General Information, Rules and Regulations
MSE Graduate Degree Requirements
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Course
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Hours
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Description
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MSE 8803D (Fall)
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3-0-3
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Thermodynamics
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MSE 8803E (Fall)
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3-0-3
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Crystallography, Structure and Defects
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MSE 8803G (Spring)
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3-0-3
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Kinetics of Diffusional and Non-Diffusional Phase Transformations
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*Course of Choice
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3-0-3
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Characterization
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**Course of Choice
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3-0-3
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Computations
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*Courses in Characterization (could include not limited to):
- MSE 6105 Diffraction Studies
- MSE 6110 Transmission Electron Microscopy
- MSE 6120 Quantitative Characterization of Microstructures
- MSE 6130 Surface Characterization
- MSE 8803 Scattering Theory
- CHEM 6172 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM 6181 Chemical Crystallography
- CHEM 6283 Electroanalytical Chemistry
- CHEM 6572 Macromolecular Structure
- CHEM 6752 Polymer Characterization
**Courses in Computations (could include not limited to):
- MSE 6795 Mathematical, Statistical, and Computational Techniques in Materials Science
- CHEM 6382 Computational Methods in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
- ISyE 6739 Basic Statistical Methods
- ME 6104 Computer-aided Design
- ME 6124 Finite-Element Method: Theory & Practice
- MATH 4255 Monte Carlo Methods
- MATH 4247 Partial Differential Equations I
- MATH 4348 Partial Differential Equations II
M.S. with thesis
- 12 course hours in major
- 12 course hours at 6000 or higher
- 18 total course hours required and
- A thesis approved by a committee of the graduate faculty
M.S. without thesis
- 18 course hours in the major
- 21 course hours at 6000 or higher and
- 30 course hours required
Additional M.S. requirements include
- 3.0 GPA at completion
- At least three of the five core courses must be taken
- MSE 8001, Seminar (1-0-1), is required for all graduate students
For the thesis option: the seminar is in addition to the eighteen hours of courses listed
above
For the non-thesis option: it can be included in the thirty required hours
Ph.D. Requirements
- Students must complete all core courses with a grade of ”B” in each course. A maximum of
one course can be repeated. Withdrawal will be considered an attempt. (15 hours)
- Six hours from general MSE curriculum (6 hours)
- Nine hours in an approved minor (9 hours)
- Prepare and submit a research proposal for the qualifying exam to the Graduate Committee
within 30 days of completing Thermodynamics, Crystallography & Kinetics. Proposals must be submitted by Summer of 2nd year or 4 semesters (not including Summer). Courses in
Computations and Characterization may be completed after qualifying exam.
- Pass the oral qualifying exam
- Complete all course work with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Write, present and defend a Ph.D. dissertation
- MSE 8001, Seminar (1-0-1), is required for all graduate students (1 hour)
Additional Ph.D. Requirements for students entering directly from B.S. program
- Six additional hours of course work in the major (6 hours)
- Note: A total of 37 credit hours are required for Ph.D. direct from B.S.
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Degrees and Programs of Study
The School of Materials Science and Engineering offers programs of study and research leading to
M.S. and Ph.D degrees in Materials Science and Engineering. The School also offers an undesignated M.S. degree for students with special interests. To obtain a Ph.D degree, the student
must have met the course requirements for at least one of the M.S. Degree options.
Classification of Graduate Students
Graduate students are classified according to their graduate standing (i.e., full graduate standing,
conditional graduate standing, special graduate standing) and according to their course work load (i.e., full-time, part-time). These different classifications and what they imply are discussed below:
- Classification by Graduate Standing
- Full Graduate Standing - Students who hold a Bachelor's degree from an approved
institution and whose previous work has been of a nature and quality sufficient to offer reasonable assurance of immediate success in advanced study.
- Conditional Graduate Standing - Students who hold a Bachelor's degree from an approved institution and whose previous work, because of deficiencies either in
content or quality, must be supplemented by additional work or demonstrated ability at a specified level.
- Special Graduate Standing - Students who wish to enroll for course work but not pursue a program of study for a graduate degree. Students on special standing who
wish to pursue an M.S. degree must make application for a change of graduate standing to the Director of Graduate Studies by the time of completion of no more
than 16 semester hours. Approval by the Materials Science and Engineering faculty is required for this change of status.
- Classification by Course Work Load
- Graduate students are classified as full-time or part-time, depending upon the number of hours of course work they take per semester. Course work includes
regularly scheduled courses, seminars, special problem courses and thesis research; that is, any activity carrying a course number, whether taken for graduate
credit or on an audit basis. A full-time student must register for at least 12 hours per semester, with a maximum load of 21 hours. A part-time student should register for
no more than 11 hours and no less than 3 hours per semester.
Teaching Assignments
We consider teaching assignments to be part of the educational process. All graduate students are
required to participate, with the exception of students whose sponsors specifically prohibit this. Normally an average of 3-5 hours per week will be spent on TA duties.
Vacation Policy
Two weeks vacation and all official Georgia Tech holidays are allowed during each calendar year.
Advisors must be notified of all vacation time and absences. Mid-term and intermission breaks are not vacation days unless scheduled as such.
Keys
General access to MRDC II, the microscopy labs and the computer cluster is via your Buzz card.
You will need to obtain a key and activate your buzz card from the Facilities Manager in Room 181 in order to access your office and lab. A $10 per key refundable deposit is required.
Financial Aid
Five types of financial assistance are available to qualified graduate students:
- Graduate Research Assistantships
- Fellowships
- Out-of-State Tuition Waivers (automatic for GRA's)
- Graduate Cooperative Program
- Graduate Industrial Internship Program (GIIP)
Each of the above are awarded on the basis of academic potential and performance and not on the
basis of need. However, students having a demonstrated need may apply to the Financial Aid Office (Administration Building, first floor) for employment under the work-study program or for student
loans. GRA’s are normally provided funding for a specific period of time, usually for two consecutive semesters, and it is automatically renewed if the student maintains good academic standing and
makes good progress toward his/her degree goal. However, the maximum length of time that a student may receive financial aid from any source is limited to 5 semesters for the M.S. degree and
15 semesters for the Ph.D. Exception to this policy may only be granted by the Director, with positive recommendations by the student's advisor and the Graduate Committee. The progress of students
who have been enrolled in the M.S. Program for 18 months, or in the Ph.D. program for three years (after completion of the M.S. requirements), will be carefully reviewed by the Graduate Committee,
which will render a decision to the Director of Graduate Studies as to whether financial aid should be continued.
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Stipend Policy
For the purposes of determining the stipend level, graduate students are classified as follows:
- M.S. Thesis Option: Any student pursuing an M.S. degree under the thesis option with an offer of financial assistance from the School.
- Ph.D : Any student admitted to the direct Ph.D. program. The minimum qualifications are a
B.S. degree in Materials, Metallurgy, Ceramics or Polymers with a GPA of 3.5 or better and a high GRE score or a B.S. degree in another field of Engineering, Physics or Chemistry with
a GPA of 3.7 or higher and a high GRE score. Or any student entering the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree.
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Level
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Stipend ($/Month)*
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Max. Duration**
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M.S. with thesis
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$1,900 ($22,800)
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5 semesters
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Ph.D.
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$2,000 ($24,000)
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4 years with M.S.
5 years without M.S.
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* These amounts are effective Fall 2008. Full-time graduate research assistants (GRAs), pay fees
of $573 per semester (current rate).
**Refers to the maximum period for which the students can receive a stipend.
M.S. and Ph.D. Thesis Option
Any M.S. student receiving financial assistance from MSE must pursue an M.S. degree with a thesis option.
Students on external fellowships (from sources outside of Georgia Tech) are entitled to
enhancement awards from the School. The amount of enhancement will vary depending on the value of the external fellowships. To be eligible for such enhancements, the student must disclose
the amounts of all fellowships he/she receives from sources outside Georgia Tech. For M.S. students receiving outside funding, the total award (from MSE) must not normally exceed a rate of
$1,900 per month plus tuition, and similarly for Ph.D. students it must not normally exceed a rate of $2,400 per month. In no case will the payment from the school exceed the stipend levels
established for the level of the student. Presidential Fellowships are in addition to any other sources of funds.
For exceptional students supported entirely on research grants, enhancements of up to 50% over
the normal level subject to the maximums in the preceding paragraph may be possible solely at the discretion of the thesis advisor after the student has completed all requirements for Ph.D. other
than the final thesis defense. Such appointments will be entirely supported by the grant/contract that the student is supported on. No part of the student stipend can be paid from school funds.
Dismissal Policy
All students receiving stipends must maintain minimum academic standards and must make good
progress toward the degree goal to retain their stipends. Toward this end, the following is expected:
- M.S. students receiving a stipend must complete all degree requirements in 5 semesters or less, including Summer term.
- Students must not receive an unsatisfactory grade on thesis research more than once.
With the first unsatisfactory grade, the student will receive a letter from the MSE Academic Office placing them on review, outlining the deficiencies and indicating corrective actions
that must be taken to remove the deficiencies. The second unsatisfactory grade will result in losing their stipend and being dropped from the program. Ph.D. students without an
advisor will be dropped from the program.
- Ph.D. students without an advisor for more than one term will be dropped from the program.
- Ph.D. students must complete all courses in the core with a minimum grade of B in each
course. A maximum of one course can be repeated. A second grade below B will result in being dropped from the Ph.D. program.
- All Ph.D. students are required to take the oral Ph.D. qualification examination within 2 years
of admission to the Ph.D. program. Students failing to pass the oral qualification examination in their first attempt must retake the oral exam as described in the letter given
to the student at the time he/she failed on the first attempt. Failing to take the examination within the timeframe described will result in being dropped from the Ph.D. program.
Furthermore, students must make progress in their research as judged by their academic advisor.
- Exceptions to the above conditions may be granted on demonstration of extraordinary
circumstances by successful petition to the MSE Graduate Committee. The petition must include a letter of support from the student’s thesis advisor and a demonstration of
satisfactory progress toward his/her degree objective.
- Students must pass the annual safety examination.
The School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), in collaboration with industry proposes to
offer an additional option for fulfilling the requirements for earning the M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Students have three options: (1) complete a minimum of 30 semester
credit hours of approved courses maintaining a B or higher average and also present a thesis based on original work that must meet the approval of the MSE faculty; (2) complete a minimum of
30 credit hours of approved courses and maintain at least a B average; or (3) enroll in the Graduate Industrial Internship Program (GIIP).
GIIP is designed to provide students with the option of combining graduate course work along with
a high quality industrial internship experience to meet the requirements for earning a M.S. degree. A minimum of 30 semester hours are required under this program. Industry mentors will specify
broad areas of specialization within the field of materials in which meaningful projects of one semester and summer duration can be offered to the students during the internship. The students
selected under this program will attend school for 2 semesters during which they will complete 24 semester hours of courses while maintaining at least a B average. The course selection will be
made by the student in consultation with the industry mentor and a MSE faculty member who will act as the student's academic advisor. In addition to the course work, the student will also register
for a minimum of 3 semester hours of Special Problems courses on a pass/fail basis during the semester prior to the internship. These three hours of Special Problems courses will be used to
build the student's knowledge through independent study and laboratory experience in an area closely related to the proposed internship. A written report is required from the student that
summarizes the work completed as part of the Special Problems courses.
The student will intern at the sponsoring company for a minimum of 1 semester and a summer.
The experience may range from working on an individual project or as a team member in a larger project. In the semester the student wishes to graduate, he/she will register for 3 semester hours
of Special Problems course on a letter-grade basis. The student will prepare a report on the findings during the internship period and, after obtaining the approval of the industry mentor, submit
the report to the academic advisor no later than the end of the twelfth week of the semester. As part of the approval process, the student must appear in person for an oral examination to be conducted
by the academic advisor and two other committee members, of which at least one will be a member of the MSE faculty. The remaining member may be the industry mentor or a Georgia Tech
faculty member. The oral examination will be scheduled during or before the last day of classes during the semester in which the student is scheduled to graduate.
For more information on the program, contact:
Dr. Robert Snyder, Professor and Chair
Tel. 404-894-2888
bob.snyder@mse.gatech.edu
or
Dr. Thomas H. Sanders, Jr.
Regents' Professor and Director of Graduate Programs
Tel. 404-894-5793
tom.sanders@mse.gatech.edu
School of Materials Science and Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA 30332-0245
Fax: 404.894.9140
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The Graduate Cooperative Program
The co-op program provides an excellent opportunity for Georgia Tech students to finance their
graduate studies. Students participating in this program work at least two semesters in industry in a professional capacity before receiving an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. The program is very flexible
regarding the timing of the work semesters, the rate and method of payment, and the amount of academic credit (thesis or special problem) that can be received for activities during the work
semesters. These matters are arranged individually with the student and the employer. Application for the Graduate Cooperative Program is made through the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (Graduate Office).
Allowable Course Load if Employed
Students who do not hold assistantships but are otherwise employed (on or off campus) are limited in the amount of course work they may take per semester as shown below:
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Hourly Employment Load
Per Week (On or Off Campus)
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Maximum Allowes Semester
Hour Courseload
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Full-time (40 hours)
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6
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3/4 time (30 hours)
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9
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2/3 time (26 hours)
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10
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1/2 time (20 hours)
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12
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The limitations can be exceeded in a given semester with the approval of the Director of Graduate
Studies, provided the average course load of the student's program does not exceed the figures shown. Exceptions to these maximum loads may be made by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies.
Academic and Thesis Advisors
During their first semester in residence, new graduate students are assigned to the Director of
Graduate Studies for academic advisement. New students are strongly urged to discuss research topics with all faculty members of the school before choosing a permanent advisor. Toward the end
of their first semester, new graduate students are expected to choose a permanent thesis advisor who, in most cases, will also serve as their academic advisor, by completing a "Request for
Assignment/Change of Advisor" form and submitting it to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval. In those cases in which the student's thesis advisor is not a full-time member of the
School's faculty (e.g., an adjunct faculty member, a faculty member of another school at Georgia Tech, or a GTRI researcher), he/she will be required to have an academic advisor from the School.
The student should select an academic advisor by consulting with the MSE faculty; in no case should this decision be postponed to the second semester.
Registration and Preregistration
Registration and early registration dates may be found in the OSCAR and the Materials Science
and Engineering Office. A tentative schedule of courses to be offered during each semester is also available in the Materials Science and Engineering Academic Office. Graduate students are urged
to register during Phase I registration to ensure their assignment to the course and to facilitate course scheduling. Some courses with labs have a limited number of seats available. A scheduled
course may be cancelled if an insufficient number of students register for it during Phase I.
New graduate students should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies the week prior to
registration to prepare a course schedule. Formal orientation for new graduate students is conducted in the Fall semester only, prior to registration, by the Graduate Office and provides
information on the registration process. An informal orientation is conducted by the Director of Graduate Studies each semester of admission.
Registration for Thesis Hours
M.S. students in Materials Science and Engineering are required to have completed a minimum of
12 credit hours of thesis research (MSE 7000) prior to graduation. M.S. students in Polymers need 17 credit hours of research. There is no specified minimum number of thesis hours (MSE 9000) for
a Ph.D. degree. The following guidelines may help students in determining the number of thesis hours they should register for in a given semester.The advisor must be in agreement with the
number of thesis hours selected every semester.
- First semester graduate students should register for 18-21 hours, which will include letter
-grade, pass-fail and thesis hours. Students must maintain a 12-hour schedule in order to keep their GRA status.
- Students who have chosen thesis advisors and are pursuing thesis research should
register for an appropriate number of thesis credit hours which are commensurate with their proposed effort for the semester.
- MSE 8901, 2, 3, Special Problems, should not be used for thesis research.
Students who have completed all course requirements toward their degree and are
engaged in full-time thesis research should register for 17 credit hours of MSE 7000 or MSE 9000, as appropriate.
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Scholastic Standing
Students should consult the General Catalog for descriptions of various categories of scholastic
standing. All requirements specified in the catalog apply to Materials Science and Engineering graduate students, with one exception. In order to receive an M.S. and/or Ph.D. degree from the
School, the student must achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in their graduate course work.
Seminar Attendance
Graduate seminars are designed to keep graduate students and faculty informed of current
research programs and new developments in materials science and engineering. All graduate students are required to attend all thesis seminars and guest seminars each semester they are in residence.
Scheduling & Preparing Announcements for Proposal & Thesis Defenses
Academic office approval is required when scheduling thesis proposals and defenses. The
Academic Office is located in room 296 Love Building. In order to avoid conflicts with seminars and other school activities, it is imperitive that each student schedule their defense through this office.
Failure to follow this procedure may result in serious conflicts that could require the postponement of the defense.
It is also the responsibility of the student to schedule a room once the date has been verified by the
Academic Office. After confirming the date for the defense, the student should prepare an announcement with the title, time, location, and a brief abstract and submit it in electronic form to
the Academic Office for posting and distribution. The recommended time table is listed in this manual. Please adhere as closely as possible to the suggested time lines in order to avoid delays
and scheduling problems.
Engineering Communication
By unanimous vote, the MSE faculty decided that our Engineering Communication course
(MSE 6754) must be taken on a letter-grade basis only.
Deadlines
Many institutional offices are involved in processing paperwork for formatting and submitting
student thesis, degree petitions, program of study, and other related forms. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain and follow the deadlines set forth by these offices. Deadlines are printed in the OSCAR and are usually posted on the bulletin board in the MSE student mailroom. Other related websites are:
http://www.grad.gatech.edu
http://www.grad.gatech.edu/thesis
http://www.registrar.gatech.edu
Travel
Any student leaving Georgia Tech campus on Official Georgia Tech business must complete a
Travel Authority Request (TAR). The TAR must be completed, approved by your advisor, and submitted to the MSE Finance Office prior to departure. This is required even if no cost is incurred
by the traveler. If there are expenses to the traveler, failure to complete the TAR prior to departure could result in the denial of reimbursement of the travel expenses. It is your responsibility to be
knowledgeable of all travel requirement prior to traveling. For the complete guidelines on travel, please see the Travel Section of the Institute Policies and Procedures.
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