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Materials Science with tracks in Chemistry and Physics


Many of tomorrow’s innovations in fields such as fast computing, renewable energy generation, batteries, plastics, textiles, and transportation will rely on the unique and novel properties of materials. The development of such materials requires integrated knowledge in physics, chemistry, and biology, along with advanced mathematics and computation. The Materials Science major introduces students to the interdisciplinary study in materials science, which includes atomic and molecular structure, mechanical and thermodynamic properties, electric and magnetic properties, and fabrication methods and applications, together with disciplinary training in either physics or chemistry.


This major can prepare students for advanced studies in various departments in graduate school such as physics, chemistry, materials science and mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, etc. Within the requirements of this interdisciplinary major, students have the flexibility to design a program of study with a greater emphasis on one particular field of study, such as, physics, chemistry or materials science. Students with greater interests in industrial positions can also customize their backgrounds for domestic and international manufacturers or companies specializing in automobiles, aircrafts, batteries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, electronics, etc.


Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every term, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2023-2024.)

Materials Science / Chemistry

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one from the following two Math courses

MATH 101

Introductory Calculus

4

MATH 105

Calculus

4

And complete the following courses

BIOL 110

Integrated Science – Biology

4

CHEM 110

Integrated Science – Chemistry

4

PHYS 121

Integrated Science – Physics

4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

CHEM 201

Organic Chemistry I

4

MATSCI 201

Fundamentals of Materials Science

4

MATSCI 301

Materials Synthesis and Characterization (Lab)

4

MATSCI 302

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials

4

MATSCI 401

Mechanical Properties of Materials

4

Disciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

PHYS 122

General Physics II

4

CHEM 150

General Chemistry II

4

MATH 201

Multivariable Calculus

4

CHEM 202

Organic Chemistry II

4

CHEM 301

Elements of Physical Chemistry

4

CHEM 401

Analytical Chemistry

4

CHEM 402

Inorganic Chemistry

4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year.  (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Methods

INTGSCI 205

Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication

4

Chemistry in General

CHEM 130

Science of Cooking

4

CHEM 403

Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry

4

Environmental Chemistry

ENVIR 304

Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology

4

CHEM 315/ ENVIR 315

Aqueous Geochemistry

4

ENVIR 402

Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants

4

Materials Chemistry (Nanoscience, Polymers and Others)

MATSCI 303

Phase Transformations

4

MATSCI 402

Introduction to Nanoscale Functional Materials

4

PHYS 402

Solid State and Soft Matter Physics

4

PHYS 310

Physics of Particulate Materials

4

MATSCI 403

Quantum Physics for Materials Science

4

MATSCI 404

Polymers and Biomaterials

4

PHYS 408

Quantum Information Science

4

CHEM 410

Advanced Materials Chemistry Laboratory (Lab)

4

Materials Science / Physics

Divisional Foundation Course

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one from the following two Math courses

MATH 101

Introductory Calculus

4

MATH 105

Calculus

4

And complete the following courses

BIOL 110

Integrated Science – Biology

4

CHEM 110

Integrated Science – Chemistry

4

PHYS 121

Integrated Science – Physics

4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

CHEM 201

Organic Chemistry I

4

MATSCI 201

Fundamentals of Materials Science

4

MATSCI 301

Materials Synthesis and Characterization (Lab)

4

MATSCI 302

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials

4

MATSCI 401

Mechanical Properties of Materials

4

Disciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

PHYS 122

General Physics II

4

MATH 201

Multivariable Calculus

4

PHYS 201

Optics and Modern Physics

4

MATH 202

Linear Algebra

4

PHYS 302

Thermal and Statistical Physics

4

PHYS 405

Advanced Physics Laboratory and Seminar

4

And choose two from the following courses

PHYS 301

Classical Mechanics

4

PHYS 304

Electricity and Magnetism

4

PHYS 306[1]

Quantum Mechanics

4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year.  (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Methods

INTGSCI 205

Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication

4

Physics in General

PHYS 101

Frontiers of 21st Century Physics

4

PHYS 105 /ARTS 105[2]

The Science of Traditional Asian Music

4

PHYS 134

Introductory Astronomy

4

PHYS 403

Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics

4

Theoretical and Computational

COMPSCI 201

Introduction to Programming and Data Structures

4

MATSCI 202

Mathematical Methods for Materials Science

4

MATH 205

Probability and Statistics

4

MATH 206

Probability and Statistics

4

MATH 303

ODE and Dynamical Systems

4

PHYS 404

Nonlinear Dynamics

4

PHYS 408

Quantum Information Science

4

Condensed Matter

MATSCI 303

Phase Transformations

4

PHYS 310

Physics of Particulate Materials

4

MATSCI 402

Introduction to Nanoscale Functional Materials

4

PHYS 402

Solid State and Soft Matter Physics

4

MATSCI 403

Quantum Physics for Materials Science

4

MATSCI 404

Polymers and Biomaterials

4

[1] This course was numbered PHYS 401 prior to fall term 2022.

[2] This course was named PHYS 105 The Science of Asian Sound prior to fall term 2023.