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MATSC-MS - Materials Science and Engineering (MS)
Overview
Program Overview
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering requires a minimum of 45 units for a master’s degree to be taken in residence at Stanford. A Master’s Program Proposal form should be filled out, signed by the student’s academic adviser, and submitted to the department’s student services manager by the end of the student’s first quarter of study. Final revisions to the master’s program proposal must be submitted no later than one academic quarter prior to the quarter of expected degree conferral. Stanford Materials Science undergraduates who are pursuing or who plan to pursue a Coterminal M.S. degree may have more flexibility in their programs and should consult with their academic advisers regarding appropriate core course and elective choices.
Director of Graduate Studies
Free Form Requisites
The University’s basic requirements for the M.S. degree are discussed in the “Graduate Degrees” section of this bulletin. The following are specific departmental requirements.
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering requires a minimum of 45 units for a master’s degree to be taken in residence at Stanford. A Master’s Program Proposal form (PDF) should be filled out, signed by the student’s academic adviser and submitted to the department’s student services manager by the end of the student’s first quarter of study. Final revisions to the master’s program proposal must be submitted no later than one academic quarter prior to the quarter of expected degree conferral. Stanford Materials Science undergraduates who are pursuing or who plan to pursue a coterminal MS degree may have more flexibility in their programs and should consult with their academic advisers regarding the appropriate core course and elective choices
Degree requirements are as follows:
1. A minimum of 21 units of Materials Science and Engineering (MATSCI) course work, including core and lab courses specified below, all taken for a letter grade. Research units, one-unit seminars, course Practical Training, and courses in other departments (i.e., where students cannot enroll in a class with a MATSCI subject code) cannot be counted for this requirement.
2. Of these 21 units of Materials Science requirements, students must include Option A1 or A2.
A1. Three classes from MATSCI 211-215 core courses and four MATSCI 170-176 laboratory courses. One laboratory requirement may be fulfilled by taking a lab course from another engineering department. The following courses are acceptable and MUST be taken for a grade; Appphys 208, Appphys 232, BioE 301C, CHEM 176, CHEM 274, ChemEng 185A, ChemEng 185B, EE 212, EE 312, ENGR 210, ENGR 241, ME 348, ME 367.
Units | ||
|---|---|---|
Select three of the following core courses: | ||
Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria | 3 | |
Rate Processes in Materials | 3 | |
Defects and Disorder in Materials | 3 | |
Structure and Symmetry | 3 | |
Quantum Mechanics for Materials Science | 3 | |
Total core course units | 9 | |
Select four of the following lab courses: | ||
Nanomaterials Laboratory | 3 | |
Energy Materials Laboratory | 3 | |
X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory | 3 | |
Mechanical Behavior Laboratory | 3 | |
Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices Laboratory | 3 | |
Nanoscale Materials Physics Computation Laboratory | 3 | |
Data Science and Machine Learning Approaches in Chemical and Materials Engineering | 3 | |
Total lab course units | 12 | |
TOTAL | 21 | |
A2. Four classes from MATSCI 211-215 core courses and three MATSCI 170 -176 laboratory courses. One laboratory requirement may be fulfilled by taking a lab course from another engineering department. The following courses are acceptable and MUST be taken for a grade; Appphys 208, Appphys 232, BioE 301C, CHEM 176, CHEM 274, ChemEng 185A, ChemEng 185B, EE 212, EE 312, ENGR 210, ENGR 241, ME 348, ME 367.
Units | ||
|---|---|---|
Select four of the following core courses: | ||
Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria | 3 | |
Rate Processes in Materials | 3 | |
Defects and Disorder in Materials | 3 | |
Structure and Symmetry | 3 | |
Quantum Mechanics for Materials Science | 3 | |
Total core course units | 12 | |
Select two of the following lab courses: | ||
Nanomaterials Laboratory | 3 | |
Energy Materials Laboratory | 3 | |
X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory | 3 | |
Mechanical Behavior Laboratory | 3 | |
Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices Laboratory | 3 | |
Nanoscale Materials Physics Computation Laboratory | 3 | |
Data Science and Machine Learning Approaches in Chemical and Materials Engineering | 3 | |
Total lab course units | 9 | |
TOTAL | 21 | |
3. 24 units of approved course electives to result in a technically cohesive program. Of the 24 units of elective courses:
B. MatSci Electives: 12 of the 24 units must be taken for a letter grade
C. Other Approved Electives: 12 of the 24 units must be taken for a letter grade (except for those submitting an MS thesis report).
9 units must be taken for a letter grade (except for those submitting an M.S. thesis report).
Seminar units are limited to three (3) total.
Three elective units may be taken for CR/NC.
Undergrad units are limited to three (3). No courses under 100 level and no activity courses are accepted. *Computer Science courses at 100-level or higher are considered graduate-level (ex. CS 106A).
If doing the MS Thesis option, 9-15 research units (MatSci 200) are required. Two faculty are required to be readers. One must be a MatSci faculty member. The other may be MatSci faculty or your research PI if that person is not MSE faculty. See Student Services Office for approval and details.
Research units do not count unless the MS Thesis option is selected, which appropriately reflects units used (seminar, undergrad, and research units together cannot total more than 15 units).
GPA must be 2.75 for courses counted for the degree.
All proposed degree programs are subject to approval by the student's academic adviser, and the department’s student services manager, who has responsibility for assuring that each proposal is a technically cohesive program. The M.S. degree is expected to be completed within two years during the University’s candidacy period for completion of a master’s degree.
Master's Thesis Report
Students wishing to take this option must consult with a MATSCI faculty member initially. Out of the 45 units M.S. degree requirements, 9-15 units may be taken in Materials Science Master's research by enrolling in MATSCI 200. Students using 15 units of research toward the degree must participate in a more complex and demanding research project than those using lesser units.
The M.S. thesis report must be approved and signed off by two faculty members. In general, one is the student’s research adviser, if the adviser is a non MATSCI faculty member, a second MATSCI faculty is required to sign off on the thesis report. Consult with student services manager about faculty criteria, and requirements. Three copies of the M.S. thesis report in final format should be submitted to two faculty advisers and the department. The report is not an official University thesis but is intended to demonstrate to the department and faculty student's ability to conduct and report directed research.
As a general guideline, 9 units of master's research is a normal load for most students. The report should reflect the number of units taken. For instance, 3-4 laboratory reports are required for a 3-unit laboratory course. Accordingly, the level expected for 9 units of research would be at least equivalent to three such courses.
Students are advised to submit their thesis draft to faculty adviser readers by the end of the fifth week of the quarter in which the units are to be assigned to allow time for faculty comments and revisions. A collated final version of the thesis report should be submitted to the faculty and student services manager by the last day of classes of the student's graduation quarter. The appropriate grade for satisfactory progress in the research project prior to submission of the final report is 'N' (continuing); the 'S' (Satisfactory) final grade is given only when the report is fully approved and signed off by both faculty members.
In cases where students decide to pursue research after the initial program submission deadline, they should submit a revised M.S. Program Proposal at least two quarters before the degree is granted. The total combined units of Materials Science research units, seminars, and undergraduate courses cannot exceed 15. If a master’s thesis report is not submitted, units in MATSCI 200 Master's Research cannot be applied to the department’s requirement of 45 units for the conferral of the master’s degree.
Honors Cooperative Program
Some of the department’s graduate students participate in the Honors Cooperative Program (HCP), which makes it possible for academically qualified engineers and scientists in the industry to be part-time graduate students in Materials Science while continuing professional employment. Prospective HCP students follow the same admissions process and must meet the same admissions requirements as full-time graduate students. For information regarding the Honors Cooperative Program, see Graduate Programs in the "School of Engineering" section of this bulletin.
Petition Process for Transfer from M.S. to Ph.D. Degree Program
Students admitted to graduating programs are admitted specifically into either the terminal M.S. or the Ph.D. program. A student admitted to the terminal M.S. program should not assume admission to the Ph.D. program. Admission to the Ph.D. program is required for a student to be eligible to work towards the Ph.D. degree.
A student in the terminal M.S. program may petition to be admitted to the Ph.D. program by filing an M.S. to Ph.D. petition form. The petition must include a one-page statement of purpose explaining why the student wishes to transfer to the Ph.D. program and two letters of recommendation from members of the Stanford faculty, including one from the student’s prospective research adviser and at least one from a Materials Science faculty member belonging to the Academic Council. The M.S. to Ph.D. petition to transfer should be submitted to the student services manager by June of the first year in the M.S. program. Students who wish to submit a petition for the Ph.D. degree should plan to complete MATSCI 211, 212, 213, and 214, with the option of completing 215 core courses during their first year of admission. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better in the core courses is a requirement.
Transferring to the Ph.D. program is a competitive process and only highly qualified M.S. students may be admitted. The student’s original application to the graduate program as well as the materials provided for the transfer petition are reviewed. Students must adhere to requirements for the terminal M.S. degree, and plan to confer the M.S. degree in the event that the Ph.D. petition to transfer is not approved.
Coterminal Master of Science Program in Materials Science and Engineering
Stanford undergraduates who wish to continue their studies for the Master of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering through the Coterminal program may apply for admission after they have earned 120 units toward graduation (UTG) as shown on the undergraduate unofficial transcript. Applicants must submit their application no later than eight weeks before the start of the proposed admit quarter. The application must give evidence that the student possesses a potential for strong academic performance at the graduate level.
Materials science is a highly integrated and interdisciplinary subject, therefore students of any engineering or science undergraduate major are encouraged to apply.
Information and other requirements pertaining to the Coterminal program in Materials Science and Engineering may be obtained from the department’s student services manager.
University Coterminal Requirements
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the Coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.
After accepting admission to this Coterminal master’s degree program, students may request the transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.
In this master’s program, courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The University requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Engineer in Materials Science Engineering
The University’s basic requirements for the degree of Engineer are outlined in the “Graduate Degrees” section of this bulletin.
A student wishing to enter the Engineer program must have completed the requirements of the M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering and must file a petition requesting admission to the program, stating the type of research to be done and the proposed supervising professor. Once approved, the Application for Candidacy must be submitted to the department’s student services manager by the end of the second quarter in the Engineer program. Final changes in the Application for Candidacy form must be submitted no later than one academic quarter prior to degree conferral.
The 90-unit program must include 9 units of graduate courses in Materials Science with a MATSCI subject code (no research units, seminars, colloquia, and MATSCI400 Participation in Materials Science Teaching, Participation in Teaching) beyond the requirements for the M.S. degree, and additional research or other units to meet the 90-unit University minimum requirement. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 must be maintained for all degree coursework taken at Stanford.
The Engineer thesis must be approved and signed off by two Academic Council faculty members, one must be a MATSCI faculty member.
Program Policies
External Credit Policies
N/A
Advising Expectations
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.
M.S. Advising
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.
Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
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 the 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.