NanoEngineering (NANO)

[ undergraduate program | courses | faculty ]

BUSINESS AFFAIRS:
2803 Atkinson Hall, Warren College

STUDENT AFFAIRS:
2802 Atkinson Hall, Warren College

http://nanoengineering.ucsd.edu

Graduate Program

Degree and Program Options

Plans are currently underway to develop graduate curricula leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in nanoengineering by 2011. Until NanoEngineering graduate programs are in place, students wishing to pursue nanoengineering as a graduate focus are encouraged to apply to related graduate programs in bioengineering, chemical engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering. Transfer to NanoEngineering will be considered upon approval of its degree programs.

The Chemical Engineering Program offers graduate instruction leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering. Effective fall 2009, Chemical Engineering will offer a concentration in nanotechnology within the graduate program, which also will bridge with the future graduate degree program in nanoengineering.

Chemical Engineering Program (CENG)

Student Affairs: 2802 Atkinson Hall, Warren College

Program Objectives

The Chemical Engineering Program has affiliated faculty from the Department of NanoEngineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the Department of Bioengineering. The curricula at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are designed to support and foster chemical engineering as a profession that interfaces engineering and all aspects of basic sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology).

The primary educational objectives of the Chemical Engineering Program are

The curriculum is designed to prepare chemical engineering graduates for further education and personal development through their entire professional career. We strive to accomplish these goals by providing a rigorous and demanding curriculum that incorporates lectures, discussions, laboratory and project development experiences in basic sciences, mathematics, engineering sciences, and design as well as the humanities and social sciences.

B.S./M.S. Contiguous Program

A contiguous program leading to a bachelor of science and a master of science degree in chemical engineering is offered to a student with junior standing who has an upper-division GPA of 3.5 or better and a 3.0 overall UCSD GPA. During the last quarter of their junior year (more specifically, the fourth quarter prior to the receipt of the B.S. degree), students interested in obtaining the M.S. degree within one year following receipt of the B.S. degree may apply to the department for admission to the program.

The M.S. program is intended to extend and broaden an undergraduate background and/or equip practicing engineers with fundamental knowledge in their particular fields. The degree is offered under both the Thesis Plan I and the Comprehensive Examination Plan II.

Integrated B.S./M.S. Requirements

An integrated co-terminal program leading to a bachelor of science and a master of science degree in chemical engineering is offered to a student with junior standing who has an upper-division GPA of 3.5 or better and a 3.0 overall UCSD GPA. Details of the program are available from the Student Affairs Office.

Program Accreditation

The B.S. Program in chemical engineering is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET/EAC).

Graduate Program

The Chemical Engineering Program offers graduate instruction leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering. The nanotechnology concentration signifies that four elective courses are chosen from the approved courses in this area.

Admission is in accordance with the general requirements of the graduate division, which requires at least a B.S. In some branch of engineering, sciences, or mathematics; an overall GPA of 3.0, and three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to the academic or professional competence and to the depth of their interest in pursuing graduate study.

In addition, all applicants are required to submit GRE General Test Scores. A minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. Students who score below 600 on the TOEFL are strongly encouraged to enroll in an English as a second language program before beginning graduate work. UC San Diego Extension offers an excellent English language program during the summers as well as the academic year.

Applicants are judged competitively. Based on the candidate’s background, qualifications, and goals, admission to the program is in one of three categories: M.S. only, MS, or Ph.D. Admission to the M.S. only category is reserved for students for whom the M.S. degree is likely to be the terminal graduate degree. The M.S. designation is reserved for students currently interested in obtaining an M.S. degree but who at a later time may wish to continue in the doctoral degree program. Admission to the Ph.D. Program is reserved for qualified students whose final aim is a doctoral degree.

Non-matriculated students are welcome to seek enrollment in graduate-level courses via UC Extension’s concurrent registration program, but an extension student’s enrollment in a graduate course must be approved by the instructor.

Master’s Degree Program

The M.S. Program is intended to extend and broaden an undergraduate education with fundamental knowledge in different fields. The degree may be terminal, or obtained on the way to the Ph.D. The degree is offered under both the Thesis Plan I and the Comprehensive Examination Plan II.

M.S. Time Limit Policy: Full-time M.S. students are permitted seven quarters in which to complete all requirements. While there is no written time limit for part-time students, the department has the right to intervene and set individual deadlines if it becomes necessary.

Course requirements: All M.S. students must complete a total of forty-eight units, which include a core of five courses (twenty units) chosen among fluid dynamics (CENG 210A, MAE 210B), heat and mass transfer (CENG 221AB), kinetics (CENG 252), and mathematics. To maintain a certain balance in the core, no more than two mathematics courses should be chosen among the choices of applied mathematics (MAE 294AB or Math. 210AB) and numerical mathematics (MAE 290AB or Math. 270AB).

No more than three courses (twelve units) of upper-division courses may be applied toward the total course work requirement. No more than a total of eight units of CENG 296 and 298 may be applied toward the course work requirement. Units in seminars (CENG 259) may not be applied toward the degree requirement.

Thesis Plan I: Completion of the research thesis (CENG 299) fulfills twelve units toward the total graduation requirement. The balance is made up of the five core courses (twenty units) and additional four elective courses (sixteen units) subject to the restrictions described above. The nanotechnology concentration signifies that four elective courses are chosen from the approved courses in this area.

Comprehensive Examination Plan II: This plan involves course work only and culminates in an oral comprehensive examination based on topics selected from the core courses. In addition to the five core courses (twenty units), one must choose an additional seven electives (twenty-eight units) subject to the restrictions of CENG 259, 296, and 298 described above. Sample electives are listed in the table below. A student should consult his or her academic advisor to choose an appropriate course schedule, including alternatives in bioengineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science, basic sciences, and mathematics. The nanotechnology concentration signifies that four elective courses are chosen from the approved courses in this area.

Fall

Winter

Spring

Core selections

CENG 210A

CENG 221A

CENG 221B

MAE 290A or 294A

MAE 210B

CENG 252
 

MAE 290B or 294B

 

Suggested electives

MS 201A

MS 201B

MS 201C

MAE 211

MAE 212

MAE 213

Math. 270A

Math. 270B

Math. 270C

Chem. 211

Chem. 212

Chem. 213

Nanotechnology concentration

CENG 211

CENG 213

 

CENG 212

CENG 214

CENG 215

Change of Degree: Upon completion of the requirements for the M.S. degree, students admitted as M.S. only or M.S. candidates are not automatically eligible for admission to the Ph.D. Program.

M.S. only and M.S. candidates who subsequently wish to pursue a doctorate must submit an application for a change in status to their examining committee. The application, if approved by the committee, must be signed by a faculty member who expects to serve as the student’s Ph.D. advisor. The student must also submit a general petition for graduate students to effect the change of status. If the student elects the comprehensive examination plan for the M.S. degree, the examining committee may recommend that the comprehensive examination may replace the preliminary qualifying examination expected of Ph.D. students.

Doctoral Degree Program

The Ph.D. Program is intended to prepare students for a variety of careers in research and teaching. The emphasis is on research. In general, there are no formal course requirements. All students, in consultation with their advisors, develop appropriate course programs that will prepare them for the Preliminary Qualifying Examination and for their dissertation research. These programs must be planned to meet the time limits established to advance to candidacy and to complete the requirements of the degree.

All Ph.D. students are required to pass three examinations. The first is a Preliminary Qualifying Examination, which should be taken within three to four quarters of full-time graduate study. The second is the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The last is the Dissertation Defense.

Preliminary Qualifying Examination: The examination is intended to determine a candidate’s basic understanding of engineering fundamentals and the candidate’s ability to pursue successfully a research project at a level appropriate for the doctorate. The scope of the examination is based on topics selected from the core curriculum as listed under the M.S. degree program. A candidate is expected to demonstrate knowledge equivalent to these courses and formal enrollment record is not a prerequisite. The format is an oral examination administered by a committee of three faculty members in the Chemical Engineering Program. The candidate should present to the committee, prior to the examination, the five core courses that will constitute the basis of the examination.

Depth Requirement: A candidate must have the ability to perform in-depth analysis in the dissertation topic. A candidate should consult with the thesis advisor to develop a proper course program if it is deemed necessary. Depending on an individual’s background and the nature of the research problem, a candidate should either complete a set of a minimum of four courses or demonstrate to the thesis advisor the equivalent knowledge and ability.

Ph.D. Qualifying Examination: Prior to taking this examination, the candidate must have completed the departmental qualifying examination, obtained a faculty research advisor, and must have made initial progress on a chosen dissertation project. At the time of application for advancement to candidacy, a doctoral committee responsible for the remainder of the student’s graduate program is appointed by the Graduate Council under the policy listed in the “Graduate Studies” section of the UC San Diego General Catalog. The committee conducts the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, during which the student must demonstrate the ability to engage in thesis research. The process involves the presentation of a plan for the thesis research project. The committee may ask questions directly or indirectly related to the project and general questions that it determines to be relevant. Upon successful completion of the examination, subject to the UCSD time limit policy, the student is advanced to candidacy and is awarded the candidate in philosophy degree (see “Graduate Studies” section in this catalog).

Teaching Experience: Prior to the dissertation defense, the candidate must serve at least once as a teaching assistant with the responsibility to hold a problem-solving section one hour a week.

Dissertation Defense: This is the final Ph.D. examination. Upon completion of the dissertation research project, the candidate writes a dissertation that must be successfully defended in an oral examination and public presentation conducted by the doctoral committee. A complete copy of the student’s dissertation must be submitted to each member of the doctoral committee four weeks before the defense. It is understood that this copy of the dissertation given to committee members will not be the final copy, and that the committee members may request changes in the text at the time of the defense. This examination may not be conducted earlier than three quarters after the date of advancement to doctoral candidacy. Acceptance of the dissertation by the Office of Graduate Studies and the University Librarian represents the final step in completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

Ph.D. Time Limit Policy: Pre-candidacy status is limited to four years. Doctoral students are eligible for university support for six years. The defense and submission of the doctoral dissertation must be within seven years.

Annual Evaluation: In the spring of each year, the faculty advisor evaluates each doctoral student’s overall performance in course work, research, and prospects for financial support for future years. A written assessment is given to the student after the evaluation. If a student’s work is found to be inadequate, the faculty may determine that the student cannot continue in the graduate department.