MATSC-ENG - Materials Science and Engineering (ENG)

The degree of Engineer is intended for students who want additional graduate training beyond that offered in an M.S. program. The program of study must satisfy the student's department and must include at least 90 units beyond the B.S. degree. The presentation of a thesis is required. The University regulations for the Engineer degree are stated in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin, and further information is available in the individual departmental sections of this bulletin.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the adviser and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Faculty advisers guide students in key areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the "Graduate Advising" section of this bulletin.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is committed to providing academic advising in support of its M.S. students’ education and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative engagement by both the adviser and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

At the start of graduate study, each student is assigned a master’s program adviser, a member of department faculty who provides guidance in course selection and in exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways. Usually, the same faculty member serves as a program adviser for the duration of the master’s study, but the MSE Graduate Handbook does describe a process for formal adviser changes.

The MSE Graduate Handbook provides information and suggested timelines for advising meetings; however, ideally, the program adviser and student meet at least three times during the student’s two-year degree. The first meeting between the program adviser and student should occur once in the Autumn Quarter of the first year to discuss the student’s goals and objectives. Student and program adviser meet again in Spring Quarter to discuss the student’s course plans and goals for the next academic year. The last meeting should be at the start of the quarter before the student’s final quarter of study, and the program adviser and student review the student’s coursework taken and the final quarter of study courses the student intends to take. It is expected that the student initiates these meetings.

In addition, the faculty Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) meets all the master’s students during the MSE Orientation at the start of the first year and is available during the academic year by email and/or appointment. The DGS or program adviser may initiate a meeting with any student they feel could be in academic distress.

The MSE student services team is also an important part of the master’s advising team. They inform students and advisers about University and department requirements, procedures, and opportunities, and maintain the official records of advising assignments and approvals.

Finally, the department believes that graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program. As such, it expects students to read not only the MSE Graduate Handbook, but also the monthly MSE Updates newsletter, which provides deadlines, web links, and other valuable information on graduate degree progress.

The purpose of the master’s program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is done through course and laboratory work in solid state fundamentals and materials engineering, and further course work in a technical depth area which may include a master’s Research Report. Typical depth areas include nanocharacterization, electronic and photonic materials, energy materials, nano and biomaterials.

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Materials Science and Engineering and related fields.