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M.S.
Materials Engineering
Materials Engineering at CSUN
Program Objectives
M.S. Program Curriculum
Advanced Materials Laboratory
Research Topics in Recent Years
Materials Engineering
at CSUN
Materials engineers design,
process, characterize, and manufacture all of the materials in use today -
and those that are yet to be created. Because materials scientists and
engineers are experts in the performance, specification, and manufacture of
materials, ceramics, semiconductors, plastics, and composites, they must
have knowledge from a variety of scientific and engineering fields in order
to be successful.
To meet the technological
needs of industry, the Cal State Northridge Materials Engineering program
creatively combines instruction and research in engineering materials and
processes. The program places its graduates in every facet of industry and
the academic community.
The career opportunities for
graduates in Materials Engineering are outstanding. Graduates of the Cal
State Northridge Materials Engineering program are heavily recruited by
small and large firms for positions throughout the United States and,
indeed, all over the world.
Employment opportunities are
available in a wide range of industrial sectors, such as aerospace,
appliances, automotive, computers, communications, construction,
electronics, oil and gas, power generation, and government laboratories, to
name just a few.
Positions are found for
research, development, design of materials and structures, manufacturing,
marketing, and many other professional functions. In addition, the average
starting salaries for graduate Materials Engineers have consistently been as
high as, or higher than, those in other engineering disciplines.
Exceptional faculty,
innovative programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and support services,
together with extremely competitive costs, make the Cal State Northridge
Materials Engineering graduate program one of the best investments in higher
education today.
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Program Objectives
The objectives of the Materials
Engineering program are:
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to enhance student knowledge
of fundamental materials engineering principles,
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to expand student knowledge
of nontraditional materials such as composites and semiconductors,
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to increase student knowledge
of materials failure mechanisms,
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to develop student expertise
in laboratory research methods in materials engineering,
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to enable student
intellectual growth in discipline-related areas, and
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to meet the needs of the
regional industrial community for qualified materials engineering
expertise.
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M.S. Program Curriculum
To meet the technological
needs of industry, the Materials Engineering program creatively combines
opportunities for intellectual and experiential growth in engineering
materials and processes. Access to exceptional state-of-art laboratories
enables the development of advanced expertise in materials characterization,
with projects addressing nanotechnology, MEMS, sensors, smart materials,
microelectronics, optoelectronics, bio-materials and
environmentally-assisted cracking of advanced materials.
Special Requirements:
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This program is intended
primarily for students holding a B.S. degree in a closely related field of
science or engineering. Prospective students whose undergraduate degree is
not in a closely related field should discuss additional prerequisite
courses with the Program Director.
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No more than 9 units of
advisor-approved 400-level courses may be included in any graduate program
of study.
Standard Core (12 units)
| MSE 527/L |
Mech.
Behavior of Mtls. (2/1) |
| MSE 528/L |
Prin. Mtls.
Engr. (2/1) |
| MSE 624 |
Failure
Analysis (3) |
| MSE 629 |
Phase
Transformations (3) |
Approved Electives (15
units)
Recommended electives,
selected with faculty advisor guidance and approval, include MEMS
Fabrication (MSE 512), NDE Methods and Analysis (MSE 513), Corrosion (MSE
531), Thin Film Technology (MSE 550), Composite Materials (MSE 623), and
Electronic Materials (MSE 630). Other electives may be suitable for meeting
individual student program goals.
Culminating
Requirements (6 units)
| MSE 690 |
Mtls. Engr. Research
Practicum (3) |
| MSE 697 |
Directed Comp. Studies (3) |
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Advanced Materials
Laboratory
The state-of-the-art
Advanced Materials Laboratory provides one of the most complete resources in
Southern California for materials science and engineering research.
Laboratory capabilities enable the pursuit of advanced materials
characterization research, including studies and investigations of
structures, chemical properties, physical properties, microstructures and
nanostructures. Major highlights include extensive microscopy and
characterization facilities, manufacturing processing laboratories,
corrosion characterization facilities, and an integrated mechanical testing
laboratory. Much of the available equipment represents the most recently
available technology on the market for the performance of energy dispersive
micro-chemical analysis, atomic force nano-scoping, ultrasonic detector 3-D
C-scans, and scanning reference electrode measurements. The laboratory's
most recent acquisition supports Auger Surface Analysis X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). These are
sensitive techniques used for determining surface composition, with
information usually obtainable for the first -5 nanometers below the surface
of interest.
Visiting faculty, sponsors,
and graduate and undergraduate students have access to the Advanced
Materials Laboratory and its friendly and supportive faculty and staff.
NASA, HRL, Easton, DOD, and the Keck Foundation are among the current
sponsors of some of the ongoing research projects.
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Research Topics in
Recent Years
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Thermal Response of SEL
vulnerable ASIC
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Resonance frequencies of
doubly-clamped beam MEMS structure
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Reliability of fully
depleted Silicon on insulator transistors
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Piezoresistive effect on
MEMS under torsional stress
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Low K dielectric materials
for microelectronics applications
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Annealing characterization
of irradiated MEMS RF switches
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Process and etch induced
roughness in Silicon MEMS devices
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Metal hydride systems for
fuel cell applications
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Fuel cell electrochemistry
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Surface contamination and
morphologies of transparent conductive coatings
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AFM and micro indentation
analysis of hard coating on polymeric substrate
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Modeling of crevice
corrosion of Al-alloys
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Corrosion of rebar in
concrete
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Hydrogen embitterment of
high strength steel
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Construction weldment
failures in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (welding failures, flawed
design, and inadequate materials selection)
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Effects of atomic oxygen
on space-based instruments in low earth orbit
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SEM fractographic analysis
of hydrogen-assisted cracking of ASTM 648 Class II steel wire
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External concrete
reinforcement using composite materials
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Fatigue and corrosion
fatigue behavior of Beta 21S Ti-alloy
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SCC and corrosion fatigue
behavior of stainless steels
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Corrosion fatigue behavior
of high strength structural steels (weldment, HAZ, base plate)
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High temperature corrosion
behavior of Ti-Al intermetallics
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Corrosion of Los Angeles
Convention Center galvanized piping system
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Corrosion behavior of
advanced aluminum alloys used in aircraft
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High temperature corrosion
behavior of Beta 21S Ti-alloy.
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