Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering
Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering PhD

MS&ME PhD Model Program

Courses provide the background knowledge that is often needed to successfully complete research and allow students to learn more broadly about a field or related fields in a structured fashion. The program below forms a starting point for a discussion with the faculty about areas of interest. Students should work in close consultation with their advisors to develop an appropriate program plan that is consistent with the school's PhD Program overall course requirements.

The goal of the program is for our students to develop strong foundations in the mathematical and physical principles, and applications, underlying mechanics as a branch of continuum mechanics and applied physics. Students can choose to undertake additional course work in related areas of Engineering Sciences and Applied Physics/Material Sciences/Geophysics. The scope of the program is quite wide and students enter with varying backgrounds. The following is a model. It is hoped that this will serve as a starting point for a discussion with your faculty advisor.

Core Courses -- note these are recommended but are not required

It is recommended that students take the following courses as they present some of the basic descriptions of continuum behavior common to many of the on-going research programs.

  • ES 220 Fluid Dynamics
  • ES 240 Solid Mechanics
  • AM 201 Physical Mathematics I

It may be necessary for students to take prerequisite courses prior to the core courses listed above. In order to successfully complete ES 220, ES 240, and AM 201 students should have completed ES 123, ES 120 and AM 105. Many students will have completed equivalent courses prior to matriculation. For those who have not, generally one of these courses may be counted towards the 10.

Electives -- note these are recommended but are not required

Most students will take 7 electives. Some will only take 6 because they are using ES 123, ES 120 or AM 105 as part of their programs. The choice of electives should be discussed with the advisor and generally students will concentrate in an field of application but they will take courses in different applications in order to provide breadth in the program.

Soft matter, fluids, chemistry and energy options include:

  • AP 225 Introduction to Soft Matter
  • AP 235 Chemistry in Materials Science and Engineering
  • ES 231 Energy Technology

Solid mechanics options include:

  • ES 241 Advanced Elasticity
  • ES 242r Solid Mechanics: Advanced Seminar
  • ES 246 Plasticity
  • ES 247 Fracture Mechanics
  • AP 218 Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials
  • AP 282 Solids: Structure and Defects
  • AP 292 Kinetics of Condensed Phase Processes
  • ES 252r Advanced Topics in Robotics Research
  • ES 259 Advanced Introduction to Robotics

Earth science options include:

  • EPS 202 Mechanics in Earth and Environmental Science
  • EPS 232 Dynamic Meteorology
  • 200-level course in climate dynamics or air pollution
  • other 200-level EPS courses

Applied Mathematics options include:

  • AM 205 Advanced Scientific Computing: Numerical Methods
  • other 200-level Applied Math courses
  • AM 299r or ES 299r (one or two; if twice then with different instructors)
  • one 100-level course of advanced content will be considered on an ad hoc basis.

Note that, for Program Plans in Engineering Sciences, Physics 223 Electronics for Scientists is considered to be a 200-level SEAS-equivalent technical course.