Cross-Disciplinary Options

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers a number of collaborative programs for students interested in exploring minors and cross-disciplinary education. A minor or double major allows students to increase their knowledge of the field and augment their primary degree. Students already pursuing their BS in materials can expand on their skills by minoring in other fields.

Double Major and Minor Options

• Double Major

  The double major including materials science and engineering requires the standard materials curriculum, in addition to the courses required for the student's joint major. For students enrolled in a double major including materials science and engineering, the senior design project should be undertaken jointly with the department in which the student is also majoring.

• Minor in Materials Science and Engineering

  Students enrolled in the minor in materials science and engineering must take the required MATE 221 Introduction to Mechanical Behavior of Materials and an additional 21 or more credits within the discipline. Materials minors are encouraged to select a senior design topic that is relevant to materials.

• Minor in Business

  A student can receive a business minor while majoring in materials science and engineering by taking four courses in addition to the materials curriculum required Economics I and II. The four additional courses replace three general education courses and one technical elective. The business minor results in three additional credits compared to the regular curriculum (195 vs. 192).

• Minor in Product Design

  This minor is offered to students who have an interest in developing product ideas. Students in this minor, through a combination of three studio courses and four applied lecture courses, learn to combine skills in creative problem solving with a visual product design process. Students develop product concepts and collaborate on the development of product ideas, including the creation and integration of new technologies, sustainability, health-care and socially responsible design, all of which are beneficial for design professionals. The minor is specifically created to offer students a unique multi-disciplinary studio experience. Students will develop skills in the rapid visualization of ideas, creative problem solving, transformative design thinking and an understanding of the product development process in a collaborative setting.

  To be eligible for the minor in product design, a student must have completed a minimum of 30.0 undergraduate credits, have declared a major, and have a minimum GPA of 2.7. No pre-requisite courses are required.

• Minor in Nuclear Engineering

  Students wishing to minor in nuclear engineering must have a background in mathematics and physics equivalent to that covered in the first two years of the engineering curriculum. Specifically, students are required to complete the following pre-requisites: PHYS 101 Fundamentals of Physics I ; PHYS 102 Fundamentals of Physics II; PHYS 201 Fundamentals of Physics III; ENGR 210 Introduction to Thermodynamics and ENGR 220 Fundamentals of Materials. Courses taken to meet these prerequisite requirements will not count toward the minor. The minor consists of a minimum of six required courses for 17 credits and an additional 9 credits of elective courses.

• Minor in Global Engineering

  The minor in global engineering is designed to train engineering students to become global citizens, skilled in meeting the challenges of a global work environment. Coursework in this minor aims at developing students' international historical, political, and cultural awareness as well as their knowledge of international business in order to succeed in the global economy. In addition to the required coursework, students must successfully complete an experience abroad prior to graduation. Experiences other than approved Study Abroad or Co-op Abroad programs must receive prior approval from the College of Engineering Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs.
  
  Foreign language is not required for the Minor in Global Engineering, but it may be required as a prerequisite to a student's experience abroad. In addition, a student can choose to apply as many as eight credits of 200-level or higher foreign language toward the credit requirements for the minor.

• Minor in Energy Innovations

  The minor in energy innovations is designed for students interested in learning about renewable energy and clean technologies and their impact on society. Students interested in launching energy-related ventures will learn the process of how to test assumptions related to their new venture idea using the lean startup model.

• Minor in Heatlh Innovations

  The minor in health innovations is designed for students interested in how entrepreneurs can leverage their understanding of advancements in biotechnologies and health care to benefit society. Students interested in launching health-related ventures will learn the process of how to test assumptions related to their new venture idea using the lean startup model.

• Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

  The minor in entrepreneurship and innovation is designed for students from a range of backgrounds who are interested in starting their own ventures, working for start-up companies, or pursuing jobs within established corporations that embrace innovation. Students interested in launching a venture or innovate within a company will learn the process of how to test assumptions related to their new ideas using the lean startup model.