Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

Ph.D. candidate must successfully complete the following requirements:

· Six core courses in materials science and engineering:

510.601 Structure of Materials

510.602 Thermodynamics of Materials

510.603 Phase Transformations in Materials

510.604 Mechanical Properties of Materials

510.605 Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials

510.606 Chemical and Biological Properties of Materials

· Four advanced (600 level or higher) courses in materials science and engineering or related fields.

In some cases, an adviser may require a student to complete additional coursework. Only courses for which the student has received a grade of B- or better will be counted towards completion of course requirements, and an overall B average must be maintained. If a grade of C+ or lower is received, the student must repeat the course and achieve a grade of B- or better. Receipt of a letter grade of C+ or lower in two courses will normally be cause for dismissal from the program. Students who have completed other graduate-level coursework may petition the graduate program committee to waive up to two core courses (510.601-606) and up to two elective courses. Written requests for such waivers must be received by the graduate committee by the end of the first semester of matriculation.

· A comprehensive oral exam covering the areas of structure, thermodynamics, and phase transformations of materials, and the student’s choice of one of the following areas: chemical and biological properties of materials; mechanical properties of materials; electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of materials. This exam is offered semiannually and may be taken prior to or during the student’s second year. The student will have two opportunities to pass within a one year period. The examining committee will be composed of three tenured and/or tenure track departmental faculty members.

· An oral presentation of a dissertation proposal at a department seminar held before the end of the student’s third year. A written version of the dissertation proposal must be presented to a three-member faculty committee two weeks prior to the oral presentation. One member of the committee shall be the faculty adviser; the other two members shall be selected in consultation with the faculty adviser. A brief closed discussion session between the student, adviser, and the other members of the faculty committee shall follow the presentation; additional private discussions may be required by one or more of the committee members.

· The completion of an original research project. Candidates must write a dissertation describing their work in detail. A public defense of the thesis before a committee of five faculty members (chosen by the Graduate Program Committee, with at least three members being from outside the department) is required, and will be followed by a closed final graduate board examination with the committee. The thesis will be approved by a majority vote of the committee. The thesis defense/oral examination must be scheduled for a date two months prior to any personal or university deadline for graduation. A complete draft of the dissertation must be presented to all of the committee members no later than two weeks before the defense. The dissertation in its final form must be read and signed by two members of the committee (the adviser and one other member).

The department must be satisfied that all academic requirements have been satisfied by the candidate before a recommendation to confer a Ph.D. degree is passed on to the University Graduate Board