Program Overview

Materials Science Program

The interdisciplinary graduate program in Materials Science at the Colorado School of Mines is designed to educate students in the diverse field of Materials Science. The program encompasses the four key foundational aspects of Materials Science: materials properties, materials structures, materials synthesis and processing, and materials performance.

Degrees Offered

• Master of Science (Materials Science, thesis option or non-thesis option)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Science)

Program Description

The Materials Science graduate program is responsible for administering MS (thesis and non-thesis) and PhD degrees in Materials Science. This program coexists alongside strong disciplinary programs in Chemistry, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining, and Physics.

Fields of Research

The program covers a wide range of research areas, including:

• Advanced polymeric materials
• Alloy theory, concurrent design, theory-assisted materials engineering, and electronic structure theory
• Applications of artificial intelligence techniques to materials processing and manufacturing
• Atomic scale characterization
• Biomaterials
• Ceramic processing, modeling of ceramic processing
• Chemical and physical processing of materials
• Chemical vapor deposition
• Coating materials and applications
• Computational condensed matter physics
• Computer modeling and simulation
• Control systems engineering
• Crystal and molecular structure determination by X-ray crystallography
• Electrodeposition
• Electron and ion microscopy
• Energetic materials and processing
• Energy storage
• Experimental condensed-matter physics
• Fuel cell materials
• Fullerene synthesis, combustion chemistry
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• High-temperature ceramics
• Intelligent automated systems
• Materials synthesis, interfaces, flocculation, fine particles
• Mathematical modeling of material processes
• Mechanical metallurgy, failure analysis, deformation of materials
• Mechanical properties of ceramics and ceramic composites
• High entropy alloys
• Mössbauer spectroscopy, ion implantation, small-angle X-ray scattering, semiconductor defects
• Nano materials
• Nondestructive evaluation
• Nonferrous structural alloys
• Novel separation processes
• Numerical modeling of particulate media, thermomechanical analysis
• Optical properties of materials and interfaces
• Phase transformations and mechanisms of microstructural change
• Photovoltaic materials and device processing
• Physical metallurgy
• Physical vapor deposition, thin films, coatings
• Power electronics, plasma physics, pulsed power, plasma material processing
• Processing and characterization of electroceramics
• Semiconductor materials and device processing
• Soft materials
• Solidification and near net shape processing
• Surface physics, epitaxial growth, interfacial science, adsorption
• Thermoelectric materials
• Transport phenomena and mathematical modeling
• Weld metallurgy, materials joining processes
• Welding and joining science

Combined Degree Option

Mines undergraduate students have the opportunity to begin work on an MS non-thesis degree while concurrently completing their Bachelor's degree at Mines.

Dual-Degree Program Option

Students have the opportunity to earn two degrees with the dual degree option. Students complete coursework to satisfy requirements for both a non-thesis MS in Materials Science from Colorado School of Mines and an MS of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics from the University of Bordeaux.

Program Directors

• Eric Toberer, Associate Professor, Physics
• Brian Trewyn, Associate Professor, Chemistry

Program Requirements

Each of the three degree programs (non-thesis MS, thesis-based MS, and PhD) requires the successful completion of three core courses for a total of 9 credits. Depending upon the individual student's background, waivers for these courses may be approved by the program director.

Courses

The program offers a variety of courses, including:

• MLGN500: Processing, Microstructure, and Properties of Materials
• MLGN502: Solid State Physics
• MLGN505: Mechanical Properties of Materials
• MLGN510: Surface Chemistry
• MLGN512: Ceramic Engineering
• MLGN515: Electrical Properties and Applications of Materials
• MLGN516: Properties of Ceramics
• MLGN517: Theory of Elasticity
• MLGN519: Non-Crystalline Materials
• MLGN530: Introduction to Polymer Science
• MLGN531: Polymer Engineering and Technology
• MLGN535: Interdisciplinary Microelectronics Processing Laboratory
• MLGN536: Advanced Polymer Synthesis
• MLGN544: Advanced Processing of Ceramics
• MLGN561: Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing
• MLGN563: Polymer Engineering: Structure, Properties and Processing
• MLGN565: Mechanical Properties of Ceramics and Composites
• MLGN569: Fuel Cell Science and Technology
• MLGN570: Biocompatibility of Materials
• MLGN572: Biomaterials
• MLGN583: Principles and Applications of Surface Analysis Techniques
• MLGN591: Materials Thermodynamics
• MLGN592: Advanced Materials Kinetics and Transport
• MLGN593: Bonding, Structure, and Crystallography
• MLGN597: Case Study - Materials Science
• MLGN598: Special Topics
• MLGN599: Independent Study
• MLGN607: Condensed Matter
• MLGN698: Special Topics
• MLGN699: Independent Study
• MLGN707: Graduate Thesis / Dissertation Research Credit

PhD Qualifying Process

The PhD qualifying process includes the completion of core curriculum, a qualifying examination, and a thesis proposal. The qualifying examination consists of a written report and an oral examination defending the written report. The thesis proposal should focus on the central topic of a student's research efforts.