Master's of Semiconductor Science and Engineering
Program Overview
Master’s of Semiconductor Science and Engineering
The University of Texas Semiconductor Science and Engineering Graduate Program is the only in-person master’s degree program at a top-10 nationally ranked engineering school exclusively dedicated to semiconductors. It offers students the opportunity to work in real-world cleanrooms alongside industry partners.
The program prepares students to enter the semiconductor workforce in:
- semiconductor manufacturing
- semiconductor device design
- semiconductor circuit and system design
- semiconductor metrology
- semiconductor packaging
- heterogeneous integration
Graduates of this program will develop a deep understanding of the science of semiconductors and how to engineer and manufacture devices and systems around these core disciplines. Students will train to investigate their own research projects to help them become team leaders and innovators in corporations that have semiconductor-centric applications. This degree focuses on the linkage between fundamental science, engineering disciplines, and research. Graduates of the program will be well prepared to work across disciplines and overcome the inherent challenges faced by the semiconductor industry today.
This Master of Science degree is a collaboration between the Cockrell School of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. It is backed by industry-leading companies that sponsor students and research within the program.
Program Details
The program offers students a chance to develop hands-on skills in designing semiconductors and utilizing industrial-scale semiconductor manufacturing equipment. It allows students to work on industrially relevant research problems with UT faculty members and industry sponsors.
Why Earn Your Master’s in Semiconductor Science and Engineering?
According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, more than 31,000 new masters-level semiconductor jobs will need to be filled by 2030. About 40% of those are at risk of going unfilled due to a lack of people with the necessary training and skill sets.
Graduates of this program will acquire in-demand knowledge and skills such as:
- An understanding of the theories underlying the multidisciplinary areas of semiconductor science and engineering
- Insight into the function of semiconductor devices
- Comprehension of the properties of semiconducting materials at the atomic and nanometer level
- Familiarity with standard semiconductor fabrication and metrology equipment
- Hands-on experience working in semiconductor cleanrooms
- Modern computational and data analysis skills required to work in the semiconductor industry
- Experience performing independent research and writing technical reports
- The ability to contribute constructively to multidisciplinary teams using team engineering principles and methods
Connection to the Semiconductor Industry
This program provides students with a connection to the semiconductor industry through:
- The opportunity to work on industry-sponsored projects with UT faculty and industry representatives
- Coursework that continually exposes students to new technology development and needs in the semiconductor industry
- Summer internship opportunities at member companies for students in the program
- A regular seminar series of industry experts in semiconductors
- Access to a network of UT alumni working in the semiconductor industry
Curriculum Degree Requirements
The semiconductor science and engineering degree requires 30 hours of coursework, including a master’s report writing course. All students admitted into the program take three core courses (Introduction to Semiconductors, Semiconductor Processes, and Semiconductor Devices) and are admitted into one of four potential tracks for further specialization.
Degree Tracks
- Semiconductor Manufacturing: This track focuses on gaining a fundamental understanding of semiconductor manufacturing processes and tools and hands-on experience using those tools.
- Circuits and Systems: This track focuses on developing the knowledge and skills to design semiconductor circuits and systems.
- Heterogeneous Integration: This track focuses on gaining a fundamental understanding of advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration for semiconductor manufacturing.
- Semiconductor Devices: This track focuses on developing the knowledge and skills necessary to design, fabricate, and test new semiconductor devices.
Track-Dependent Laboratory Courses
All students in the degree program need to complete two track-dependent laboratory courses and are required to complete a research course (SSE 395: Semiconductor Science and Engineering Research). In addition, all students need to complete three elective courses within their chosen track.
Approved Elective Courses
- Track 1: Semiconductor Manufacturing:
- CH 393L – Advanced Physical Chemistry: Elements of Spectroscopy
- CH 381M – Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CH 393L – Introduction to Computational Methods in Chemistry
- CHE 384T – Nanomaterials Chemistry and Engineering
- ECE 396K.8 – Ultra-Large-Scale Integration Techniques
- ECE 396K.4 – Synthesis, Growth and Analysis of Electronic Materials
- ECE 396K.19 – Plasma Processing of Semiconductors I
- ECE 396K.20 – Plasma Processing of Semiconductors II
- ME 387R.8 – Practical Electron Microscopy
- ME 392Q.13 – Analytics and Control in Semiconductor Manufacturing
- ME384Q.3 – Time-Series Modeling, Analysis and Control
- ME 397 – Optical Design
- ME 392M.9 – Precision Machine Design
- PHY 392P – Optical Spectroscopy
- Track 2: Circuits and Systems:
- ECE 382M – ASIC Design Lab –I
- ECE 382M – VLSI II
- ECE 382M.25 – Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design
- ECE 382M.12 – Semiconductor Memory Design
- ECE 382N.26 – Machine Learning Hardware-Algorithm Codesign
- ECE 382M.26 – VLSI CAD and Optimization
- ECE 382M.22 – VLSI Physical Design Automation
- ECE 382M.20 – System-on-Chip Design
- ECE 382N.23 – Embedded System Design and Modeling
- ECE 382N.1 – Computer Architecture
- ECE 382N.14 – High-Speed Computer Arithmetic
- ECE 382V – Hardware Architecture for Machine Learning
- ECE 383V – Microwave and RF Engineering
- ECE 394 – Power Management Integrated Circuits
- Track 3: Heterogeneous Integration:
- ECE 383P – Optical Communication/ Interconnects
- ME381R.7 – Nanoscale Energy Transport and Conversion
- SSE385.1 – Advanced Packaging and Heterogenous Integration
- SSE385.2 – Microelectronics Packaging and Thermal Management
- SSE385.3 – Materials for Semiconductor Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration
- SSE385.4 – Failure and Reliability in Heterogeneous Integration
- Track 4: Semiconductor Devices:
- ECE 383P.6 – Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices
- ECE 396K.23 – Semiconductor Heterostructures
- ECE 396V – Advanced Semiconductor Nanotechnology
- ECE 396K – Thin Film Transistors
- ECE 396N.2 – Carbon and 2D Devices
- ECE 396N.1 – Semiconductor Nanostructures
- ECE 396K.26 – Microelectromechanical Systems
- ECE 396V – Quantum Theory of Electronic Materials
- ECE 394 – Power Semiconductor Devices
- PHY 392Q – Density Functional Theory
- PHY 392K – Solid-State Physics I
Application and Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
- Have a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in junior- and senior-level work and in any graduate work already completed
- Hold a bachelor of arts or science degree in physical sciences (chemistry, physics) or in an engineering discipline from an accredited institution. Applicants with other bachelor’s degrees may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students who do not have a background that the committee considers satisfactory for the study of semiconductor science and engineering will be required to take preparatory coursework, some of which may be at the undergraduate level. Completion of some coursework may be required before the student begins the work for the graduate degree.
- TOEFL or IELTS (international students only)
- Submit official transcripts from previous colleges or universities
- Statement of Purpose – Make sure you upload your Statement of Purpose and Resume (or CV) when you come to those sections on the application. Your Statement of Purpose should be a summary of your academic and professional goals, as well as a description of the research work you have done in the past, what research work you plan to do as a graduate student at UT, and why you are interested in the semiconductor science and engineering program. Please ensure these documents are edited to your liking before you upload them, for they cannot be deleted once uploaded to your application.
- Three Letters of Recommendation – Make sure you enter the valid e-mail address of each referee you want to submit a recommendation for you when you get to that section on the application. Please use the university domain address for each professor you are requesting a reference. Letters from industry or employers are also acceptable. Once you have completed this application section, a notice will be sent to each referee showing them where to go to complete a recommendation for you using our online system. Three is only the minimum number of recommendations required to accompany your application. You are welcome to add more.
Applications to the M.S. program in semiconductor science and engineering no longer require the submission of GRE scores. Submitting these scores is optional. The admission committee uses a holistic approach to admissions, reviewing all parts of the application to get a picture of each applicant’s academic and professional background, life experiences, interests, and goals and fit with our program offerings.
Funding
Most students admitted into the program are expected to be supported through fellowships and research assistantships funded by our industrial members. Students financed in this way are expected to work on a research project with the industrial sponsor and a UT faculty advisor. Benefits of this funding include a stipend, paid tuition and fees, and health insurance coverage for the three semesters of the master’s degree program. Financial support is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward the degree and continued availability of funds.
Students who are personally funded or are funded by their employer may also be admitted to the program. If you anticipate self-funding or employer funding to cover your master’s degree, please indicate so in your personal statement.
Other Internal Fellowship Opportunities
All admitted applicants are nominated for institutional recruitment fellowships through the Graduate School and Cockrell School of Engineering. Selected applicants receive notification of these awards in the spring. Currently, the program submits all nominations automatically rather than individuals applying directly.
Fellowship opportunities are available for continuing students from the Graduate School and the Cockrell School of Engineering. The graduate coordinator and adviser will solicit faculty nominations and make submissions each year.
Competitive External Fellowships
Many US agencies offer excellent fellowship opportunities for graduate students in science and engineering. The list below is not exhaustive but includes the most widely recognized science and engineering fellowships. Students are encouraged to apply for multiple fellowships to increase their chances of receiving one.
Additional Fellowship Opportunities
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
- National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship
- NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship
- US Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Program
- Hertz Foundation Applied Science Fellowships
Faculty
The semiconductor science and engineering master’s degree is a cross-collaborative degree with faculty from both the College of Natural Sciences and the Cockrell School of Engineering.
- Deji Akinwande
- Michael Aubrey
- Vaibhav Bahadur
- Edoardo Baldini
- Sanjay Banerjee
- Seth Bank
- Chih-Hao Chang
- Ray Chen
- Michael Cullinan
- Alexander Demkov
- Dragan Djurdjanovic
- Ananth Dodabalapur
- Mattan Erez
- Andreas Gerstlauer
- Feliciano Giustino
- Graeme Henkelman
- Alex (Qin) Huang
- Tanya Hutter
- Yaoyao Jia
- Lizy John
- Brian Korgel
- Jaydeep Kulkarni
- S.V. Sreenivasan
- Sensen Li
- Xiuling Li
- Ruochen Lu
- Nathaniel Lynd
- C. Buddie Mullins
- Michael Orshansky
- David Pan
- Leonard Register
- Hang Ren
- Sean Roberts
- Shyam Shankar
- Earl Swartzlander
- Emanuel Tutuc
- Yaguo Wang
- Jamie Warner
- Edward Yu