Science of Advanced Materials, Ph.D.
College of Science and Engineering
Ms. Jessica Lapp
E&T Building 228, 989-774-4401
Course Designators:
SAM - Science of Advanced Materials
Minimum Totals for Graduation: 60 hours
The science of materials combines elements of chemistry, physics and biology, and requires a solid background in mathematics. The CMU Science of Advanced Materials (SAM) Ph.D. program is designed to create a correspondingly interdisciplinary environment that will train effective researchers without erecting artificial boundaries between disciplines. The formal coursework focuses on the scientific framework for studying materials and is organized around the themes of modeling, characterization, and synthesis. These are the key methodologies employed in materials research and the SAM program emphasizes the synergy among them.
The curriculum for the SAM program includes the following components: core courses that establish a solid foundation in the science of materials; elective courses in a number of specialized areas; seminar courses focusing on the current SAM literature and developing essential skills in scientific communication; and the dissertation.
Students may enter the program with diverse backgrounds, but a Master's degree in a relevant field is required.
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
Admission Requirement Snapshot
Entrance Exam: GRE
Application Deadline: February 1
See Admission Requirement Details Below
Applicants already holding a Master's degree in a materials-related area may apply for entry into the program. Students with a bachelor's degree in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, geology, engineering, mathematics, or other relevant areas of science may wish to pursue a Master's degree at CMU before applying to the SAM program. Complete applications submitted for the February 1 deadline each year will receive full consideration. Applications received outside this window, or during the summer and fall semesters, will only be considered upon the specific written request of a SAM faculty advisor. Applicants are encouraged to contact specific SAM faculty members prior to submitting the application.
Applications must include:
- transcripts of previous undergraduate and graduate studies,
- GRE scores,
- a statement outlining your interest in the SAM program and identifying the faculty mentor with whom you've already been in contact,
- a cv/résumé, and
- three letters of recommendation.
International students must meet the requirements for regular admission to Graduate Studies at CMU. For English proficiency, see the English Proficiency Standards in the current Graduate Bulletin. These materials will be used in evaluating candidates for admission. A completed M.S. thesis on a materials-related topic may be counted toward the directed research credits required for the SAM Ph.D. degree. Although some courses may be transferred or waived based on prior graduate work, no more than 30 credit hours can be transferred. Successful completion of the Ph.D. requires satisfactory completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Program Requirements
During the second year, Ph.D. students will take a comprehensive examination to demonstrate competence in their area of specialization and the science of advanced materials more generally. The exam will be based on coursework, the current scientific literature in the area, and other appropriate material. Students passing the comprehensive exam will attain dissertator status. Students who fail will be terminated from the program.
Students normally will begin directed research work no later than during the first semester of residence. Students will meet with their research advisor as early as possible, and form a dissertation committee consisting of at least four members. The committee chair (research director) and two other members will come from the program faculty. One of these will have research expertise outside the student’s immediate area of specialization. One additional committee member may come from an institution external to CMU, including industrial labs, as appropriate.
During the second year, students will prepare an original research proposal, present it as a seminar to program faculty and students and defend it before the dissertation committee. Students will carry out the bulk of their doctoral research in years 2-4 of the program. The final requirements will be the preparation and oral defense of a scholarly dissertation that presents the results of the student’s dissertation research. The oral defense and the dissertation must be approved by the dissertation committee and by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. A student’s progress through the program will be monitored by an annual review of his or her overall performance by the program director or dissertation committee.
Required Courses I (8 hours)
Materials Core
Select two of the following:
| SAM 720 | Inorganic and Nanomaterials Laboratory | 4(2-6) |
| SAM 721 | Polymeric and Biomaterials Laboratory | 4(2-6) |
| SAM 723 | Engineering Materials Laboratory | 4(2-6) |
Required Courses II (4 hours)
Current Topics Seminar
| SAM 685 | Current Topics in the Science of Advanced Materials | 1-5(1-0) |
| SAM 785 | Seminar in the Science of Advanced Materials | 1(1-0) |
Note: The student may enroll in SAM 685 multiple times until 3 credits are earned.
Optional Electives (0-30 hours)
The student may enroll in up to 30 credit hours of elective graduate courses selected in consultation with and approved by the program advisor or graduate coordinator.
Research (6-36 hours)
| SAM 796 | Directed Research in the Science of Advanced Materials | 1-36(Spec) |
Dissertation (12 hours)
Total: 60 semester hours