MSE Master's Student Handbook: 2026-2027

Academic Year 2026 - 2027 College of Engineering Department of Materials Science and Engineering Master’s Student Handbook

Degree Programs Covered by This Handbook: Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (Coursework) Dual Degree with Master of Science in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Engineering in MSE Master of Science in Materials Science (Research)

Table of Contents SECTION 1: Welcome & Introduction .............................................................................................3 SECTION 2: Program Vision, Mission, and Values ........................................................................3 2.1: Vision ..................................................................................................................................3 2.2: Mission ................................................................................................................................3 2.3: Philosophy ..........................................................................................................................4 SECTION 3: Degrees Offered .........................................................................................................5 SECTION 4: Departmental Personnel .............................................................................................5 SECTION 5: Departmental Resources............................................................................................6 5.1: Meeting Areas .....................................................................................................................6 5.2: Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) ................................................................6 5.3: Keys ....................................................................................................................................7 5.4: Mail ......................................................................................................................................7 5.5: Addressing Campus Mail....................................................................................................7 5.6: Address for Incoming Mail ..................................................................................................7 5.7: Telephone Calls (landlines) ................................................................................................8 5.8: Copying and Scanning........................................................................................................8 5.9: University Stores (computer store, bookstore, and art store) ............................................8 5.10: Physics Stockroom (7322 and 7421 Wean Hall) .............................................................8 5.11: Mellon Institute Storeroom (389 Mellon Institute) ............................................................8 5.12: Ordering and returning gas tanks .....................................................................................9 5.13: Departmental Purchases ..................................................................................................9 5.14: Reimbursements ............................................................................................................ 10 5.15: Taxes ............................................................................................................................. 11 SECTION 6: Advising ................................................................................................................... 11 6.1: Selection of Thesis Topic and Advisor ............................................................................ 11 6.2: Review/Redress of Academic Conflicts .......................................................................... 11 SECTION 7: Master’s Degree Requirements .............................................................................. 12 7.1: Residency Requirements ................................................................................................ 12 7.2: Electives ........................................................................................................................... 12 7.3: Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (coursework option) ............. 12 7.4: Master of Science in Materials Science (Research Option) ........................................... 13 7.4.1 Coursework Requirements ...................................................................................... 13 7.4.2 Research Degree Requirements ............................................................................. 14 7.4.3 Research Unit Expectations .................................................................................... 14 7.4.4 Changing Research Advisors .................................................................................. 15 7.4.5 Summer Research and Off-campus Internships ..................................................... 15 7.4.6 Final Research Report ............................................................................................. 16 7.6 Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Engineering – Materials Science and Engineering ............................................................................................................................. 18 7.7: Protocol for Evaluation of Transfer Credit ....................................................................... 19 COE-MSE Master’s Handbook AY25-26

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SECTION 8: Department Policies & Protocols............................................................................. 20 8.1: Verification of Enrollment................................................................................................. 20 8.2: Change of Address .......................................................................................................... 20 8.3: New Policies .................................................................................................................... 20 8.4: Part-time Status ............................................................................................................... 20 8.5: Time Away from Academic Responsibilities ................................................................... 20 8.6 Transferring Between Programs ...................................................................................... 21 8.7: English Language Requirement ...................................................................................... 21 SECTION 9: Grading & Evaluation .............................................................................................. 21 9.1 Process for Appealing Final Grades................................................................................. 22 9.2 Academic Actions ............................................................................................................. 23 Appendix A Masters Program Internship Plan ....................................................................... 24 Appendix B Masters Program Internship Report.................................................................... 26 Appendix C Exception Form ................................................................................................... 29

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SECTION 1: Welcome & Introduction Welcome to the graduate program in Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is one of seven academic departments in Carnegie Institute of Technology, the engineering college at Carnegie Mellon. MSE has a long and distinguished tradition in materials education and research, and today our faculty continue to address the more important and challenging issues at the forefront of science and technology.

Materials Science and Engineering is an interdisciplinary activity that applies the principles of basic sciences and engineering to understanding the behavior of materials, their development and applications. Both our undergraduate and graduate students are exposed to this interdisciplinary approach.

While this handbook is specific to your academic experience in the department, it is just one element of the Graduate Student Handbook Suite. There are several other resources within the suite that you should consult when needed: ● University-Wide Graduate Student Handbook (Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs) ● Carnegie Mellon Student Handbook

SECTION 2: Program Vision, Mission, and Values 2.1: Vision To be a leader in the institutional, national, and international Materials Community recognized for excellence, innovation, and the impact of our research and educational programs.

2.2: Mission Education: ·

To provide a world-class educational environment where students receive a

modern, rigorous, and innovative education in materials that will launch them into successful careers in academia, government, or industry ·

To be recognized internationally as leaders in undergraduate and graduate

materials education, with graduates who become leaders and changemakers Research:

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·

To conduct focused research with undergraduate and graduate students that

advances our fundamental understanding of materials and provides a foundation for improving existing or creating new technologies and products ·

To conduct research in a number of areas that promote interdisciplinary

research and complement the strategic vision of the college and university Knowledge dissemination: ·

To publish peer-reviewed journal articles and books, and to share the results of

our educational initiatives and research ·

To transfer innovations in material and technology to industry and government

Synergy: ·

To develop a friendly and supportive environment that allows our students,

graduates, faculty, and staff to be successful ·

To take leadership roles in professional societies, government panels, materials

forums and councils, journal editorship, and conferences ·

To lead the materials-based initiatives within the college and university

2.3: Philosophy Graduate education in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at Carnegie Mellon is established upon a very broad basis. Emphasis is given to a spectrum of material areas, including nanotechnology, biomaterials, materials processing, structural and electronic, magnetic and optical materials, and computational materials. Along with the fundamentals of structure, defect state, thermodynamics and transport phenomena that underlie the entire field, education is focused equally between the materials classes of metals, ceramics, semiconductors and composite materials. Thus, students interested in topics such as nano- or bio-technology, material synthesis and processing, mechanical behavior of materials, the interrelationship between structure and properties, ceramic science and electronic, magnetic and optical materials will get a solid grounding in the fundamentals of these areas through the graduate curriculum. Courses in special technical subjects in other engineering and science departments, as well as specific research topics, provide the breadth needed for a balanced program and special degree options. The comprehensive nature of the overall program is indicated by departmental faculty interests, which are balanced between engineering and science, and focused on contemporary and future topics of relevance to the application of materials in society.

Graduate study in MSE is designed to provide students with a systematic development of the fundamental scientific and engineering principles that govern the behavior and application of all materials. Entering graduate students typically have undergraduate and COE-MSE Master’s Handbook AY25-26

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sometimes graduate degree backgrounds in a wide range of disciplines in engineering and science. Programs of study are planned individually in consultation with the faculty and academic advisor. These programs may be directed toward fundamental science, engineering or a blend of the two, depending on the preference, capabilities and professional career goals of the student. Recommended courses often include those offered by other departments within the College of Engineering or by other colleges within Carnegie Mellon.

SECTION 3: Degrees Offered The department offers the following graduate degree programs: ●

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (Coursework)

●

Dual Degree with Master of Science in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management

●

Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Engineering in MSE

●

Master of Science in Materials Science (Research)

●

Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering

●

Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering, and Engineering and Public Policy

SECTION 4: Departmental Personnel In addition to your research advisor, your primary contacts in the department will be as follows: ●

Academic administration: Robert Heard, Paige Houser, Nicole Rihn

●

Other financial matters such as health insurance and reimbursements: Anthony Talotta

●

Any issues related to your progress: Either Dr. Beth Dickey (Department Head) or Dr. Chris Pistorius (Associate Department Head), or both.

●

Laboratory equipment and safety: Reed Hoffmier

●

Contact the College Liaison if you need to consult an impartial person outside the department: https://www.cmu.edu/wellbeing/resources/people.html#liaisons

●

Faculty: The MSE faculty are listed on our website: http://www.cmu.edu/engineering/materials/people/faculty/index.html

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●

Staff: The Main Office of the MSE department is located in 3325 Wean Hall. MSE Staff members are located in both Wean Hall and Roberts Hall. MSE staff are here to assist you in your pursuit of graduate study. Please see our staff “point of contact” webpage to determine which staff member to contact for different items: https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/directory/index.html

SECTION 5: Departmental Resources 5.1: Meeting Areas Spaces are available in the department and elsewhere on campus to meet as study groups or for other discussions. The available spaces include: ●

Doherty Hall A303 (available whenever no teaching activities are scheduled https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=c_1881u3nl1o19oid6n77jf751hjat m%40resource.calendar.google.com&ctz=America%2FNew_York )

●

Mehl Room (Wean Hall 2327), Roberts Hall 140, and Doherty Conference Room (A310) - ask your group’s administrator for a booking

●

Deck: At the end of the Wean 3300 hallway. Get the key from the Office Manager in Wean Hall 3325 if the door to the deck is locked.

●

Coffee lounge (between Wean Hall 3340 and the deck) – featuring free coffee and a water dispenser

●

MS Student Lounge (Wean Hall 3402) – seating and lockers available

●

Study spaces in the Hunt and Sorrells libraries: https://library.cmu.edu/services/study-spaces

5.2: Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) The Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) is an organization for graduate students in the Materials Science and Engineering department at Carnegie Mellon University. The GSAC leadership plan social events that include both students and faculty members in order to foster relationships outside of classes and the lab. Events are tailored to help graduate students prepare for various milestones in the PhD program, act as an interface between MSE graduate students and faculty, and encourage interaction and collaboration between students. https://mse.engineering.cmu.edu/education/graduate/graduate-student-advisorycommittee.html COE-MSE Master’s Handbook AY25-26

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5.3: Keys You will receive a key or keycard access to your assigned office. If relevant, your advisor must request a key for you for each specific laboratory.

5.4: Mail If you have outgoing mail, either campus or regular, the postal clerk picks up the mail at 8:00 am. Any incoming mail for you will be retained by Annie Brinkerhoff in the main office (3325 Wean).

Use your home address for personal correspondence and packages – do not have these sent to the department.

5.5: Addressing Campus Mail All campus mail should be addressed with the person’s name, department, and building only.

Example:

First Name Last Name Materials Science and Engineering Wean Hall 3325

5.6: Address for Incoming Mail To ensure that mail and/or packages arrive at the department without any problems, you should advise that shippers address the package in the following way: First Name Last Name Carnegie Mellon University 311 Hamerschlag Drive Materials Science and Engineering Department Wean Hall 3325 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 If space does not allow for that many lines, you can omit the department.

5.7: Telephone Calls (landlines) Campus calls: Dial “8” and only the last four digits of a campus number, e.g. 8-2700 Outside calls: Dial “9” when dialing an outside toll-free line.

In emergencies call 8-2323 (when using a cell phone, call 412-268-2323)

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5.8: Copying and Scanning The department has two color copiers/scanners you can use for research-related work in Wean Hall (behind the coffee lounge next to 3340) or in the Roberts “Take 5” area. These machines perform many functions such as scanning, two-sided copying, collation, reduction and enlargements.

5.9: University Stores (computer store, bookstore, and art store) Purchases from the University Center Stores require a University Store Requisition form, completely filled out, with the signature of your faculty advisor. This form can also be obtained from your faculty advisor’s administrator. Upon your return, please be sure to give the receipt to the administrator.

5.10: Physics Stockroom (7322 and 7421 Wean Hall) The Wean Hall Physics Stockroom is located on the 7th floor. Useful supplies from the Physics Stockroom include stationery, disposable gloves, sample boxes, basic laboratory items including glassware and wash bottles, passive electronic components, small hand tools, and fasteners. Items are taken on “the honor system.” In other words, complete the electronic form located at the stockroom verifying your name, items taken, and the Oracle (contract) number assigned to the project for which the items will be used. If you are unsure of the Oracle number, please ask your advisor’s administrator for the information.

Please don’t abuse this system.

5.11: Mellon Institute Storeroom (389 Mellon Institute) The Mellon Institute Storeroom stocks a range of chemicals, glassware, safety and office supplies; see the website for a list of storeroom items: https://www.cmu.edu/mcs/mistoreroom/

5.12: Ordering and returning gas tanks Students/visitors are to order all cylinders through the Main Office, using the form given in Appendix A: Gas order form. Please do not submit any orders directly to the supplier.

Before ordering any gas, make sure there is no redundancy within your advisor’s group; gases may be shared within your group. For accounting purposes gases should not be

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shared with other research groups. Order gas with an existing Oracle charge account number.

Once the gas is received, email the MSE Office Manager the cylinder tank number. It is handwritten on the tag and/or on the barcode on the neck of the cylinder.

When requesting a pick-up of empty cylinders, send an email to the MSE Office Manager with the tank number(s) that need to be picked up and which lab they are in.

When returning gas cylinders, no matter the date of pick up rental expenditures coincide with the month of cylinder return. Thus, returning cylinders on Jan. 1 or Jan. 31 would be charged the same rental fees. It is strongly recommended that all empty gas cylinders are to be returned at the end of each month to avoid being overcharged.

5.13: Departmental Purchases Students are not permitted to make purchases or sign contracts on behalf of the University. A designated buyer, authorized by the MSE department, must arrange all purchases.

In general, purchases of less than $5,000 are made with a departmental credit card (“PCard”) and do not require a purchase order. For purchases greater than $5,000, Shelby Kilpatrick will generate a purchase order. For any service – such as maintenance of equipment that is not already covered by a master agreement – a contract needs to be signed by the University Contracts Office before purchase of the service can be approved.

In order to secure items and services for your lab (which may include equipment, software, tools, repairs etc.), you must provide pertinent information (as outlined below).

Compose an email containing the information, copy your advisor for approval and email the relevant buyer for your research group (as listed below).

The buyer will forward an email confirmation directly when the order has been placed with the vendor. You will be notified by email to inform you of the delivery and request for a timely pick-up. All packages will be received/directed to: Carnegie Mellon University, MSE Department, 311 Hamerschlag Drive, WEH 3325, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Requests for hazardous materials will follow this same procedure but should be emailed to Reed Hoffmier at rhoffmie@andrew.cmu.edu Required information (missing or omitted info will cause delays): REQUEST DATE: dd-month-yy

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NAME: ______ PI NAME: _____ (*cc your advisor on your email request to the buyer) PROJECT NAME: _____ TYPE: (supply, service, equipment, software) SHIPPING TYPE? (next day, overnight, regular) - shipping to another address? ______________ ORACLE charge #: (Example: 12456.1.134567) SUPPLIER/VENDOR: (Example: Ted Pella, Inc.) ITEM with description: (Example: Silicon AFM Probes, Tap 300 AL -G, Aluminum Reflex Coating; add a web link if available) QUANTITY: #_____ Product#:(Example: TAP300AL-G-50) UNITS per:(Example: pkg/50) Price: $xxx.xx (per unit, and total) WHERE item will be utilized - Lab location (Building, Lab room #) _______ Buyer

Research groups supported

Shelby

Bettinger

Bockstaller

Dabo

Kilpatrick

De Graef

Islam

Kurchin

Krause

O’Connor

Porter

Salvador

Skowronski

Sokalski

Taheri-Mousavi

Whitacre

Kelly

Dickey

Chamorro

Heard

Rockenstein

Marom

Pistorius

Rohrer

Rollett

Webler

Matt Todd

Emeritus Faculty Materials Characterization Facility

5.14: Reimbursements You may be reimbursed for work-related purchases. These should have the approval of your faculty advisor prior to purchase. Please note: CMU will not reimburse sales tax on any purchases you made even if the purchase was for university-related work. Present the receipt(s) and account number to your faculty advisor’s administrator. Please note that it is university policy to submit a receipt for reimbursement within 30 days of incurring the expense. You are strongly recommended to sign up for expense reimbursement direct deposit – if not, a check will be mailed. The MSE Director of Finance (Anthony Talotta) will

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email the form that you need to sign up for direct deposit; ask Anthony if you have any questions.

5.15: Taxes The deadline for local, state, and federal taxes is April 15. Questions about your tax status should be addressed to the IRS or the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, or the state where you are a resident. The Office of International Education has resources on tax filing for international students: https://www.cmu.edu/oie/maintaining-status/resources/taxinformation/index.html

SECTION 6: Advising 6.1: Selection of Research Topic and Advisor There are two mechanisms for the selection of an advisor: (1) pre-selection: an incoming graduate student communicates with one or more potential research advisors during the summer months after admission to the program, and comes to a mutual agreement with a particular advisor before the first day of classes in August; or (2) those students who do not pre-select an advisor must spend time during the month of September talking to potential research advisors, based on a list of available research projects that will be made available by the department. Individual faculty members who have open slots will give short presentations describing their research project(s).

6.2: Review/Redress of Academic Conflicts If you have an academic concern, the first person to contact – in person or by email – is the instructor (if the concern is with a class), or your advisor. Other persons to contact include Dr. Dickey and Dr. Pistorius within the department, and the College of Engineering liaison (see also Section 4.1: Departmental Personnel and College Liaison)

SECTION 7: Master’s Degree Requirements 7.1: Residency Requirements The university requires students to have a minimum of one year in residency on a CMU campus. U.S. government regulations require F-1 and J-1 international students to be enrolled in an in-person degree program, with in-person expectation coursework. Even

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though this immigration requirement is specifically for international students, residency requirements in a degree program must be consistent for both international and domestic students.

7.2: Electives Projected electives for a list of electives that are likely to be available.

7.3: Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (coursework option) The 96 satisfactorily completed units that are offered for the degree shall be subject to the following distribution requirements. o Students are required to take 12 units of MS core courses.

Number

Title

Units

27-676

Foundations of Materials Science and

12

Engineering 27-672 27-774

Research Skills & Professional

1 (first Fall

Development MS

semester)

Graduate Seminar

1 (remaining semester)

o Students are required to take 36 additional units of MSE graduate elective courses (27-7**). o Students are required to take 24 additional units of approved MSE-related courses. o Up to 24 of these units may include approved advanced undergraduate courses (4**, 5**, 6** courses). o Students are required to take 24 additional units of approved graduate courses. o Between 12 and 24 of these units can be individualized study courses, such as Masters Project (27-756) or Materials Problems (27-755). o Approved courses may come from CIT, Heinz, Tepper, SCS, and MCS. o The student may choose any 72 to 96 of the first 120 units attempted to compute the average course grade.

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The College of Engineering offers one dual degree master program attractive to students with an engineering background. The requirements for each degree must be satisfied and students will receive two degrees after completing the program.

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering can enroll in a dual degree program.

7.4: Master of Science in Materials Science (Research Option) The 144 satisfactorily completed units that are offered for the degree shall be subject to the following distribution requirements:

7.4.1 Coursework Requirements o Students are required to take 12 units of MSE graduate core courses.

Number

Title

Units

27-676

Foundations of Materials Science and

12

Engineering 27-672

Research Skills & Professional

1

Development MS 27-675

Masters Report **In Final Semester**

0

27-774

Graduate Seminar

1 (taken each semester)

o Students are required to take 36 additional units of MSE graduate elective courses (27-7**). o Students are required to take 24 additional units of approved MSE-related courses. o Up to 24 of these units may include approved advanced undergraduate courses (4**, 5**, 6** courses). o Students can count up to 12 units of courses from CIT, Heinz, Tepper, SCS or MCS by permission of their research advisor if: (1) these units are specifically related to the student's Masters Research Project, (2) the student submits a

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written request using Appendix E. o Student are required to take 72 units 27-756 Masters Project

7.4.2 Research Degree Requirements MSE-related research can be conducted under the supervision of an MSE-affiliated faculty advisor. The student must satisfy the graduate research (27-756) and masters final report requirements upon completion of the first 120 units of graduate research (27-756) attempted. Units of course-work and project-work are to be taken together insofar as possible. To ensure this, no more than 36 units of course-work may be taken in any given semester. (In the first semester, students may be permitted to take more than 36 coursework units.)

The student must satisfy all of the requirements upon completion of no more than 240 units attempted.

7.4.3 Research Unit Expectations Research units are expected to be equivalent to hours worked on the project per week. For example, a student taking 12 research units in a semester is expected to work approximately 12 hours per week on the research project. These hours do not include hours worked on coursework taken at the same time as research units.

Students must make satisfactory progress toward their research each semester they are enrolled in the program. Satisfactory progress is determined by the research advisor. Your advisor will assign a grade based on the research progress and the number of units you are registered in that semester. You should discuss expectations at the beginning of each semester.

7.4.4 Changing Research Advisors If the working relationship between a masters student in the research degree program* and their research advisor ends in a semester, the student must find a new research advisor before the end of the next mini session to remain in good standing for the degree program. If a student is unable to find a new research advisor by that date, they will be transferred to the coursework** degree program.

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*

MS in Materials Science

**

MS in Materials Science and Engineering

7.4.5 Summer Research and Off-campus Internships Students have several options for the summer session. If you have any questions about your plans for the summer, please discuss with your academic advisor prior to the summer session. The department also encourages students to reach out to the Career and Professional Development center to start their internship search.

27-773: Graduate Reading and Research– Summer reading and research is recommended for the summer months (May through August) during the first three semesters of full-time academic work. Summer research (27-773) does not count towards MSE-related graduate research (27-756) requirements. However, the work completed in 27-773 can be used in the Master’s Final Report. Students are not permitted to take coursework while being registered for 27-773 in the summer session.

If students need to make up research units missed in the first two semesters of the program, students may choose to take 6-12 units of “27-756 Masters Project” to fulfill research requirements for the degree. Tuition will be assessed for these units.

Students choosing to take other coursework on the CMU campus in the summer session will be charged tuition for these units.

Students wishing to participate in an off-campus summer internship are responsible to secure their position. Students applying for CPT must register for 3 units of “27-995 Internship” during this session. Those units may be used toward the degree requirements.

The student will be assessed tuition for these units as an essential component of the degree requirements. The Internship must be integral to the student’s masters curriculum.

For the 3 units of 27-995 to satisfy the degree requirements, students must submit the “Internship Plan” (Appendix B) before the summer session begins. At the completion of the internship, students must submit the “Internship Report” along with a 1-2 page summary of the accomplishments during the internship (Appendix C). The faculty research advisor will be responsible for giving a letter grade for these units.

International Masters students with a visa status must apply for CPT for their summer internship. https://www.cmu.edu/oie/foreign-students/docs/cpt.pdf

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7.4.6 Final Research Report A Masters Final Report that clearly and successfully states the objectives and accomplishments of the MSE-related research must be written and approved.

The Master’s Final Report must embody the results of independent MSE-related research, be an original contribution to knowledge, and ideally include material worthy of publication.

Report Requirements •

Other than 12 point font (preferably a Sans Serif font), 1" margins all around, and

single spacing, there are no strict formatting requirements, but the report must contain the essential elements of a scientific paper: Abstract, Author affiliation, Figures, Tables, Funder information, Introduction, Materials/Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions/Summary, and References.

•

The report should be a minimum of 6 pages long, excluding figures, tables, and

references.

•

References can be in any style or format, so long as a consistent scholarly

citation format is applied. Author name(s), journal or book title, article or chapter title, year of publication, volume, and issue (where appropriate) and page numbers are essential. All bibliographic entries must contain a corresponding in-text citation.

The addition of DOI (Digital Object Identifier) numbers is recommended but not essential.

The Masters Final Report is to be submitted in Canvas to the research advisor and academic advisor at least TEN calendar days before grades are due.

A passing grade will be assigned to “27-675 Masters Report” based on approval of the report by the research advisor or department head.

7.6 Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Engineering – Materials Science and Engineering The MS AI program is completed in 3 semesters with 120 units of coursework and the

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completion of a research project.

Number

Title

Units

06-763/18-

Systems and Toolchains for AI Engineers

12

24-787/18-661

Introduction to Machine Learning

12

24-788

Introduction to Deep Learning

6

24-784

Trustworthy AI

12

Number

Title

Units

27-734

Methods of Computational Materials

12

763/14-763

Science 27-676

Foundations of Materials Science and

12

Engineering 27-672

Research Skills & Professional

1 (1st Fall)

Development MS 27-774

Graduate Seminar

1 (taken each semester)

○

Students are required to take at least 24 units of MSE graduate electives

○

Students are required to take at least 12 units of 27-756 MSE Project

7.7: Protocol for Evaluation of Transfer Credit The Department of Materials Science and Engineering will accept up to 24 units (2 courses) of graduate transfer credit toward Ph.D. coursework according to the policies outlined on the College of Engineering website: https://engineering.cmu.edu/education/academic-policies/graduate-policies/registrationgrading-credit.html#transfer-credit-&-special-students Only official and final college or university transcripts will be accepted for the awarding of transfer credit. Grade reports, letters and the like are not acceptable. Official transcripts for the awarding of transfer credit will reside in the student's permanent academic folder in the department. Grades for transfer units will not be counted in the Carnegie Mellon GPA. COE-MSE Master’s Handbook AY25-26

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Transfer units will be accepted for: ●

Graduate-level courses that have not been counted toward a previous degree at another university

●

Courses with a 3.0 GPA or higher

●

Courses that can be considered part of the M.S. graduate program in the MSE department

Students must have successfully completed at least 36 units in the graduate program before the units can be transferred.

SECTION 8: Department Policies & Protocols 8.1: Verification of Enrollment Enrollment Services is the only University office that can provide an official letter of enrollment, official transcript and enrollment verification.

Enrollment verification can be requested online through The HUB at: https://www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/student-records/verifications/enrollment.html

8.2: Change of Address The MSE Department encourages students to keep their current local address up-to-date in Student Information Online (SIO). This supports a university initiative to have accurate living information for students for official program/department/college/university notices, the ability to facilitate wellness checks, ensure international students are in compliance with visa requirements, etc.

Students can change their address using SIO, which is available via the HUB website: http://www.cmu.edu/hub/index.html.

8.3: New Policies Departmental and college policies and protocols are binding, but also evolve: degree attainment criteria change and policies and protocols are updated from time to time. In general, students will be expected to comply with the policies as stated in the version of the handbook that was current when they started the program.

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8.4: Part-time Status Part-time MS enrollment is an option available for students in special circumstances, such as students who would like to pursue an MS degree while maintaining external employment. Students should contact the MS Program Director when applying to the program. *Note that immigration regulations do not allow Carnegie Mellon University to issue visa documents for the part-time MS program.*

8.5: Time Away from Academic Responsibilities University Holidays: New Year's Day

Thanksgiving Day

Martin Luther King Day

Day After Thanksgiving

Memorial Day

Christmas Eve

Juneteenth

Christmas Day

Independence Day

New Year's Eve

Labor Day

8.6 Transferring Between Programs Students can apply to transfer from the course-based program to the research-based program by completing the form in Appendix D. Applications should be received by the academic advisor during the regular application cycle to be considered (October 15 th or January 15th). Program changes will not take place during the semester.

Students interested in the CMU MSE PhD program must also apply to the program to be considered. Students should consult the website for application deadlines, and should submit their application during the regular application cycle.

International students should also consult with OIE regarding any immigration policies or paperwork (including a new I-20) that may result from transferring degree programs.

8.7: English Language Requirement

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In a continuing effort to improve technical and interpersonal communication, it is the policy of the department that all international students, whose first language is not English, should attempt to pass the Intercultural Communications Center's International Teaching Assistant (ITA) test before graduation. https://www.cmu.edu/icc/language-certification/index.html

SECTION 9: Grading & Evaluation In general the following grading scale is used for graduate classes: Lower percentage

Upper percentage

Symbol

93.3

100.0

A

90.0

93.3

A-

86.7

90.0

B+

83.3

86.7

B

80.0

83.3

B-

76.7

80.0

C+

73.3

76.7

C

70.0

73.3

C-

66.7

70.0

D+

63.3

66.7

D

o All students must maintain a B (3.0) average to graduate. o Course units with a grade lower than C (2.0) are not acceptable toward the degree requirements. o Grades in approved projects may not be used in calculation of the B (3.0) average. o Grades in approved projects must be B (3.0) or above to count towards the unit calculation for graduation. o A student is considered full time at 36 units. By permission of the academic advisor, students may take more than 51 units. o All full-time students must enroll, attend, and actively participate in the Graduate Seminar course (27-774) each semester except their first semester in which they are registered. Seminar is Pass or Fail

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9.1 Process for Appealing Final Grades https://www.cmu.edu/graduate/policies/appeal-grievance-procedures.html Final grades will be changed only in exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the instructor and the department, unit or program. Grading is a matter of sound discretion of the instructor and final grades are rarely changed without the consent of the instructor who assigned the grade. The following circumstances are the unusual exceptions that may warrant a grade appeal: (a) the final grade assigned for a course is based on manifest error (e.g. a clear error such as arithmetic error in computing a grade or failure to grade one of the answers on an exam), or (b) the faculty or staff member who assigned the grade did so in violation of a University policy.

9.2 Academic Actions In order to maintain good academic standing, MS students must attain minimum quality point averages for each semester (as well as cumulatively) and also maintain adequate progress toward completing graduation requirements. Minimum quality point average for good academic standing is 3.00. “Adequate academic progress towards graduation” generally means that students are successfully completing approximately 36-49 units per semester (depending on academic program) so that at the end of their standard program length they will have accumulated the minimum units required for graduation, have a cumulative QPA of at least 3.00, and have completed all degree requirements. When a student fails to meet minimum performance criteria, it will result in academic probation.

After two semesters of academic probation, the department may drop the student from the program.

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Appendix A Masters Program Internship Plan Masters Program Summer Internship Plan Student Name Degree Program Organization Providing Internship Organization Address Supervisor Information Name Title Phone Email Period of Assignment Begin Date

End Date

Internship Title Website Listing Internship Description

Approval

Date

Student Signature Academic Advisor Signature

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Research Advisor Signature (research students only) Created 10/18

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Appendix B Masters Program Internship Report Masters Program Summer Internship Report This form is to be accompanied by a 1-2 page summary report of the internship experience.

Student Name Degree Program Organization Providing Internship Organization Address

Supervisor Information Name Title Phone Email

Period of Assignment: Begin Date

Approval

End Date

Date

Student Signature Academic Advisor Signature Research Advisor Signature Appendix D Transfer Application Name Andrew ID Current Semester

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Semester of Enrollment in new MS program

Using 100-300 words for each question, answer the essay questions below. Make sure to include why you are choosing to transfer to the research masters program.

Essay Questions: 1. Other than reputation, what most interests you about attending the Materials Science and Engineering Department at CMU?

2. What are your goals after you complete your degree, and how will our graduate program help you achieve your immediate and longer-term future career objectives?

3. What specific research is of interest to you and how would our program enable you to pursue your goals?

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4. Describe how your work, research, educational or other life experiences have prepared you for graduate study in this program?

5. What sets you apart from other applicants? eg. Have you done significant community service? Have you published peer-reviewed research? Have you received significant awards?

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Appendix C Exception Form

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Carnegie Mellon University

Master of Science Degree in Materials Science Exception:

Students can count up to 12 units of courses from CIT, Heinz, Tepper, SCS or MCS by permission of their research advisor if: (1) these units are specifically related to the student's Masters Research Project, (2) the student submits a written request to their academic advisor stating the importance of the course to the research project, and (3) the student’s faculty research advisor supports this action.

Student Name and Andrew ID Course Number and Title Semester Research Advisor name

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State how this course relates to your research project for your MS degree.

Include why it is important for you take this course to continuewith your research.

Signature of faculty member advisor, indicating approval of course selection

DATE

Last updated August 2022

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