Contact Info

The Materials Science and Engineering (IMSE) doctoral degree requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of 36 credits being graduate coursework (including the IMSE curriculum requirements as outlined in the IMSE Doctoral Handbook) and 18 to 36 credits of doctoral thesis research. To be admitted to candidacy, students must have an overall GPA greater than 3.0, have no more than one grade of B- or below in a core course or IMSE elective, and pass the qualifying examination. All students are required to enroll in the department seminar every semester.

At most, 12 credits of 4000-level courses may be applied toward the required 36 academic credit. Graduate courses may be transferred in (up to 24 credits) but must be evaluated and approved by the IMSE Graduate Studies Committee.

Students enroll in two to three courses each semester and participate in two laboratory rotations, as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook. They complete their qualifying examination in late summer following their first academic year. During their second and third years, students complete their remaining courses and complete their thesis proposal in their fifth semester of study.

After a successful proposal defense, students should provide their research updates through annual meetings with their thesis committee. Upon completion of their dissertation, students must successfully defend the dissertation before their thesis committee.

For more detailed guidelines, please refer to the IMSE Doctoral Handbook available on the IMSE PhD program webpage.

As part of their degree requirements, PhD students must complete a program-defined Mentored Experience Requirement (MER) as per these guidelines. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plan (MEIP) is the written articulation of a program-defined degree requirement for PhD students to engage in mentored teaching activities and/or mentored professional activities, collectively referred to as MERs.

As part of their degree requirements, PhD students must complete a program-defined Mentored Experience Requirement (MER) as per these guidelines. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plan (MEIP) is the written articulation of a program-defined degree requirement for PhD students to engage in mentored teaching activities and/or mentored professional activities, collectively referred to as MERs.

Mentored Experience Requirements (MERs)

Philosophy of Teaching

Materials scientists and engineers work at the interface between the fundamental physical sciences and application-oriented disciplines. As such, they often need to translate between underlying physical principles governing the performance of a material and the design requirements of a system or device. This translation is inherently two-way; the emergent properties of novel materials enable new, potentially transformative applications, and new devices often require materials with unique (and challenging) property profiles. To facilitate this two-way translation, our PhD graduates must be able to communicate both fundamental and applied concepts to a variety of audiences, including supervisors, subordinates, clients, and co-workers, whose familiarity with the MSE field may range from novice to expert. Moreover, mentored teaching experiences instill a sense of responsibility, professionalism, and ethical conduct, preparing students to navigate the complex landscape of academia, industry, government, or other research-oriented sectors with confidence and integrity.

Preparatory Engagement

Preparatory Engagement activities are those that represent an introduction to the foundational skills associated with teaching or communication. Pedagogical preparation engagement activities are normally completed before students are permitted to engage in assisting or teaching in a classroom.

Two preparatory workshops are required:

1. McKelvey Teaching Orientation (Canvas Course)
2. McKelvey Teaching Workshop (Canvas Course)

Mentored Teaching Experiences (MTEs)

Assistant in Instruction (AI)

An Assistant in Instruction (AI) is a PhD student who is directly engaged in the organization, instruction, and/or support of a semester-long course primarily taught by a faculty member. An AI receives mentorship from a faculty member related to best practices in classroom engagement, instruction in the field, interpersonal engagement, and other relevant skills. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each AI experience. To complete each AI assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for course numbers and details.

Students will AI two times at 10 MER units for a total of 20 units. Students work with their graduate supervisor on the timing and content of those assignments.

Required Pathways for Completion

Students work with their faculty mentor and their Director of Graduate Studies to plan how and when they will complete their MERs. Students register during the normal registration period for courses in accordance with one of these approved pathways.

• Preparatory Engagement

UG Spanish Seminar

EGS 8010	Take two times