Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering (BS Entry)
About This Program
Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering involves an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach which requires students to complete a set of materials science and engineering core courses augmented by elective offerings in aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering and physics. The degree is a research degree which requires the candidate successfully to carry out independent research in an area acceptable to the Committee on Graduate Studies for Materials Science and Engineering. A student’s research is directed by a faculty member from any of the departments or programs participating in the Materials Science and Engineering Program.
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate mastery of both theoretical and experimental concepts in materials science.
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate a broad understanding of the principles and properties of various classes of engineering materials.
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate proficiency in conducting independent advanced research, applying critical thinking and analytical skills.
- Upon completion, students will effectively deliver presentations with confidence, clarity, and strong communication skills.
Admissions Criteria
Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a doctoral degree without completing a master’s degree may apply for admission. The minimum admission requirements to this highly competitive track are the same as those for all doctoral applicants.
Doctoral candidates shall demonstrate through previous academic preparation the potential to carry out independent research in materials science and engineering. All applicants must meet the general requirements of the University as stated in the Graduate Admissions section of this catalog. Applicants not meeting all criteria may be admitted on a provisional or probationary basis.
For applicants with no prior training in engineering or with insufficient undergraduate materials coursework, the same minimum criteria will apply. Additionally, their records will be reviewed in relation to their materials backgrounds, and probationary status with specific remedial work required may be a basis for acceptance of such applicants.
The UT Arlington Materials Science and Engineering Program uses the following guidelines in the admission review process:
Unconditional Admission
Applicants meeting the following requirements will be considered for unconditional admission.
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.3 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work in an appropriate engineering or science discipline. (For some international applicants where GPA calculation based on a 4.0 scale is not performed, a minimum performance level of 75 percentile is expected. This minimum expectation may be higher for some countries, where less stringent grading criteria are used.) Performance in core materials-related courses is of particular importance.
- A GRE score of at least 146 (verbal) and 159 (quantitative). For those applicants whose GRE verbal score falls below 146, high TOEFL scores may be considered to offset the GRE verbal score.
- Three favorable, veracious recommendations, via the university’s recommendation form or via recommendation letter.
- An applicant whose native language is not English must meet the minimum university English language requirements as detailed in the general admission requirements section of the catalog. However, meeting the minimum requirement does not guarantee admission. The program will give preference to students with a TOEFL iBT total score of 84 with sectional scores of 22 for writing, 21 for speaking, 20 for reading, and 20 for listening or an IELTS score of 6.5.
Probationary Admission
Probationary admission may be permitted when an applicant meets the general admission requirements of the University and any two of the first 3 requirements listed above. Non-native speakers of English TOEFL or IELTS scores will also be considered and must meet or exceed University minimum standards as described above.
Provisional Admission
An applicant who is unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline, but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements, may be granted provisional admission.
Deferred
If an applicant does not present adequate evidence of meeting admission requirements, the admission decision may be deferred until admission records are complete or the requirements are met.
Denial of Admission
An applicant may be denied admission if he/she has less than satisfactory performance in two out of three of the first three admission criteria or unacceptable scores on the TOEFL or IELTS.
Waiver of Graduate Record Exam
A waiver of the Graduate Record Exam may be considered for a UT Arlington graduate who graduated within the past three years and has completed an engineering or science degree closely related to materials science and engineering. The student’s GPA must equal or exceed 3.0 in each of two calculations:
- in the last 60 hours of study and
- in all undergraduate coursework completed at UT Arlington.
The GRE waiver may be extended to include non-UT Arlington candidates that have undergraduate degrees (with GPA of 3.3 or above) from U.S. universities with an ABET accredited engineering program or other select U.S. universities subject to graduate advisor’s approval. The waiver of the GRE applies only to applicants for the master’s degree programs. Interested applicants should contact the Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Advisor.
Eligibility for Scholarships/Fellowships
Students that are admitted will be eligible for available scholarship or fellowship support. Award of scholarships or fellowships will be based on the student’s relative standing with respect to other qualified applicants.
Curriculum
| Foundations (Core) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 1 | ||
| MSE 5304 | ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS | 3 |
| MSE 5305 | SOLID STATE PHYSICS AND THERMODYNAMICS OF MATERIALS | 3 |
| MSE 5312 | MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF MATERIALS | 3 |
| MSE 5321 | PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS OF MATERIALS | 3 |
| Specialization | ||
| Select at least six of the following. | 18 | |
| FATIGUE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS | ||
| TRIBOLOGY AND LUBRICATION | ||
| NANOSCALE MATERIALS | ||
| CORROSION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS | ||
| ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS | ||
| TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY IN MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| CERAMIC MATERIALS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| POLYMER MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| CURRENT TOPICS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY | ||
| SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND DEVICES | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY | ||
| ELECTRONIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES | ||
| MATERIALS FOR ENERGY | ||
Other courses with prior approval of graduate advisor and supervising faculty member. | ||
Select addtional electives from chemistry, physics and engineering in consultation withresearch advisor, subject to approval by the Committee on Graduate Studies for Materials Science and Engineering. | ||
| Seminar Hours | ||
| Complete three hours of the following | 3 | |
| SEMINAR IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| Research Hours | ||
| Select at least 3 hours per semester from the following for the first two years. | 12 | |
| RESEARCH IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| RESEARCH IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| RESEARCH IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| RESEARCH IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| Complete at least nine hours in the following: | 9 | |
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION | ||
| Total Hours | 54 | |
- 1
MSE 5300 must be taken by any students whose academic backgrounds are different from Materials Science and Engineering. An exemption may be granted by the Graduate Advisor if it is determined that the student has a solid foundation for Materials Science and Engineering. Course credit will not be counted toward the total credits required for graduation. However, the grade will be included in GPA calculations.
Program Completion
Milestones
BS-entry students must have a faculty research (dissertation) advisor prior to the start of the student’s second full semester.
After completion of the first year’s coursework (i.e., core courses), students must satisfactorily complete diagnostic examinations which may be written or oral or written and oral with a supplemental interview with faculty members, as determined by the Committee on Graduate Studies in Materials Science and Engineering.
BS-entry students must take a diagnostic examination prior to the start of the student’s third full semester.
Upon completion of all or nearly all of the coursework requirements and after having demonstrated research ability through partial completion of dissertation research, a student must satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination.
The dissertation research will be formulated in conjunction with the student’s faculty research advisor who may be associated with any of the following academic disciplines participating in the Materials Science and Engineering Program: aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, and physics. The dissertation research represents the culmination of the student’s academic efforts and is expected to demonstrate original and independent research activity and be a significant contribution to knowledge in the field.
This BS-entry degree plan does not award a master's in passing.