M.S. Program
Requirements
Materials science and engineering master’s students develop laboratory, computational, and analytical theory skills which are of value in many fields, including semiconductor materials and device processing, computer simulation and visualization, cryogenics, x-ray scattering, electronic, magnetic, and photonic measurements, and bioelectronics among others.
Each M.S. student is assigned a faculty adviser who helps to design a coursework plan suited to the student’s interests. The MSE program is interdisciplinary by nature and program faculty are formal members of academic departments in the Science Division and the Baskin School of Engineering.
Plan II is recommended for most students, especially those interested in working in industry. Plan I requires selection of a research faculty adviser during the first year of the program and is most appropriate for students interested in enrolling in a Ph.D. program at a later stage.
Master’s Plan I
Plan I (Thesis) Requirements
M.S. Plan I students must complete 45 credits of graduate or upper-division undergraduate course work, of which at least 30 credits must be graduate level credits.
Students must complete at least one course from three of the five areas of Materials Science and Engineering:
- Quantum and Thermodynamic Foundations of Materials
- Condensed Matter and Structure
- Materials Characterization Techniques
- Functional Materials
- Materials Synthesis and Processing
Students must also take either MSE 200/Introduction to Materials Science & Engineering at least once, and MSE 280/Colloquium in Materials Science and Engineering at least five times.
Students must enroll in MSE 200 the first time it is offered during their residency. At least one enrollment in MSE 280 must be taken for a letter grade. A letter grade in this course entails giving one of the colloquia. The course of study needs to be approved each quarter by the research adviser (who will supervise the research project) and the MSE graduate adviser.
The thesis research project, along with the Area 3, 4, and 5 courses, will provide significant practical professional development for students because the techniques used are widely used in industry. The expected time to degree is six quarters (two years).
The Master’s Plan I degree is open to students enrolled in the Ph.D. program.
M.S. Plan I Thesis Requirement:
Students enrolled in M.S. Plan I will be awarded a master’s degree upon completing the above requirements and submitting an approved thesis. Each M.S. student is assigned a faculty adviser who helps design a research plan suited to the student’s interests. The thesis may be in any of the research fields in the program, thereby developing laboratory, computational, and/or analytical theory skills that are of value in many areas of Materials Science and Engineering.
Master’s Plan II
Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Requirements
M.S. Plan II students must complete 45 credits of graduate or upper-division undergraduate course work, of which at least 30 credits must be graduate level credits. Students must complete at least one course from three of the five areas of Materials Science and Engineering:
- Quantum and Thermodynamic Foundations of Materials
- Condensed Matter and Structure
- Materials Characterization Techniques
- Functional Materials
- Materials Synthesis and Processing
Students must also take either MSE 200/Introduction to Materials Science & Engineering at least once, and MSE 280/Colloquium in Materials Science and Engineering at least five times.
Students must enroll in MSE 200 the first time it is offered during their residency. At least one enrollment in MSE 280 must be taken for a letter grade. Students can take Directed Studies a maximum of six times. The course of study needs to be approved each quarter by the MSE graduate adviser. Students will take a written comprehensive examination to complete the degree. The examination emphasizes the fundamental knowledge of the study area rather than the specifics covered in individual courses.
The degree will be awarded when all these requirements are met. Expected time to degree is six quarters (two years).
The Master’s Plan II degree is only open to students enrolling in the terminal master’s degree and is not open to students that have enrolled in the Ph.D. program. Plan II master’s students who would like to transfer to the doctoral program will have to have satisfied all the coursework requirements for the master’s program, passed the oral qualifier exam, and obtained the MSE Graduate Committee’s approval.