University General Course Catalog 2019-2020 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
University General Course Catalog 2019-2020 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Materials Science and Engineering, M.S.


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I. Contact Information


Qi An, Assistant Professor
(775)784-7789
qia@unr.edu

Departmental website: http://www.unr.edu/cme/

II. Brief Introduction


The Materials Science and Engineering graduate program currently offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Materials Science and Engineering.

The program of courses and research for both the master’s and doctoral degrees are tailored to the background, needs and interests of the individual student.

Current areas of advanced study and research in materials science and engineering at UNR include:

  • Physical and mechanical metallurgy
  • Alloy development
  • Materials processing
  • Nuclear materials
  • Materials for energy storage
  • Materials modeling and simulation
  • Other advanced materials

Additional information on current areas of research can be found on the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department’s website, https://www.unr.edu/cme/.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes


Mission Statement:

To provide nationally recognized leadership in engineering, research, education, and service in materials science and engineering. To educate high quality students with the academic experience and knowledge to become leaders in education, research, and service in materials science and engineering. To generate new knowledge that has a significant impact in the development and application of existing and new materials. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • an ability to apply engineering research and theory to advance the art, science, and practice of the discipline,
  • an ability to design and conduct experiments as well as to analyze, interpret, apply, and disseminate the data,
  • an understanding of research methodology.

IV. Admission Requirements


The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) graduate program offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Materials Science and Engineering. The general university requirements for these advanced degrees are listed in the Graduate School  section of this catalog.

Students must have an undergraduate degree in a related field (preferably a field of engineering) and must meet the following minimum requirements:

  1. Hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 for four years of undergraduate work 
  2. Earn acceptable scores on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (required for Ph.D. program, optional for M.S. program)
  3. Students whose native language is not English, must earn an acceptable score on the TOEFL or IELTS unless they have completed BS/MS degrees from institutions in select English speaking countries
  4. Submit letters of recommendation from former professors indicating the student’s capability for advanced course work and research

Prospective graduate students should contact the graduate program director for further information. Formal application is completed through the Graduate School Website.

V. Program Requirements


The Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering is available through two paths: 1) Plan A requires an original research leading to a thesis, and 2) Plan B, focuses on advanced coursework and does not require a thesis. Graduate students in Plan A are eligible to apply for teaching assistantships. In addition to the requirements for a M.S. degree established by the graduate school (for details see graduate catalog ), Plan A and Plan B have the following requirements:

A. Plan A (Thesis)


A. Plan A Thesis Committee Requirements

  1. A majority of the M.S. committee should consist of MSE faculty.
  2. At least one member (which may include the primary advisor) of the M.S. committee should be from the MSE core faculty.

B. Plan A Course Requirements

  1. Satisfactory completion of at least 30 credits of acceptable graduate courses. 
  2. At least 21 credits must be earned in on-campus courses at the university.
  3. At least 18 of the 30 total credits must be earned at the 700 level.
  4. A minimum of 12 coursework credits must be taken from regular MSE graduate courses (i.e. other than  ,  ,  , and  ).
  5. Students must write and defend a thesis  that is approved by their advisory committee.
  6. The advisory-examining committee should include at least three members of the graduate faculty: two representing the MSE program, and one from outside of the MSE program who serves as the Graduate School Representative.

B. Plan B (Non-Thesis)


The Plan B program of study requires the 

  1. Satisfactory completion of at least 32 credits of acceptable graduate courses.
  2. At least 23 credits must be earned in on-campus courses at the university.
  3. At least 15 of the 32 total credits must be earned at the 700 level.
  4. A minimum of 18 coursework credits must be taken from regular MSE graduate courses (i.e. other than  ,  ,  , and  ).

C. Additional Requirements (Both Plan A and Plan B)


Students should develop an individualized program of study with the approval of their advisory committee (Plan A) or the Graduate Program Director or designee (Plan B). The plan should describe the specific courses, research, and related activities that students will take to meet their degree requirements. The graduate dean must approve all programs of study. Students are encouraged to develop a program of study as soon as possible after arriving at the university.

Once a plan of study has begun, subsequent changing from Plan A to Plan B (or the reverse) requires the approval of the student’s graduate advisor (if one is assigned) and the Graduate Program Director.

VI. Total Units


  • Plan A: 30 units
  • Plan B: 32 units

VII. Note(s):


The division offers several graduate fellowships, research assistantships and teaching assistantships. Requests for assistance should be submitted prior to March 15, but all applications will be considered regardless of the date they are submitted.

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