The Materials Science program aims to allow substantial flexibility for students with broad backgrounds and interests.
For both M.S. and Ph.D. students, the curriculum consists of six core courses and specialized coursework tailored towards your research thrust.
| Degree Component | M.S. | Ph. D. |
|---|---|---|
| ME 570 | 4 cr. | 4 cr. |
| Materials core coursework | 12 cr. | 16 cr. |
| Focus area (including Processing course) | 9 cr. | 12 cr. |
| Free electives | 8 cr. | 13 cr. |
| Thesis | 12 cr. | 63 cr. |
| Total | 45 cr. | 108 cr. |
To fulfill the core requirements of the Materials Science Program, students must complete 4 credits of ME 570 (Structure-Property Relationships in Materials) as well as three (for a M.S.) or four (for a Ph.D.) classes from these five categories:
Students are required to take one Materials Processing course (3-4 credits) chosen from the classes offered by their focus area. Additional focus area classes are selected by the student under guidance from their adviser and the graduate committee.
Elective Courses (approved by Program Director) will be selected by the student under guidance from the adviser and graduate committee. These courses can be used by the student to receive further training in fundamentals, generally, in the Area of Concentration and to explore new areas. The list of classes is available at this link.
Prior to taking the Preliminary Exam, Ph. D. students must receive a grade of B or higher in all required Materials Science core courses.
The format of the Preliminary Examination must include a written and an oral portion, however the exact nature of the exam will be determined by the major professor and thesis comittee at the student's program meeting. Typically the written portion would be a "research proposal" in a format and on a topic approved by the thesis committee. The written component must be submitted to the thesis committee at least one week prior to the oral examination. The oral exam must be scheduled through the graduate school using forms found at this link.
A graduate minor degree in Materials Science is available to students that complete ME 570 plus additional core coursework totaling 15 credits (M.S. minor) or 18 credits (Ph.D. minor). A member of the Materials Science Graduate Faculty (not from the student's home department) must serve as the Minor Professor on the committee.
