Material Science and Engineering MS Program

 Program Mission:  
The mission of the Master’s Program in Materials Science and Engineering is to prepare graduates to become highly skilled researchers, innovators, and problem-solvers who can apply advanced materials knowledge, preparation methods, state-of-the-art characterization techniques, and advanced engineering and computational approaches to tackle grand and complex challenges in research areas such as  renewable energy, optoelectronics, nanotechnology, high-resolution imaging, critical minerals, biomaterials, semiconductors, and quantum technology to contribute to a sustainable and affluent society. 

Program Goals: 
• Education: Provide a rigorous graduate education that ensures students develop advanced knowledge and practical application of materials synthesis and processing, characterization, and computational methods.
• Research: Equip students with the skills to become innovative researchers  and problem-solvers, capable of applying their knowledge to tackle complex research challenges in renewable energy, nanotechnology, biomaterials, and other strategic research areas.
• Community & Impact: Produce highly skilled graduates whose technical expertise and contributions to industry and research will help solve grand challenges and contribute to a sustainable and prosperous society.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs): 

Knowledge and Understanding
• K1: Evaluate the fundamental and advanced principles governing structure–property relationships in materials, including crystallography, defects, phase equilibria, and microstructural evolution.
• K2: Analyze the thermodynamic, kinetic, electronic, and quantum-mechanical foundations that determine materials behavior across different classes of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors, nanomaterials and biomaterials).
• K3: Assess scientific and technological challenges associated with emerging applications in renewable energy, high-resolution imaging, energy security, nanotechnology, critical minerals, biomaterials, semiconductors, interfacial engineering, and quantum materials, including their broader societal and economic impacts.

Skills
• S1: Design, conduct, and critically evaluate experiments for materials synthesis, fabrication, processing, characterization, and performance testing using advanced laboratory techniques and instrumentation.
• S2: Apply computational, data-driven, and multiscale modeling tools to simulate, predict, and interpret material properties and behavior, integrating computational insights with experimental findings.
• S3: Communicate scientific arguments, technical analyses, and research outcomes effectively in oral presentations, written reports, and graphical representations for academic, industrial, and interdisciplinary audiences.

Values, Autonomy, and Responsibility
• V1: Demonstrate professional integrity and autonomy by selecting appropriate experimental, analytical, and computational methods, while clearly justifying their limitations and assumptions in a materials research project.
• V2: Evaluate the broader environmental, economic, and ethical implications of materials development and deployment, including issues related to sustainability, responsible resource use, and long-term societal impact.
• V3: Demonstrate effective collaboration and leadership within interdisciplinary teams,  upholding high standards of research ethics, data stewardship, and professional conduct, while demonstrating commitment to continuous learning and development in the field of materials science and engineering.