Master of Science in Materials Science & Engineering Curriculum Packet

The Master of Science in Materials Science & Engineering (MSMSE) provides advanced coursework and research that blends basic materials science with fundamental engineering principles and practice. Closely tied to industry needs and applications, the program supports research in nanomaterials, semiconductor materials, biomaterials, composites, metallurgy, welding, micro-joining, manufacturing, computational modeling, and materials synthesis, post-treatment, and characterization. The flexibility of the program structure encourages students to explore research in conventional disciplines as well as those in inter- or multi-disciplines. The program features research thrusts spanning a wide range of cutting-edge and cross-disciplinary areas.

Degree Requirements

Students pursuing an MSMSE degree must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours of advisor-approved* graduate level coursework, which includes at least three MSMSE core courses for the project or thesis option, and five core courses for the coursework-only option. For students pursuing the project or thesis option, this also includes ME 501 Research or ME 503 Thesis credits.

Thesis Option - AY 2020-2021 to AY 2022-2023

Project Option - AY 2020-2021 to AY 2022-2023

Coursework-Only Option - AY 2020-2021 to AY 2022-2023

MSMSE Core Courses

Only courses with a grade of B- or higher will be applied to the degree. The MME Department does not accept ME/MSE 502 Independent Study credits. Students can also apply two credit hour of ME 507 Seminar toward their degree.

*Must be approved by student's advisor, program committee, and the graduate program chair. Graduate electives may contain courses outside of ME/MSE depending on student's individualized course plan.

Suggested MSMSE Elective Courses AY 2022-2023 to AY 2023-2024

All electives must be pre-approved by advisor. No more than eight credits can be taken in a single department outside of MME.

Mechanical & Materials Engineering

• ME 577 Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing (4)
• ME 510 Material Surface Analysis (4)
• ME 547 Transfer and Rate Processes (4)
• ME 574 Rapid Prototyping, 3D Printing, and Additive Manufacturing (4)
• Note: All ME and MSE 500/600 level courses are approved electives

Civil Engineering

• CE 427/527 Finite Elements in Structural Mechanics (4)
• CE 479/579 Fate and Transport of Toxics in the Environment (4)
• CE 480/580 Chemistry of Environmental Toxins (4)
• CE 486/586 Environmental Chemistry (4)
• CE 539/639 Advanced Steel Design (4)

Electrical & Computer Engineering

• ECE 415/515 Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices (4)
• ECE 416/516 Integrated Circuit (IC) Technologies (4)
• ECE 417/517 Nanoelectronics (4)

Engineering Management

• ETM 545/645 Project Management (4)
• ETM 561/661 Technology Entrepreneurship (4)
• ETM 563/663 Intrepreneurship in Technology (4)

Chemistry

• CH 410/CH 510 Introduction to Nanomaterials (4)
• CH 410/CH 510 Electronic Materials (4)
• CH 410/CH 510 Chemistry and Physics of Photoresists (4)
• CH 410/CH 510 Introduction to Surface Chemistry (4)
• CH 540, 541, 542 Physical Chemistry (4, 4, 4)
• CH 511 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I (4)
• CH 512 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II (4)
• CH 526 Instrumental Analysis (4)
• CH 445/CH 545 Physical Chemistry Laboratory (2)
• CH 662 Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Dynamics (4)

Geology

• G 438/538 Scanning Electron Microscopy for the Biogeosciences (4)
• G 439/539 Powder X-ray Diffraction (2)

Physics

• PH 545 Microelectronic Device Fabrication I (4)
• PH 546 Microelectronic Device Fabrication II (4)
• PH 547 Microelectronic Device Fabrication III (4)
• PH 581/MSE581 Introduction to Nano(materials)-Science and Engineering (4)
• PH 585, 586 Experimental Methods in Applied Physics (4,4)

Fillable Curriculum Plan

Thesis/Project

*Please check prerequisites in the bulletin for approved electives
**Only courses with a grade of B- or higher will be applied to the degree

Coursework-Only

*Please check prerequisites in the bulletin for approved electives
**Only courses with a grade of B- or higher will be applied to the degree

Thesis & Project Policies

All students should famililarize themselves with the Graduate School (GS) deadlines for applying for graduation via the Graduate Candidate Deadlines. In addition, thesis-track students should focus on the deadlines for establishing their committee, and defending and submitting their thesis. Project-track students should focus on the deadline for presenting their final project.

Thesis Committee

Students pursuing the thesis option in the MSME or MSMSE degree are required to have a thesis committee to provide guidance and approve both the final written thesis and oral examination. Committee members are selected by the student and their advisor and must be approved by the GS.

Thesis Committee Breakdown

Committee must consist of:

• A thesis advisor/committee chair. Must be a regular, full-time MME instructional faculty, tenured or tenure-track, assistant professor or higher in rank. 
• An MME faculty committee member. May be a regular, full-time instructional faculty (tenured, tenure-track, or fixed-term) or an adjunct faculty.
• An additional committee member. May include regular, full-time instructional PSU faculty (tenured, tenure-track, or fixed-term), an adjunct faculty, and/or one member of the OHSU faculty.
  • If it is necessary to go off-campus for one committee member with a specific expertise not available among PSU faculty, a curriculum vitae (CV) for that proposed member must be present with the GO-16M form.
  • All committee members must have master's degrees.

A thesis committee must be approved by GS using the Appointment of Final Oral Examination Committee form (GO-16M). No proposal defense shall be valid without a thesis committee approved by GS.

Project Committee

Students pursuing the project option in the MSME or MSMSE degree are required to have a project committee to provide guidance and approve the final project presentation. Committee members are selected by the student and their advisor and do not need to be approved by the GS.

Project Committee Breakdown

Committee must consist of:

• A project advisor/committee chair. Must be regular, full-time MME instructional faculty (tenured, tenure-track, or fixed-term).
• An MME faculty committee member. May be a regular instructional faculty (tenure, tenure-track, or fixed-term) or an adjunct faculty.
• A third committee member could be selected at the discretion of the department. Additional member would be selected by the advisor, department chair or graduate committee chair.
  • All committee members must have master's degrees.

Thesis & Project Policy

Master’s students pursuing the project option must complete a final report* and presentation. Master’s students pursuing the thesis option must complete and defend a thesis.

All final documents must contain the following items:

• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables and List of Figures
• Nomenclature
• Introduction
• Other Chapters
• Conclusion
• Reference/Bibliography

All students should refer to their Permanent Advisor for additional information regarding content. The formatting of thesis and dissertation papers is standard for the University and all documents must meet the requirements outlined in the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Formatting Requirements (https://www.pdx.edu/gradschool/etd-formatting-requirements).

All student must submit their final documents to their project or thesis committee at least one week prior to presentation/defense.

*Master’s students pursuing the project option may substitute a fully peer-reviewed paper in lieu of the final report with Permanent Advisor approval.

Satisfactory Academic Progress & Dismissal Policy

All MME graduate students must maintain satisfactory academic progress during the course of their graduate program as outlined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Dismissal Policy.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

• All admitted graduate students must enroll and complete at least one credit per term*. Students who wish to take time away from their studies must complete a Graduate Leave of Absence Request and adhere to the Leave of Absence Policy outlined by the Graduate School (GS).
• A student’s Permanent Advisor will determine if satisfactory progress has been made each term*, especially in regards to dissertation, project or thesis credits and research. If the student is within their first two terms and a Permanent Advisor has not been established, satisfactory progress will be determined by term GPA and credits completed. Students without Permanent Advisors must earn a B- or higher in each course and a term GPA of 3.0.
• In addition, conditionally admitted students must complete all conditions within one year of admission as outlined in the admission letter; and
• PhD students must meet the program’s comprehensive exam timeline and criteria as well as the University’s prospectus and dissertation timelines.

Probation

• An admitted graduate student will be placed on SAP probation if:
  • the student does not register for at least one credit and does not have an approved Graduate Leave of Absence Request for the term;
  • if the student receives a grade of I, X, W or AU for all credits attempted; or
  • the Permanent Advisor determines that satisfactory progress has not been made, or, for a student without a Permanent Advisor, term grades and GPA do not meet SAP guidelines.
• A student who is placed on SAP probation will be ineligible to hold a GA (TA or RA) or hourly position.
• A student will be removed from SAP probation if the student:
  • registers and satisfactorily completes at least one credit in the term after beginning probation status; and
  • the Permanent Advisor determines that satisfactory progress has been made in the term after beginning probation status. A student who does not have a Permanent Advisor must meet the grade and GPA requirement in the term after beginning probation status.

Dismissal

• Dismissal occurs if:
  • the student fails to register and complete at least one credit in the term* after beginning probation status;
  • the student fails to make satisfactory progress in the term* after beginning probation status; or
  • the student becomes subject to a SAP probation a second time within their degree program
  • In addition, conditionally admitted students will be dismissed if all conditions are not completed within one year of admission; and
  • PhD students will be dismissed if: the program’s comprehensive exam timeline and criteria are not met; the University’s prospectus timeline is not met; or the University’s dissertation timeline is not met.
• Students who are dismissed may not: register for graduate credits; perform research within an MME lab; or hold a GA (TA or RA) or hourly position.

*Excluding summer