Materials and Metallurgical Engineering includes elements from a variety of engineering disciplines, and the demand for professionals in the field is strong. Engineers trained in materials science are at the forefront in the development of materials designed to contain ultra-high temperatures and pressures in aircraft , spacecraft, and energy generation systems. In the materials field, engineers also develop electronic, photovoltaic and superconductor devices, as well as other high-technology innovations. The materials science and engineering program requires that students gain basic preparation in chemistry, physics and mathematics during their fi rst two years of university-level study. Early in the sophomore year, students are taught the principles of the atomic and microscopic structure and properties of metallic, ceramic, polymeric (plastic), composite, and electronic materials. Advanced instruction, featuring specialized courses in structure, mechanical, and physical properties, corrosion, phase transformations, and nanotechnology. Graduates can pursue a diverse selection of careers, including materials processing and manufacturing, materials selection for advanced applications and design and development of new materials. Outstanding graduates may also pursue advanced graduate study.
We have two emphasis that our students can choose from:
The program objectives are:
- Foundation Skills: The program will produce graduates who are skilled in creatively applying science, mathematics, and engineering principles to contemporary problems in materials application and design. They will exercise competencies in glasses, semiconductors, composites, metals, and polymers, as well as concepts of material structure, behavior, processing, and performance.
- Leadership and Team Skills: The program will produce graduates who make an impact in the engineering profession in various roles, including as team members and in leadership roles.
- Contributors to the Profession: The program will produce practicing engineers who are continuing learners and impact the developing collective understanding of research, design, and application of materials.
- Broader Impacts: The program will produce graduates who are: a) comfortable working in interdisciplinary environments, and b) employ ethical engineering practices with a thorough awareness of their legal, moral, and environmental responsibilities as engineers.
In keeping with the above objectives, graduates will understand and be able to apply advanced science and engineering principles to materials systems, i.e., ceramics, glasses, composites, metals and polymers. Graduates will be able to apply these in the context of material structure, behavior, processing, and performance.
In addition to the university's general graduation requirements of a minimum 2.0 grade point average, degree candidates must maintain at least a 2.0 average in Material Science and Engineering courses. All students must see their assigned advisor and obtain a signed official advisement form each semester. All electives must be approved by the assigned advisor. All students must take the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination, administered by the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers.
Students are encouraged to participate in many different organizations within the College of Engineering that will enrich their educational experiences. These include: the Materials Advantage and Research Society (MARS), which is associated with the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS), the American Society for Metals (ASM), the Materials Research Society (MRS), and the American Ceramic Society (ACerS); the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Society of Woman Engineers, and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME).