Materials Science and Engineering, BS

A Bachelor of Science with a major in materials science and engineering from the University of North Texas will prepare you to enter fast-emerging fields with relatively high starting salaries. Students who earn the degree enjoy being part of a close-knit professional community that bridges disciplines, such as applied physics and chemistry, in order to solve complex engineering problems.

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in materials science and engineering is designed to provide students with the fundamental principles of how materials are made, how they behave during application, how their structure and properties are measured and quantified, and how to improve the performance of these materials. This information is then used in “materials-specific” courses and hands-on laboratories where students then learn to apply these principles to the different materials classes, namely, metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials and biomaterials. Students also learn about nanotechnology and how it is impacting the materials science and engineering discipline. During their last year, students are required to do a senior project with one of the faculty members who specialize in their primary area of interest. Students work either individually or in small groups on projects that provide them with research experiences that help them determine whether they feel better suited to finish their education and go to industry or continue on to graduate school. The course work instills in students ethical and environmental issues and standards expected by industry and society.

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in materials science and engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org), (415 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; 410-347-7700).

Degree requirements

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 45 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree as specified in the University Core Curriculum in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Engineering requirements.

Major requirements, 53 hours

Other required courses

Minor

Optional.

Electives

Hours required for electives may vary based on course selection and the University Core Curriculum requirements . Electives may be required to satisfy the advanced hour requirement (45) and/or the minimum total hours required for the degree. For specific information, see an academic advisor in the College of Engineering.

Other requirements

Foundation courses

MTSE foundation courses include the following courses.

Successful completion of foundation courses is based on achieving a C or higher in each course and a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Major transfer policy

Students enrolled at UNT can transfer into Materials Science and Engineering if they have completed the following courses with a C or better and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. The courses are: CHEM 1410 , CHEM 1420 , CHEM 1430 , ENGL 1310 or TECM 1700 , MATH 1710 , MATH 1720 , MTSE 1100 , TECM 2700 .

Department policies

Policy on Academic Performance, Progression, and Dismissal in the College of Engineering

Students in the College of Engineering will conduct themselves in a professional manner in their interaction with their peers, faculty, staff and the community in general. A student may be dismissed from the college for inappropriate conduct (please refer to the Code of Student Conduct).

Each semester, students are required to take engineering foundation courses and/or prerequisites to the engineering foundation courses until all foundation courses are successfully completed. Successful completion is a 2. 5 GPA for all engineering foundation courses with a C or better in each course.

Successful completion of the foundation courses is required for enrollment in all 3000 and 4000 level courses.

A minimum grade of C is required in all courses required in a student’s major for degree completion. Courses include, but are not limited to, engineering, computing, mathematics, laboratory sciences, supporting area, technical elective, technical option, energy elective and specialization courses.

A student making grades lower than C two times in the same course in any College of Engineering foundation course or in any course required by the major is subject to dismissal from the College of Engineering, pending a review by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Engineering.

A student must maintain good academic standing within the university. Please see “Academic status” and “Regulations governing students under academic suspension” in the Academics section of this catalog.

Four-year degree plan (example)

The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as a guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.

Year 1

Semester 1		Semester 2
CHEM 1410 - General Chemistry for Science Majors	3 hours	CHEM 1420 - General Chemistry for Science Majors	3 hours
CHEM 1430 - Laboratory Sequence for General Chemistry	1 hour	MATH 1720 - Calculus II	3 hours
MATH 1710 - Calculus I	4 hours	PHYS 1710 - Mechanics	3 hours
MTSE 1100 - Discover How and Why Materials “Matter”	3 hours	PHYS 1730 - Laboratory in Mechanics	1 hour
Communication core	3 hours	TECM 2700 - Technical Writing	3 hours
		Language, Philosophy and Culture core	3 hours
Total	14 hours	Total	16 hours

Year 2

Semester 1		Semester 2
ENGR 2301 - Statics	3 hours	MATH 3410 - Differential Equations I	3 hours
MATH 2730 - Multivariable Calculus	3 hours	MTSE 3001 - Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering - II	3 hours
MTSE 3000 - Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering - I	3 hours	PHYS 3010 - Modern Physics	3 hours
PHYS 2220 - Electricity and Magnetism	3 hours	American History core	3 hours
PHYS 2240 - Laboratory in Wave Motion, Electricity, Magnetism and Optics	1 hour	Political Science core	3 hours
Creative Arts core	3 hours
Total	16 hours	Total	15 hours

Year 3

Semester 1		Semester 2
MTSE 3010 - Bonding and Structure	3 hours	MTSE 3050 - Mechanical Properties of Materials	3 hours
MTSE 3020 - Microstructure and Characterization of Materials	3 hours	MTSE 3060 - Phase Transformations in Materials	3 hours
MTSE 3030 - Thermodynamics and Phase Diagrams	3 hours	MTSE 3070 - Electrical, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials	3 hours
MTSE 3040 - Transport Phenomena in Materials	3 hours	MTSE 3080 - Materials Processing	3 hours
MTSE 3090 - Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory I	1 hour	MTSE 3100 - Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory II	1 hour
American History core	3 hours	Political Science core	3 hours
Total	16 hours	Total	16 hours

Year 4

Semester 1		Semester 2
MTSE 4010 - Physical Metallurgy Principles	3 hours	MTSE 4050 - Polymer Science and Engineering	3 hours
MTSE 4030 - Ceramic Science and Engineering	3 hours	MTSE 4100 - Senior Capstone Project	3 hours
MTSE 4060 - Materials Selection and Performance	3 hours	MTSE elective	3 hours
MTSE 4090 - Senior Design I	3 hours	MTSE elective	3 hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences core	3 hours
Total	15 hours	Total	12 hours