Graduate Degree Programs in Materials Science

The Master of Science Degree typically requires two years of full-time study to complete. Two plans of study leading to this degree are available. Full-time students usually select Plan A, the M.S. degree with thesis. Requirements for this option include completion of six graduate courses (grade point average of at least 2.75/4.0); a written thesis of original research; and an oral thesis defense. The Plan B option is designed to accommodate part- time students, who generally have extensive lab experience but may need additional academic work. Plan B does not require a thesis. It does, however, require two additional classes and completion of a special project with a written project report.

Graduate students in pursuit of a Ph.D. must fulfill additional research and classroom responsibilities. A student becomes a candidate for the Ph.D. degree by successfully completing a written Qualifying Exam and by defending a proposed thesis project. Completing the requirements for the Ph.D. degree typically requires three years beyond the M.S. The requirements for the Ph.D. degree are:

Six graduate courses in addition to those of the M.S. program (graduate course work must include two courses in basic sciences, and fulfillment of depth and breadth guidelines, intended to ensure exposure to the many areas of Materials Science and Engineering)
Completion of an original research project, culminating in submission of a written dissertation and an oral defense
Cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0/4.0
On-campus residency of at least one year

Both Masters and Ph.D. students typically take two courses each semester in addition to working on their thesis research.

Graduate Courses

The following list summarizes many departmental courses that may be taken by graduate students. A maximum of two undergraduate 300-level classes may be used towards the Masters degree course requirement. An additional 300- level course may be applied to the Ph.D. degree requirements.

EMSE 301 Fundamentals of Materials Processing
EMSE 303 Mechanical Behavior of Materials
EMSE 307 Foundry Metallurgy
EMSE 312 Applications of Diffraction Principles
EMSE 313 Engineering Applications of Materials
EMSE 314 Electrical, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Materials
EMSE 316 Applications of Ceramic Materials
EMSE 401 Transformations in Materials
EMSE 402 Glassy State
EMSE 403 Modern Ceramic Processing
EMSE 404 Diffusion Processes in Solids and Melts
EMSE 405 Dielectrical, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials
EMSE 407 Solidification of Metals
EMSE 409 Thermal-Mechanical Processing of Metals
EMSE 411 Environmental Effects of Materials Behavior
EMSE 413 Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering
EMSE 414 Thermal Properties and Point Defects
EMSE 417 Properties of Materials at High Temperatures
EMSE 418 Oxidation of Materials
EMSE 419 Phase Equilibria and Microstructure of Materials
EMSE 420 Powder Processing
EMSE 421 Fracture of Materials
EMSE 423 Theory of Glass Processing
EMSE 424 Properties of Metallic Ceramics
EMSE 426 Semiconductor Technology
EMSE 427 Dislocations in Solids
EMSE 428 Materials Science in Archaeology and Art
EMSE 429 Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry
EMSE 430 Grain Boundaries, Interfaces, and Surfaces
EMSE 501 Advanced Diffraction Principles
EMSE 502 Mechanical Properties of Materials
EMSE 504 Thermodynamics of Solids
EMSE 511 Failure Analysis
EMSE 512 Advanced Techniques in Electron Microscopy
EMSE 514 Defects in Semiconductors
EMSE 515 Analytical Methods in Materials Science
EMSE 516 Analytical Methods in Materials Science (lab)