Degree Requirements

Required Core Classes

The core courses below are required for all students regardless of which program (thesis/non-thesis) they may choose. They are designed to apply the principles of thermodynamics, transport, reaction kinetics, crystal defects, and other materials fundamentals in contemporary materials engineering areas involving and reinforcing issues of structure, properties, processing, and performance. All students must successfully complete these courses with a 3.0 GPA: 

• MME 5302: Materials Extraction, Synthesis, and Processing
• MME 5401: Microstructural and Microchemical Characterization of Materials
• MME 5403: Advanced Concepts in Materials Science and Engineering
• MME 5304: Phase Transformations & Microstructures
• MME 5195: Graduate Seminar 

Students may apply a maximum of 9 semester hours of approved undergraduate courses toward the MS degree with the approval of the Graduate Advisor and the Graduate School. 

Students must select either the Thesis or Non-Thesis (Project) program: 

Thesis Program

• 24 semester hours of course work plus
• 6 semester hours of thesis (MME 5398 and MME 5399)
• 30 hours total 

Thesis work should clearly demonstrate the ability to execute independent, innovative research. The research should be original and make a contribution to the state of the art. Thesis work is the substance of the MS degree. It must be written, in whole or in part, as a technical paper and submitted for publication prior to the awarding of the degree. The student should be the senior (first) author. 

Project Program

• 30 semester hours of course work plus
• 6 semester hours of project (MME 5396 and MME 5397)
• 36 total semester hours minimum 

Non-thesis students are required to present a research report which must be approved by at least two members of the Research Advisory Committee. There are no formal requirements for this report. 

Advisory Committees

The Academic Advisory Committee, as well as the Graduate School, will normally approve all academic program proposals and monitor academic progress of all graduate students until a thesis or research program advisor is chosen and a Research Advisory Committee developed. This can be done at any time after the student matriculates into the MS program. The Research Advisory Committee normally consists of the research advisor (who serves as chair) and at least one additional member of the department faculty and one faculty member from another academic department. An additional member of the committee from another academic department is often desirable if a concentration is involved, bringing the committee size to four members. All members must be members of the Graduate Faculty. Students are required to meet with their Research Committee at least once per year, usually in the Spring semester.

Undesignated Degrees

A student holding a Bachelor of Science with a major in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering or a related materials area may work toward a 33 semester hour undesignated MS in Engineering degree without a thesis, leading to a concentration in an area outside of the major. The course work includes 18 hours in the major field and at least 12 hours in the particular area of concentration. The work in the major field includes credit for MME 5396 (Graduate Project). 

Graduate students in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering are involved with academic studies and research programs that focus on understanding the structure, properties, processing and performance of materials, including the development of new or improved materials and advanced processing methods. These are the critical links between the design and the realization of new materials systems. Materials and materials limitations pervade all of the engineering and high technology fields that are an integral part of our society and its economic infrastructure. The challenges and opportunities for graduates in metallurgical and materials engineering are certainly exciting and exceptional. 

The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department offers a Master of Science with a major in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and an undesignated Master of Science with a major in Engineering. 

Sub-Specialization

Possible areas of sub-specialization for an undesignated degree or to complement a research area or to achieve a broader materials background may involve Business Management, Operations Research, Structural Mechanics, Electronic Device Design and Development, Experimental Design, Manufacturing Engineering emphasizing advanced manufacturing and Materials Processes, Waste Materials Management, and the like. Some examples of other engineering courses which might contribute to developing these areas include the following: 

Students from engineering disciplines outlined above or other science or engineering disciplines may wish to develop a sub-specialization in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering or Materials Engineering. In general, a sub-specialization could be developed by considering the core program: 

• MME 5401 Microstructural and Microchemical Characterization of Materials
• MME 5302 Materials Extraction, Synthesis & Processing
• MME 5303 Modern Concepts in Materials Science & Engineering
• MME 5304 Phase Transformations & Microstructures
• MME 5195 Graduate Seminar