Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering
Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and Nanoengineering
Upon completing the BA degree with a major in Materials Science and Nanoengineering, students will demonstrate:
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to acquire an apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering must complete:
- A minimum of 21-23 courses, depending on course selection, (59 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 9 courses (25 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
The BA program in Materials Science and NanoEngineering is highly flexible, involves less technical content than the BS, and allows students greater freedom to pursue areas of interest outside of engineering.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering | 59 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BA with a Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Prerequisites in Materials Science & Nanoengineering | ||
| MATH 101 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I | 3 |
| or MATH 105 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS I | |
| MATH 102 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II | 3 |
| or MATH 106 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS II | |
| Select 1 from the following: 1 | 4 | |
| MECHANICS (WITH LAB) and MECHANICS DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS MECHANICS (WITH LAB) | ||
| Select 1 from the following: 2 | 4 | |
| ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) and ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) | ||
| MATH 211 | ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND LINEAR ALGEBRA | 3 |
| MATH 212 | MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS | 3 |
| or MATH 232 | HONORS MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS | |
| CHEM 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| or CHEM 111 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | |
| CHEM 123 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I | 1 |
| or CHEM 113 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I | |
| CHEM 122 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| or CHEM 112 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | |
| CHEM 124 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II | 1 |
| or CHEM 114 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II | |
| Required Courses in Materials Science & Nanoengineering | ||
| MSNE 201 | INTRODUCTION TO NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR ENGINEERS | 3 |
| or MSNE 222 | MATERIALS IN NATURE AND BIOMIMETIC STRATEGIES | |
| MSNE 211 | INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS SCIENCE FOR ENGINEERS | 3 |
| MSNE 302 | MATERIALS PROCESSING AND NANOMANUFACTURING | 3 |
| MSNE 304 | MATERIALS SCIENCE JUNIOR LAB | 3 |
| MSNE 311 | MATERIALS SELECTION AND DESIGN | 3 |
| MSNE 389 | ETHICS & SAFETY FOR MATERIALS ENGINEERS | 1 |
| MSNE 435 | CRYSTALLOGRAPHY & DIFFRACTION | 3 |
| Select 3 courses from the following: | 9 | |
| THERMODYNAMICS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| MECH PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS | ||
| PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS | ||
| MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION FROM NANO TO MACRO | ||
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| BIOMATERIALS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS I | ||
| CERAMICS AND GLASSES | ||
| ELECTRONIC, OPTICAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF POLYMERS | ||
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering | 59 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 30 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | The Materials Science and NanoEngineering department has determined that credit awarded for PHYS 141 CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS I is not eligible for meeting the requirements of the Materials Science and NanoEngineering major. |
| 2 | The Materials Science and NanoEngineering department has determined that credit awarded for PHYS 142 CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS II is not eligible for meeting the requirements of the Materials Science and NanoEngineering major. |
Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and Nanoengineering
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, under Declaring Majors, Minors and Certificates, students may not obtain both a BA and a BS in the same major. Students pursuing the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and NanoEngineering may not additionally pursue the Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and NanoEngineering (BSMSNE) Degree.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in Materials Science and Nanoengineering should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guidelines:
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Materials Science and Nanoengineering website: https://msne.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Materials Science and Nanoengineering
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Fifth-Year Master's Degree Option for Rice Undergraduate Students
In certain situations and with some terminal master's degree programs, Rice students have an option to pursue a master’s degree by adding an additional fifth year to their four years of undergraduate studies.
Advanced Rice undergraduate students in good academic standing typically apply to the master’s degree program during their junior or senior year. Upon acceptance, depending on course load, financial aid status, and other variables, they may then start taking some required courses of the master's degree program. A plan of study will need to be approved by the student's undergraduate major advisor and the master’s degree program director.
As part of this option and opportunity, Rice undergraduate students:
- must complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree and the master's degree independently of each other (i.e. no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both degrees).
- should be aware there could be financial aid implications if the conversion of undergraduate coursework to that of graduate level reduces their earned undergraduate credit for any semester below that of full-time status (12 credit hours).
- more information on this Undergraduate - Graduate Concurrent Enrollment opportunity, including specific information on the registration process can be found here.
Rice undergraduate students completing studies in science and engineering may have the option to pursue the Master of Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MMSNE) degree. For additional information, students should contact their undergraduate major advisor and the MMSNE program director.
Research Opportunities
Many MSNE majors participate in undergraduate research; some even start during their freshman year. To get involved, speak to a MSNE undergraduate advisor or directly to a MSNE faculty member.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Materials Science and Nanoengineering website:
https://msne.rice.edu/