Master's Degree Requirements
Jump to: Required Courses | Process for Selecting Advisors | Calendar & Important Dates
Courses
Students in the Master of Science in Engineering Program (M.S.E.) must complete ten course units and maintain a GPA of 2.7 or better. This includes:
- 10 course units (CU) in graduate courses and research (1CU = 1 graduate level course). Eight CU of course work and 2 CU of Independent Study (MSE 599) is also permitted.
Thesis Option: The thesis option includes 7 CU of course work, 2 CU of Independent Study (MSE 599), 1 CU of Research (MSE 597). A written thesis which must be approved by the advisor and the Graduate Group Chair or Master's Program Advisor is required to graduate. A copy of the master's thesis should be submitted to Ms. Irene Clements.
| First Year: Fall Semester | First Year: Spring Semester | Second Year: Fall Semester |
3 Courses, choose from: MSE 505 Mechanical Properties MSE 515 Math for Materials Science MSE 520 Structure of Materials MSE 525 Nanoscale Science and Engineering MSE 530 Thermodynamics of Materials MSE 565 Fabrication and Characterization of Micro and Nanostructured Materials MSE 570 Physics of Solids I EAS 545 Engineering Entrepreneurship I and II FNCE 601 Corporate Finance |
3 Courses, choose from: MSE 540 Phase Transformations MSE 575 Statistical Mechanics MSE 580 Polymers and Biomaterials PHYS 518 Condensed Matter Physics ESE 521 Semiconductor Devices EAS 510 Technical Communication and Academic Writing |
1 Course, choose from: MSE 505 Mechanical Properties MSE 515 Math for Materials Science MSE 520 Structure of Materials MSE 525 Nanoscale Science and Engineering MSE 530 Thermodynamics of Materials MSE 565 Fabrication and Characterization of Micro and Nanostructured Materials MSE 570 Physics of Solids I EAS 545 Engineering Entrepreneurship I and II FNCE 601 Corporate Finance |
Highly recommended: 5 MSE courses to provide both breadth in Materials Science and depth in the area of interest. Courses must be approved by Masters Program Advisor or Research Advisor. The SEAS GPA requirement is > 2.7 to graduate.
Process for Selecting Advisors
As students begin their first semester, they attend Faculty Research Presentations in the months of September and October. Throughout this time, students can meet with individual faculty and students from their group. Students should also discuss their interests with the Master's Program Advisor.
For details about MSE, see "Procedures for Advanced Degrees" and for general SEAS rules see the Graduate Student Handbook. The following individuals can also be contacted for information:
- Masters Program Advisor: Mahadevan Khantha, 221 LRSM (khantha@seas.upenn.edu)
- Graduate Group Chair: Russell Composto, 321 LRSM (composto@seas.upenn.edu)
- Graduate Group Assistant: Irene Clements, 201 LRSM (ipc@seas.upenn.edu)
Calendar and Important Dates
- Fall 2010 MSE Orientation and Course selection: Sep 7, 2010: 11 am (Reading Room, LRSM)
- Fall 2010 First day of classes: Sep 8, 2010
- For the University's 3-year Academic Calendar, see http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/3yearcal.html.
- Important dates for Graduate Students can be found on the SEAS Graduate Student Calendar.
- Students are required to attend MSE seminars as part of their education and exposure to latest scientific advances.
- Typical graduation period is 1.5 years. No summer registration
- Transfer of 2 CU of graduate courses is possible. (Sub-matriculants can count up to three 500 or higher level courses for both degrees.