Establish a Background in Materials Science
About the Minor
The materials science minor at UC Davis prepares undergraduate students for careers that require a background in materials science. There is a constant need for professionals with more knowledge, experience and understanding of the behavior of the various materials that make up products such as cars, consumer electronics, sensors, medical devices, biological implants and infrastructure.
Topics covered include materials thermodynamics and kinetics, materials structural analysis and structure-property relationships for electronic, optical, magnetic and mechanical behavior. Materials science minors learn key principles such as the fundamentals of thermodynamics and kinetics and their effects on phase composition and structure, as well as the complex relationships between composition, structure, processing and behavior/performance.
The minor accommodates students of diverse academic backgrounds, such as those majoring in other engineering disciplines, physical sciences, biological sciences and mathematics.
Contact an undergraduate advisor to learn more.
Minor Requirements
- Minimum overall GPA of 2.0 for coursework completed in the minor.
- No grade lower than a C- for any courses counted toward the minor.
- All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
A completed minor declaration form should be submitted either after registration of the last minor course requirement or at the time of filing for graduation.
The following courses are required (12 units):
| Course Number | Title | Units | Quarter Offered | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMS 160 | Thermodynamics of Materials | 4 | Fall | C- or better in each of the following: ENG 45 or ENG 45Y, PHY 9B, MAT 22B, CHE 2C (recommended) |
| EMS 162 | Structure and Characterization of Materials | 4 | Winter | C- or better in each of the following: ENG 45 (or ENG 45Y), MAT 22A, PHY 9B |
| EMS 164 | Kinetics of Materials | 4 | Winter | C- or better in ENG 45 or ENG 45Y; EMS 160 |
Choose one of the following courses (4 units):
| Course Number | Title | Units | Quarter Offered | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMS 172 | Smart Materials | 4 | Spring | CHE 110A or PHY 9D; ENG 6, ECM 6 or equivalent recommended |
| EMS 174 | Mechanical Behavior of Materials | 4 | Spring | C- or better in ENG 45 or ENG 45Y; EMS 162 recommended |
Choose an additional 4 units of upper-division letter-graded Materials Science & Engineering (EMS) coursework.
Total units: 20.