Texas A&M University Graduate Catalog

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Course Descriptions

Intercollegiate Faculty in Materials Science and Engineering

G. Agnolet, R. E. Allen, M. J. Andrews, P. B. Balbuena, J. D. Batteas, A. Benzerga, A. Beskok, J. G. Boyd, T. Cagin, Z. Cheng, T. S. Creasy, K. R. Dunbar, J. P. Fackler, A. C. R. Ficht, D. M. Ford, F. P. Gabbai, R. B. Griffin, J. Grunlan, M. A. Grunlan, M. B. Hall, K. T. Hartwig, P. R. Hemmer, A. K. Holzenburg, T. R. Hughbanks, Y. Jin, J. Kameoka, I. Karaman, V. K. Kinra, Y. Kuo, D. C. Lagoudas, H. Liang, R. L. Lytton, R. J. Morgan, D. G. Naugle, Z. Ounaies, J. H. Ross, Jr. (Intercollegiate Faculty Chair), W. M. Saslow, R. E. Schaak, M. O. Scully, J. M. Seminario, J. Sinova, J. C. Slattery, H. J. Sue, R. R. Talreja, W. Teizer, D. Trejo, J. R. Walton, J. D. Whitcomb, X. Zhang

The intercollegiate Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering (MSEN) has members primarily in the College of Science and the Dwight Look College of Engineering. Degree programs are available leading to MEng, MS, and PhD degrees in Materials Science and Engineering. At the MS level, both thesis and nonthesis options are offered. Faculty members have appointments in the Departments of Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Oceanography and Physics. Graduate training in Materials Science and Engineering is designed to provide advanced training for careers in the rapidly growing materials industry, national laboratories and academic (research and teaching) environments.

Degree programs for students are prepared by the students’ graduate committee in consultation with the student. Courses for the degree program are selected from various departments and colleges which serve the needs of the materials scientist and engineers. Degree programs generally consist of two core courses (MSEN 601 and 602) plus other courses chosen to strengthen the specific interest of individual students. Students may choose from a list of designated electives (http://msen.tamu.edu/Curriculum) offered by other departments.

Materials Science and Engineering
(MSEN)

601. Fundamental Materials Science and Engineering. (4-0). Credit 4.

Fundamentals of thermodynamics of materials, chemical kinetics, physical properties, and continuum mechanics. Topics will include: electronic and atomic structure of solids, structure of crystalline materials, structural imperfections in crystalline materials, fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic principles and equations for closed and open systems, statistical models, phase equilibria and diagrams, diffusion, kinetics of phase transformations, conservation laws, constitutive relations, and kinematics for a continuum. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

602. Advanced Materials Science and Engineering (4-0). Credit 4.

Fundamentals of quantum mechanics, physics of solid state, and physical electronics and photonics for advanced materials. Topics will include: basic quantum mechanical problems, quantum basis for structural and physical properties of solids, lattice vibrational effects in solids, free electron model for magnetism in solids, semiconductor materials and devices, nanostructures and mesoscopic phenomena, superconductivity, recent advances in new types of materials. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1.

Selected research topics in materials science and engineering presented by faculty, students, and outside speakers. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

685. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 12 each semester.

Special topics not within the scope of thesis research and not covered by other formal courses. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

689. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.

Selected topics in an identified are of materials science and engineering. Potential topics include: advanced phase transformations, advanced materials and processing, nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, computational modeling of materials, advanced techniques of spectroscopy, surface and interface phenomena, thin film processing, ceramic engineering, organic materials for electronic and photonic devices, biomedical microdevices, materials fabrication, processing and fabrication of semiconductors, and materials and processing for MEMS. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

691. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester.

Research toward thesis or dissertation.