All MSE PhD students must adhere to and meet the PhD degree requirements as set forth by the College of Engineering and the Division of Materials Science and Engineering.<\/p>\n
AY 26 MSE PhD Handbook<\/a><\/p>\n MSE PhD Orientation Slides, Fall 2025<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n All PhD students are assigned an academic advisor when entering the program. The\u00a0Graduate Programs Manager will notify incoming students about their advisor\u00a0assignment prior to registration. The student\u2019s academic advisor can provide general information\/guidance and help the student to complete his\/her course\u00a0registration.<\/p>\n By April of the first academic year, PhD students should have identified their research advisor and inform the Division Graduate Programs Manager\u00a0at <\/span>mse@bu.edu.<\/span><\/p>\n Post-bachelor\u2019s PhD Masters Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n Post-bachelor\u2019s PhD students must complete the Master\u2019s requirements <\/span><\/a>and\u00a0declare the masters degree on completion of the Prospectus Defense.<\/p>\n Post-master\u2019s PhD Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n There are no structured course requirements for Post-master\u2019s PhD students, but such students are required to complete 32 credits applicable to the degree. However, Post-master’s PhD students are strongly encouraged to take the MSE core courses before the taking the Qualifying Examinations and take two concentration area courses to help with their research.<\/p>\n Math Requirement<\/strong><\/p>\n All PhD students are required to fulfill the Math Requirement no later than the end of their fourth academic semester. The list of courses will be reviewed periodically by the MSE Graduate Committee.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Post-BS students:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Complete with grade B+ or better one of:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other math-intensive courses may be approved to satisfy the math requirement by petition. Approval of such a petition must be sought before taking the course.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Post-MS Students:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Policies and Procedures are outlined in the <\/span>College of Engineering Graduate Bulletin<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>Graduate Programs Office website<\/span><\/a> (graduate life and academic resources), and the <\/span>Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs Office.<\/span><\/a> Here are some helpful links.<\/span> The College of Engineering is committed to five full years of financial support for graduate students in the CoE PhD program who maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. This support will be in the form of Teaching Fellowships, Research Assistantships, or Graduate Fellowships.\u00a0 Funding beyond five years is generally provided (but not guaranteed) to students who are working productively toward the PhD degree. The following achievements are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Students are expected to find a research home by the end of their second semester. A student can either join a research group directly on their arrival, or can go through a rotation program through different laboratories. If a student does not find a research home after two rotations (at least three months each) by the end of the second semester, division support over the summer may be available on a case-by-case basis. A lack of adequate effort to secure a research home by the end of the second semester, or the inability to find a faculty research supervisor willing to support the student with DRF funding by the end of 12 months is interpreted as the student making insufficient progress towards the PhD degree and may be subject to removal from the program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In rare cases, after the first 12 months a student is able to identify a faculty willing to serve as a research supervisor but neither the faculty nor the student is able secure extramural funding for the second year. This student can petition and request one <\/span>academic year (2 semesters) of funding from departmental or division resources. Such a request will need to convey to the chair or division head that the student has found a research advisor willing to supervise the student and that the advisor and\/or student have a concrete plan to secure extramural funding sources following the additional academic year. Decisions to support this request are at the discretion of the department chair\/division head. If approved, and no such funding has emerged after the second year, these students will be deemed as not making satisfactory academic progress and they may not be permitted to complete their PhD studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After joining a laboratory in accordance with the conditions above, students register for research credits each semester and summer they work in that laboratory. If the supervisor feels the student is not making satisfactory progress, the supervisor will provide a 4-month warning letter (equivalent to a semester or summer). If the progress remains unsatisfactory, the faculty will dismiss the student from their laboratory. The student must then either find an alternative funding source from an individual faculty member or leave the program. After dismissal, the student has one summer or academic semester to find alternative support. During this period, the department or program is under no obligation to find support for the student but may choose to do so, at the discretion of the department\/program leadership.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Any egregious violation of academic or research ethics may result in immediate dismissal from the program at any stage with no opportunity for re-admission.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n The Division Program Learning Outcomes are designed to provide a given set of courses and other requirements so that students may acquire the knowledge, skills, habits of mind, and attitudes necessary to engage in a materials science career on graduation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n MSE PhD Program Learning Outcomes<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to <\/span>identify<\/span>, formulate, and solve <\/span>materials<\/span> science and engineering problems.<\/span><\/span>Topic Index<\/h3>\n
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Division & Engineering Contacts<\/h3>
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\n<\/span><\/b>Alison Krasnor
\n<\/span>mse@bu.edu<\/span><\/a>, 617-358-0351<\/span>
\n<\/span>15 Saint Mary\u2019s Street, Room 119<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span>Professor Soumendra N. Basu<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
\nElizabeth Flagg, EdM
\nengdiv@bu.edu, 617-353-4622
\n15 Saint Mary’s Street, Rm 118<\/li>\n
\n<\/span>Stacey Herman, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and Deputy\u202fTitle\u202fIX\u202fCoordinator<\/span>
\n<\/span>44 Cummington Mall, Room 114, <\/span>enggrad@bu.edu<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nPhD Degree Requirements<\/h3>
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General Guidance<\/h3>
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Policies and Procedures<\/h3>
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\n<\/span>Submit the Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation for Full-Time PhD Students Notification Form to the Graduate Programs Manager at se@bu.edu.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span>NOTE:<\/span><\/b> Failure to register for classes by the published registration deadlines may cause your appointment to be terminated and\/or delay payment of your weekly stipend.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\nSatisfactory Academic Progress for PhD Students<\/h3>
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PhD Program Learning Outcomes<\/h3>