Materials Science and Engineering
Telephone: (302) 831-2062
http://www.mseg.udel.edu/
Faculty Listing: http://www.mseg.udel.edu/directory/faculty.html
Program Overview
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Materials Science and Engineering (MMSE) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D). The Master's degree can be obtained with by either thesis or non-thesis options.
The goal of Materials Science is to provide improved materials for society. Current new materials technologies demand materials scientists and engineers who can relate the processing, structure, and properties of a broad range of materials. The Master's program offers a foundation in the science of materials and their uses. The Ph.D program offers a development of the student's ability to conduct original and creative research. The areas of study within the program include:
Materials chemistry - design and synthesis of novel materials by combining chemical architectures that have specific properties, e.g., electrical conductivity, rigidity, flexibility, solubility, etc.
Polymers - interrelations among processing, microstructure and behavior of polymeric solids and thin films.
Electronic materials - electrical, magnetic, optical and thermal behavior of materials, including semiconductors, photovoltaics, superconductors, electro luminescent polymers, and devices.
Composite materials - manufacturing, microstructure, and properties of composite materials.
Biomolecular materials - synthesis and characterization of novel chemical architectures that incorporate peptide and nucleotide sequences; bio-inspired materials, protein polymers.
Nanoscale materials - synthesis, characterization and processing of materials at length scales where bulk "properties" are modified.
Research Facilities
Since the primary goal of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is to foster the development of Materials Science in general at The University of Delaware, we are committed to acquiring, operating and maintaining a wide range of experimental equipment. In addition to the usual laboratory equipment, the Department operates an Electron Microscope Laboratory, a Vibrational (Raman, IR) Spectroscopy Laboratory, and an X-ray Laboratory as facilities which are available to researchers who may need them in the course of their work. A wide range of analytical, computing, synthesis, and fabrication facilities are also available within the College of Engineering.
Financial Aid
Please refer to Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships for more information.
Requirements For Admission
Applicants are expected to have:
- A baccalaureate degree in Materials science, in an Engineering discipline or in a Physical science.
- An undergraduate grade-point average in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics courses of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
- A minimum of three (3) letters of strong reference from former teachers and/or supervisors.
- A minimum combined verbal and quantitative score of 1150 on the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test.
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language for students whose first language is not English and who have not received a degree from a college or university in which English is the sole language of instruction. (Minimum score: 550 on paper based TOEFL; 213 on computer based TOEFL 79 on IBET TOEFL.)
Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission.
Requirements For The Degrees
For the Masters (MMSE) degree with thesis, 24 credit hours of course work and 6 credits of thesis work on a research topic are required. Of the 24 credits of course work, 9 credits are elective and are chosen in an area of specialization after discussion with the student's advisor.
For the Masters (MMSE) degree without thesis, 30 credit hours of course work are required. Of the 30 credits of course work, 15 credits are elective and are chosen after discussion with the student's adviser and will usually be related to the student's area of interest. The non-thesis Masters (MMSE) degree is offered specifically for off-campus, part-time students and is not available to full-time graduate students.
For the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree, 12 credits of coursework are required beyond those necessary for the Master's (MMSE) degree. The candidate must pass a qualifying examination. Subsequently, the student conducts research on a topic with an adviser of his/her own choosing. The dissertation must be of publishable quality as judged by the senior materials faculty. Finally, the student must pass an oral examination on the dissertation.
Part-time graduate education is available through the Engineering Outreach Program.
All graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade-point index of 3.0.
Facility Of Expression In English
It is a requirement of the Department that students demonstrate an ability to express themselves orally in a clear and professional manner. Each candidate must present his or her research results in a departmental colloquium.
