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Materials Science and Chemical Engineering
HomeGraduate StudiesMaterials Science Masters Degree Requirements

Requirements for the Materials Science Masters Program


Requirements are subject to change; for official requirements see the graduate bulletin.

In addition to the minimum requirements of the Graduate School, the requirements for the M.S. degree in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering can be satisfied by either one of the two following options:

M.S. Non-Thesis Option

A. Election

The election of this option must be made by the student upon admission to the program and is considered a terminal degree.

B. Coursework

  1. A minimum of 30 graduate credits with a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all graduate courses taken is required to graduate. All credits must be from coursework.
  2. The 30 credits must include the following three core courses: ESM 511-Thermodynamics of Solids; ESM 513-Strength of Materials; and ESM521- Kinetic of Materials.
  3. Only six credits of ESM 696- Special Topics in Materials Science are allowed. Additional ESM 696 credits require permission of the Graduate Program Director.
  4. All courses taken outside the Department require permission from the Graduate Program Director.

 

M.S. Thesis Option

A. Election

The election of this option must be made by the student upon admission to the program and is normally considered part of the Ph.D. sequence. Students may not transfer to the Non-Thesis Option while registered for a Thesis Master’s or a Ph.D. degree.

B. Coursework

  1. A minimum of 30 graduate credits is required to graduate; 24 credits must be from coursework.
  2. The 30 credits must include the following three core courses: ESM 511-Thermodynamics of Solids; ESM 513-Strength of Materials; and ESM521- Kinetics of Materials.
  3. The 30 credits must include six credits of ESM 599- Research.
  4. Only six credits of ESM 696- Special Topics in Materials Science are allowed. Additional ESM 696 credits require permission of the Graduate Program Director.
  5. All courses taken outside the Department require permission from the Graduate Program Director.

C. Thesis

For students who opt for the thesis option, the culmination of the degree is earned through appropriate research completed under the supervision of a research advisor. The thesis option is recommended for students who will be continuing on for their doctoral degree or for students who wish to pursue an industrial career that does involve Research & Development (R&D) focus. The thesis must be approved by three faculty members, at least two of whom are core faculty members in the department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, including the research advisor. Students must enroll in ESM 599 for 6 credits under the research advisor within the department or the graduate program director to complete and submit a written thesis on their research.

D. Final Recommendation

Upon fulfillment of the above requirements, the Graduate Program Committee will recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School that the Master of Science degree be conferred or will stipulate further requirements that the student must fulfill.

E. Transfer to Other Options

Transfer to another degree option in the Department can be made only with the written permission of the Graduate Program Director.

Materials Science
Materials Science