researchers, as well as 69 associate professors. They also have 95 doctoral supervisors and 170 master's supervisors.