Master of Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MMSNE) Degree
Program Learning Outcomes for the MMSNE Degree
Upon completing the MMSNE degree, students will be able to:
- Acquire broad, advanced knowledge within either Materials Science or NanoEngineering, which is also in-depth in one major sub-discipline of the field.
- Conduct research at an advanced level in at least one area of Materials Science and Nanoengineering.
- Communicate scientific ideas effectively in writing and when speaking.
Requirements for the MMSNE Degree in Materials Science and NanoEngineering
The MMSNE degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MMSNE degree must complete:
- A minimum of 13 courses (33 credit hours) to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at the 500-level or above).
- A minimum of 27 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
- A minimum of 27 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory).
- A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of part-time graduate study at Rice University.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
- The requirements for one area of specialization. The MMSNE degree program offers two areas of specialization:
- Materials Science, or
- NanoEngineering.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
- A minimum program GPA of 3.00 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of B- (2.67 grade points) in each course.
The MMSNE degree program is open to students who have shown academic excellence in their undergraduate studies. This non-thesis degree option is designed for engineers who have attained a bachelor's degree and are looking to further their careers in industry. They combine engineering coursework with professional development and communications. A list of required and suggested courses are available on the MSNE website. Students should develop a specific plan of study based on their particular interests and discussions with their advisor.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these course substitutions must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. 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 MMSNE Degree | 33 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 3 courses from the following: 1 | 9 | |
| MECH PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS | ||
| THERMODYNAMICS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| MICROSTRUCTURE AND NANOSTRUCTURE EVOLUTION | ||
| PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS | ||
| ORGANIC AND POLYMER SEMICONDUCTORS FOR ELECTRONICS AND PHOTONICS | ||
| CRYSTALLOGRAPHY & DIFFRACTION | ||
| Technical Electives | ||
| Select 9 credit hours from the following: 1,2 | 9 | |
| SCALING CONCEPTS IN 2D MATERIALS AND POLYMER PHYSICS | ||
| MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION FROM NANO TO MACRO | ||
| QUANTUM MATERIALS ENGINEERING | ||
| 3D PRINTING AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING: THEORY AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| PROPERTIES, SYNTHESIS AND DESIGN OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS | ||
| COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS MODELING | ||
| THIN FILM AND DEVICE PHYSICS | ||
| MATERIALS IN NATURE AND BIO-MIMETIC STRATEGIES | ||
| SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS OF CORROSION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| MICROSCOPY METHODS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS I | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS II | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS III | ||
| NANOMATERIALS AND NANOMECHANICS | ||
| Non-Coursework | ||
| MSNE 500 | MATERIALS SCIENCE SEMINAR | 1 |
| MSNE 501 | GRADUATE STUDENT SEMINAR 3 | 1 |
| MSNE 589 | ETHICS & SAFETY FOR MATERIALS ENGINEERS 3 | 1 |
| Research Project | ||
| MSNE 621 | M.M.S. RESEARCH PROJECT I 4 | 3 |
| MSNE 622 | M.M.S. RESEARCH PROJECT II 4 | 3 |
| Professional Development | ||
| Select at least 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| STRATEGIC CAREER PREPAREDNESS FOR INDUSTRY JOBS | ||
| WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING | ||
| TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATIONS | ||
| LEADING TEAMS AND INNOVATION | ||
| ENGINEERING ECONOMICS | ||
| ETHICS AND ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP | ||
| ENGINEERING PRACTICUM | ||
| MANAGEMENT FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
| LEADERSHIP COACHING FOR ENGINEERS | ||
| SCIENCE POLICY, AND ETHICS | ||
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 credit hours of remaining coursework from approved electives at the 500-level or above to reach 33 total credit hours 4 | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 33 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | If MSNE 502, MSNE 503, MSNE 505, MSNE 506, MSNE 517, and/or MSNE 535/PHYS 535 are not taken to satisfy the Core Requirements, they can be taken as Technical Electives. |
| 2 | MSNE 500 is not considered a Technical Elective. |
| 3 | MSNE 501 and MSNE 589 are taken for a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade and must be completed with a Satisfactory grade. As S/U courses, they do not apply to the requirement of a minimum grade of B- (2.67 grade points) in each required course. |
| 4 | Students can repeat MSNE 621, MSNE 622, or work with their advisor to receive approval for courses according to their interests and field of study. |
Policies for the MMSNE Degree
Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here: https://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2024_25/Materials_Science_NanoEngineering_Graduate_Handbook.pdf.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content) and by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the MMSNE degree should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree.
Academic Standards
Students are expected to earn letter grades of at least B- (2.67 grade points) in all courses taken, and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.00 to graduate. If a student's semester GPA is below 3.00, the student will be placed on departmental probation, and if the student's semester GPA is below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters, the student's performance will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee in consultation with the Department Chair, and the student may be dismissed from the program.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Materials Science and Nanoengineering website: https://msne.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the MMSNE Degree
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.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Materials Science and Nanoengineering website: https://msne.rice.edu/.