Graduate
degrees (M.M.S.E. and Ph.D.) in Materials Science and Engineering are offered
by the interdisciplinary Department of Materials Science and Engineering of the
The requirements for the M.M.S.E. and Ph.D. are described in the following document “Academic Requirements for Advanced Degrees in Materials”.
A student entering the Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program normally possesses a bachelor’s (or higher) degree in a physical science or engineering discipline. A successful candidate for admission would minimally have taken courses to the following levels: mathematics, through partial differential equations: physics, including mechanics, heat, electricity, magnetism and introductory modern physics: chemistry, through physical chemistry; and introduction to materials science. In addition, courses in thermodynamics, field concepts, phase transformations, and structure and mechanical properties of materials are considered very useful.
Admission
requirements are normally (1) completion of a bachelor’s program with a GPI of
at least 3.2, (2) excellent letters of recommendation from faculty or scholars,
and (3) a GRE total score (verbal plus quantitative) of at least 1150. (Deleted One of the
above norms may be waived in exceptional
cases) One of the above norms
may be waived in exceptional cases. Admission
decisions are made by the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty on the
advice of its Chairperson and/or Graduate student Recruitment Coordinator.
Admission
to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are
not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those
requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other
appropriate strengths).
The Master’s thesis must be accepted by both the research advisor and the Chairperson of the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty. A formal defense of the Master’s thesis before the committee may be required. The Ph.D. dissertation must be defended before the student’s advisory committee. That committee consists of the student’s research advisor and at least three other faculty, at least one of whom is not a member of the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty. The Ph.D. Committee will be set up at the time of the student’s Ph.D. Qualifier/Dissertation Committee within the student’s first five semesters and will meet with the student annually. In addition to a criterion of scholarly excellence, there must be no barriers to publication of the thesis or dissertation.
Stipend and tuition support is awarded to meritorious students. The authorization of such support resides with the Chairperson of the Department.
In
In order to receive an advanced degree, a student must satisfy both the University’s basic requirements and the programmatic requirements given below. Deviations from the program outlined below may be authorized in writing by the faculty advisor to the chairperson and to the Graduate Office in exceptional circumstances such as may apply for transfer students or students entering the Department in the Spring.
Two options are available, one with a thesis and the other by lecture course credit only. The first is available to all students, the second is only available to Outreach or part-time students and does not require a thesis. Transfer is not permitted from the first to the second option, although transfer is acceptable from the second to the first.
1. 24 credit hours of course work and 6 credit hours of thesis research are necessary for the thesis-option Master’s degree.
2. The following 3 credit courses totaling 15 credits, or their equivalent as approved by the faculty advisor and Chairperson, are required:
MSEG 803 Equilibria in Materials Systems
MSEG 804 Kinetics in Materials Systems
MSEG 602 Structure of Materials
MSEG 607 Physical Properties of Materials I
MSEG 667630 Introduction to the Science and
Engineering of Polymer
Systems
3. Six credit hours of thesis work must be completed, and the thesis must be accepted by the student’s advisory and the chairperson of the Department.
4. The remaining 9 credits of elective courses will be chosen after discussion with the faculty advisor, and will usually be related to the student’s area of research interest. Courses in various areas of specialization are listed at the end of this document.
1. 30 credit hours of lecture course work are necessary for the Master’s degree without thesis.
2. The following 3 credit courses totaling 15 credits, or their equivalent as approved by the faculty advisor and Chairperson, are required:
MSEG 803 Equilibria in Materials Systems
MSEG 804 Kinetics in Materials Systems
MSEG 602 Structure of Materials
MSEG 607 Physical Properties of Materials I
MSEG 667630 Introduction to the Science and
Engineering of Polymer
Systems
3. The remaining 15 credits of elective courses will be chosen after discussion with the advisor, and will usually be related to the student’s area of interests. Courses in various areas of specialization are listed at the end of this document.
1. Direct entry to the Ph.D. Program without prior completion of a Master’s Degree is available for suitably qualified candidates.
2. 12 credits of course work beyond those required for the Master’s Degree with thesis, are necessary for the Ph.D. degree.
3. The following 3 credit courses totaling 15 credits, or their equivalent as approved by the faculty advisor and Chairperson, are required:
MSEG 803 Equilibria in Materials Systems
MSEG 804 Kinetics in Materials Systems
MSEG 602 Structure of Materials
MSEG 607 Physical Properties of Materials I
MSEG 667 630 Introduction to the Science &
Engineering of Polymer
Systems
4.
The remaining 21 credits of elective courses will
be chosen after discussion with the advisor, and will usually be related to the
student’s area of research interest. Up
to a maximum of 6 credits (out of 21) of research (MSEG 868964)
may be taken prior to the admission to Candidacy. Additional courses in various areas of
specialization are listed at the end of this document.
5. After admission to Candidacy, the student must complete 9 credit hours of Dissertation MSEG 969.
6. Qualifying examination
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree are required to demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge of materials science by passing the qualifying examination. This is administered (Feb. 1 – Oct. 31) at the request of the student/advisor and consists of a comprehensive research project (written/oral) review on a topic chosen by the candidate and his/her advisor. The written part should contain no more than 15 pages single-spaced (12-pt. Font) not including the bibliography. Both the written and oral (not more than 30 minutes) should include but would not be limited to discussion on the following topics/issues:
a. Motivation and Significance of the Research
b. Definition of the Critical Issues
c. Literature Search/Bibliography
d. Research Objectives
e. Outline of the Experimental/Theoretical Approach
f. Anticipated Results
g. Timeline (sequence of accomplishment and milestones)
h. Metrics to Determine the Successful Outcome of the Research
i. Relevant Supporting Preliminary Data
j. Potential Impact (scientific or technological)
This oral exam is designed to evaluate comprehensive knowledge in materials science and engineering, “soft” skills, e.g., communication, awareness of market-driven technology, etc., and the ability to organize and plan a project. Thus questions during the oral exam will not only be directed towards the research topic but can also be directed toward peripheral materials issues related to the proposed research. Full time students entering the Ph.D. program with a Masters Degree are expected to take the qualifying examination and set up a Qualifier/Dissertation Committee in their first five semesters. Under certain circumstances, an extension is possible upon request to and approval of the research advisor and department chair. The Qualifier/Dissertation Committee will contain the student’s advisor(s) and at least three other faculty, at least one of whom is not a member of the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty. Within the first two years, students will be admitted to candidacy based on three criteria:
a. Results of Qualifying Examination
b.
Successful completion of requested corethe
required courses with a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
c. Satisfactory research progress as determined by the candidate’s Qualifier/Dissertation Committee.
Admission to candidacy decisions will be made by the Departmental Graduate Committee.
For those who enter the program with a M.S. or equivalent or those
exceptionally well qualified students (with a B. S. degree or equivalent)
wishing to directly enter the Ph.D. program, they will have until the end of January of their second year (a second and final chance by June 1 in the same year if performance on first exam is unsatisfactory) to take the Qualifying examination.
Part-time students entering with a B.S. degree take the qualifying examination no later than the sixth semester, and will then follow the above procedure with the expectation that admission to candidacy requirements be satisfied by two years after the qualifying exam is taken.
7. Specialization
In addition to the materials science core leading to the Ph.D. qualifying examination, students engage in the study of an area of specialization. Current areas of specialization are polymers, electronic and magnetic materials, materials chemistry, biomolecular/bioinspired materials, metals and composite materials. Students are required to complete satisfactorily at least five courses in an area of specialization. The course of study is developed by the student and his/her research advisor and is approved by the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty. Course lists for the areas of specialization are found in item C below. The lists are subject to change.
8. Dissertation
A dissertation containing original results of the student’s research effort must be presented and approved by the Ph.D. Committee and the Chairperson of the Department.
9. Final Oral Examination
After an oral presentation open to all interested persons, the student will be examined on the dissertation by the Ph.D. Qualifier/Dissertation Committee. In addition to examining the results of the original research contained in the dissertation, the committee will pay particular attention that suggestions for future work shall constitute a well-formulated and coherent plan to extend the research significantly.
C.
List of
Courses in the Areas of Specialization
A specialization requires satisfactory completion of at least three courses from the one of the following lists:
a)
Polymers
MSEG
601 Structure and
Properties of Polymer Materials
MSEG 604 Phase Transformations
MSEG 614 Fracture of
Materials
MSEG 616 Chemistry and
Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces
MSEG
632 Principles of
Polymerization
MSEG
633 Polymer Synthesis and
Characterization
MSEG
635 Principles of Polymer
Physics
MSEG 821 Diffraction of
Radiation by Matter
MSEG 823 TEM in
Materials Science
MSEG 667 Biopolymeric Materials
MSEG 667 Practical
Electron Microscopy in Materials Science
MSEG 667 Electron and
Photonic Materials
CHEM 620
Analytical Spectroscopy
CHEM 624 Principles of Mass Spectroscopy
CHEM 626 Instrumentation Methods in Mass Spectroscopy
CHEM 627 Practical Mass Spectroscopy
CHEM 673 Practical NMR Spectroscopy
CHEG 601 Structure and Properties of Polymer Materials
CHEG 602 Polymer Process Analysis and Design
CHEG 603 Polymerization Reaction Engineering
CHEG 606 Introduction to Catalysis
CHEG 604 Intro. to Polymer Science and Engineering II
CHEG 828 Statistical Thermodynamics
MEEG 617 Composite
Materials
MEEG 813 Theory of
Elasticity
MEEG 817 Composite
Materials
MEEG 862 Advanced
Engineering Analysis
MEEG 863 Engineering
Analysis 1
b)
Metals and Composites
MSEG
606 Corrosion and
Protection
MSEG 607 Physical
Properties of Materials I
MSEG 614 Fracture of
Materials
MSEG 616 Chemistry and Physics
of Surfaces
MSEG 806 Physical
Properties of Solids
MSEG 807 Physical
Properties of Materials II
MSEG 821 Diffraction of
Radiation by Matter
MSEG 823 TEM in
Materials Science
MSEG 667 Practical
Electron Microscopy in Materials Science
CHEG 601
Structure and Properties of Polymer Materials
CHEG 602 Polymer Process Analysis and Design
CHEG 606 Introduction to Catalysis
CHEG 616 Chemistry and Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces
MEEG 610
Experimental Mechanics for Composite Materials
MEEG 617 Composite
Materials
MEEG 667 Composite
Materials Design
MEEG 667 High
Temperature Composites
MEEG 813 Theory of
Elasticity
MEEG 814 Theory of
Plasticity
MEEG 816 Advanced
Continuum Mechanics
MEEG 817 Composite
Materials
MEEG 818 Advanced
Plates and Shells in Aerospace Structures I
MEEG 819 Advanced
Plates and Shells in Aerospace Structures II
MEEG 855 Principle of
Composite Manufacturing
MEEG 856 Nanocrystalline and Nanocomposite
Materials
c)
Electronic and Magnetic Materials
MSEG
616 Chemistry and Physics
of Surfaces and Interfaces
MSEG 623 Electrical
Properties of Matter I
MSEG 667 Introduction
to Ceramic Materials
MSEG 667 Practical
Electron Microscopy in Materials Science
MSEG 821 Diffraction of
Radiation by Matter
MSEG 822 Imperfections
in Crystals
MSEG 823 TEM in
Materials Science
MSEG 824 Advanced
Carrier Transport in Solids
ELEG 621
Solid State Electronics ll
ELEG 622 Electronic Materials Processing
ELEG 624 Fundamental Device Principles
ELEG 626 Integrated Circuits
ELEG 650 Semiconductor Device Design and Fabrication
ELEC 640 Optoelectronics
PHYS 645
Electronics for Scientist
PHYS 646
Instrumentation for Scientists
PHYS 803 Solid State
Physics
PHYS 624 Introduction
to Solid State Physics
PHYS 803 Solid State
Physics
MEEG 862 Advanced
Engineering Analysis
MEEG 863 Engineering
Analysis 1
CHEG 606 Introduction
to Catalysis
d) Biomolecular/Bioinspired Materials
MSEG
601 Structure and
Properties of Polymer Materials
MSEG 667 Polymer
Physics
MSEG 667 Issues at the
Interface of Materials and Biology
MSEG 667 Biopolymeric
Materials
MSEG 667 Practical
Electron Microscopy in Materials Science
MSEG 821 Diffraction of
Radiation by Matter
MSEG 823 TEM in
Materials Science
CHEG 620 Biochemical Engineering
CHEG 650 Biomedical Engineeering
MEEG 862
Advanced Engineering Analysis
MEEG 863 Engineering Analysis 1
CHEM 527
Introductory Biochemistry
CHEM 641 Biochemistry
CHEM 642 Biochemistry
CHEM 643 Intermediary
Metabolism
CHEM 644 Mechanisms of
Enzyme Catalysis
CHEM 645 Protein Structure
and Function
CHEM 646 DNA-Protein
Interactions
CHEM 647 Biochemical
Evolution
CHEM 648 Membrane
Biochemistry
CHEM 649 Molecular
Biophysics
d) General
MSEG 811 Advanced Topics in Materials
MSEG 620 Career Survival Outside the University
MSEG 667 Entrepreneurship and Risk-Taking: How to Establish a Startup
MSEG
964 Pre-Candidacy Study