2019-20 Curriculum

• Courses with an asterisk (*) are offered only in the semester in which they are listed.

• Courses in italics indicate electives/selective electives. These credits can be taken in any order as long as individual pre-reqs are met.

• FOUNDATIONS COURSES: Students need to take one FC (foundations in oral communication), one FA, one FH, and two FS courses. FS courses must come from two different fields.

• TECHNICAL EMPHASIS: Students must complete 9 credits of technical emphasis – courses that are related to one another and which support the student’s MSE degree. The emphasis area and courses must be pre-approved by the advisor.

• GRADE POLICY: A C- or above is required for all prerequisite courses and for all upper division courses within the student’s major.

Contact Megan Frary (meganfrary@boisestate.edu) or Jessica Economy (jessicaeconomy@boisestate.edu) with questions

First Year – Fall Semester

UF 100 Intellectual Foundations - 3 credits

CHEM 111, 111L General Chemistry I with Lab (FN) - 4 credits

MATH 170 Calculus I (FM) - 4 credits

ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing (FW) - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 14 credits

First Year – Spring Semester

FA, FH, or FS course - 3 credits

CHEM 112, 112L General Chemistry II with Lab - 4 credits

MATH 175 Calculus II - 4 credits

PHYS 211, 211L Physics I with Calculus and Lab (FN) - 5 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 16 credits

Second Year – Fall Semester

MATH 275 Multivariable and Vector Calculus - 4 credits

PHYS 212, 212L Physics II with Calculus and Lab - 5 credits

MSE 245 Introduction to MSE - 3 credits

ENGL 102 Intro to College Writing and Research (FW) - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 15 credits

Second Year – Spring Semester

MATH 333 Differential Equations - 4 credits

UF 200 Civic and Ethical Foundations - 3 credits

FC (Foundations in Oral Communication) - 3 credits

MSE 246 Materials for Society* - 3 credits

MSE 150 Introduction to Computation for MSE* - 3 credits

MSE 280 or MSE 245L Intro to Materials Lab Practice - 1 credit

SEMESTER TOTAL - 17 credits

Third Year – Fall Semester

MSE 308 Thermodynamics of Materials* - 3 credits

MSE 312 Mechanical Behavior of Materials* - 3 credits

MSE 380 Materials Properties Laboratory* - 3 credits

ENGR 210 Statics - 3 credits

MATH 360 Engineering Statistics - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 15 credits

Third Year – Spring Semester

MSE 318 Phase Transformations and Kinetics* - 3 credits

MSE 381 Materials Analysis Laboratory* - 3 credits

MSE 321 Structural Characterization* - 3 credits

PHYS 309, 309L Modern Physics with Lab - 4 credits

Technical emphasis elective - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 16 credits

Fourth Year – Fall Semester

MSE 415 Materials Processing* - 3 credits

MSE 480 Senior Project+ - 3 credits

MSE 498 Materials Science Seminar - 1 credits

ENGR 240 or ECE 210 Electrical Circuits - 3 credits

Technical emphasis elective - 3 credits

FA, FH, or FS course - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 16 credits

Fourth Year – Spring Semester

MSE 410 Electrical Properties of Materials* - 3 credits

(FF) MSE 482 Senior Project II* - 3 credits

Technical emphasis elective - 3 credits

FA, FH, or FS course - 3 credits

FA, FH, or FS course - 3 credits

SEMESTER TOTAL - 15 credits

• Students must have their technical emphasis courses approved in advance (whether choosing from the list above or proposing a unique option). Complete this form to have your technical emphasis courses approved.

• The list of emphasis areas is suggestive but not exclusive. The list is meant to guide advisors and students in selecting a technical emphasis.

• Students may propose an emphasis for approval by the undergraduate coordinator. The proposed courses should be justifiably (a) related to one another and (b) in support of the MSE major. As an example, for a student studying the computational modeling of polymers, the student might propose MSE 464, MSE 397, and MATH 365.

• All 9 cr must be related to one another and 6 cr should be upper division (some exceptions may be allowed).

• Up to 3 credits of MSE 493 (internship), MSE 496 (independent study), or VIP (300- or 400-level) may be counted toward the technical emphasis (with the requirement that they be part of a coherent set still in place).

• Note: Not every course in the catalog is offered every year or every semester. Consult the schedule!

• Suggested Technical Emphasis Areas

  • Applied mathematics (minor) MATH 365, MATH 301, MATH 433, MATH 436, MATH 465

  • Physics (minor) PHYS 412, PHYS 415, PHYS 432, other upper division PHYS

  • Art materials ART 221, ART 225, ART 226, ART 303, ART 304, ART 339

  • Computational materials MSE 464, MSE 463, PHYS 325, MATH 365, GEOS 357

  • Electronic materials and devices PHYS 415, PHYS 412, ECE 320, ECE 420, ECE 440

  • Materials science Any upper division MSE course

  • Secondary education STEM-ED 310, STEM-ED 350, STEM-ED 410, STEM-ED 480

  • Soft materials CHEM 301/302, PHYS 307, PHYS 436, polymers course

  • Thermal properties PHYS 432, ME 321, ME 323

  • Biomaterials MSE 477, ME 356, BIOL 191

For more details, check out this google document