Colorado School of Mines

Program Description:

The interdisciplinary materials science program collaborates with the departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Geochemistry, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Physics, Engineering, Environmental Science and Engineering, and Mining Engineering. The variety of disciplines provide for programs of study ranging from the traditional materials science program to a custom-designed program.

Degrees Offered:
Master of Science (Materials Science; thesis option or non-thesis option)
Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Science)

Program Requirements:

Master of Science (thesis option):
The Master of Science degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of acceptable course work and research credit including:
– Minimum of 18 hours of Materials Science courses (must have completed the core courses).
– 6 to 18 hours of thesis research credits depending upon focus area requirements.
– Submit a thesis and pass the Defense of Thesis examination before the Thesis Committee.

Master of Science (non-thesis option with case study):

The Master of Science degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of acceptable course work and research credit including:
– 18 hours of Materials Science courses from a list of required courses and 12 hours of other materials-related courses selected by the student with guidance from the student's advisor and the mentor of the specialty area group that the student has selected. The specialty materials-related courses can be taken in preparation for the student's PhD qualifying process examination, usually taken in the second year of graduate school. Total of at least 30-credit hours.
– 6 hours of case study credits (sign up for MLGN 599, Case Study Materials Science, using a paper form at the registar's office). The student must successfully prepare and defend a case study report on a topic. The student can stop with a Non-thesis Masters degree or pursue a PhD if accepted into the PhD program. The Case Study can be supporting materials for the student's PhD thesis.

The decision of which type of Master degree you should pursue needs to be decided with council of your advisor. The decision will affect the number of course hours required for the Master degree and whether a thesis or a case study report is to be written and defended.

Required Curriculum:Listed below are the required six Materials Science core courses:
MLGN500 Processing, Microstructure, and Properties of Materials
MLGN512/MTGN412 Ceramic Engineering
MLGN531/CHGN416 Introduction to Polymer Engineering and Technology
MLGN/CHGN580 Structure of Materials
MLGN504/MTGN555 Solid State Thermodynamics or CHEN509 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
MLGN511 Kinetic Concerns in Materials Processing

Students who have taken the equivalent of any of the core courses listed above, and have not used the courses to fulfill requirements towards their B.S. degree, may petition the Materials Science Graduate Committee for transfer credit (MLGN531/CHGN430, Introduction to Polymer Science, also meets the polymer requirement).

Entry to the Materials Science PhD Program requires completion of a science or engineering Master degree (with or without thesis) and completion of the Materials Science core courses with a grade of B or better (or evidence that the core course content of these courses had been taken in previous courses). Courses must be equivalent to the degree programs offered at CSM in the following departments: Chemistry and Geochemistry, Engineering (mechanical, electrical, or civil), Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, or Physics.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires a minimum of 72 hours of course and research credit including:
– The fulfillment of the Materials Science core course requirements plus additional courses as required by the focus area and a minimum of 30 hours of research credit.
– A written and/or oral qualifying examination in the specialty area (depending upon focus area requirements). – Prepare and submit a thesis and pass a Defense of Thesis examination before Thesis Committee.