Graduate

Through the Materials Science Institute, graduate students can pursue an exciting array of interdisciplinary research experiences, many of which incorporate internships at local companies or in academic settings.

The Materials Science Institute believes that the preparation for post-degree employment is a vital part of graduate education. Central to this preparation are internships which motivate students to acquire the skills they will need, and help them decide where to concentrate their efforts. The Institute offers a wide variety of internships designed to meet the career goals of each student: research or manufacturing at materials-based companies, teaching at four-year colleges, research at national laboratories, or even teaching in an elementary school classroom. Internships are available to all students whether they are seeking a doctoral or master's degree.

Ph.D. students
Students who are pursuing a traditional research Ph.D. must be admitted to either the Chemistry or Physics departments. As a member of a research group, Ph.D. students are encouraged to participate in educational activities that will compliment their graduate research.
Currently, in their 2nd year graduate students can apply to the programs below:

IGERT – The IGERT program is designed to prepare the next generation of graduate students for the challenges of an increasingly interdisciplinary and rapidly evolving research and development arena.
GK-12 – This outreach program places Ph.D. students as resources for teaching physical science into K-8 classrooms to promote scientific inquiry, help teachers gain comfort with science content, and gain teaching and communication skills.

For more information regarding internships that Ph.D. students have participated in, please click here.

Master's Degree Programs
The traditional master's degree programs, leading to a M.A. or M.S. in chemistry or applied physics, consist primarily of course work and require one to two years to complete. The Master's Industrial Internship Program through the Materials Science Institute pairs chemistry and physics students with industry. Students spend time in class and on the job and typically end up with their foot on the first rung of their career ladder. The programs offered are:

Photovoltaic & Semiconductor Device Processing
Organic Synthesis & Organometallics
Polymers & Coatings
Optical Materials & Devices