College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at
Albany-SUNY offers the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Masters of
Sciences (M.S.) in the emerging interdisciplinary fields of NanoSciences and
NanoEngineering. The curriculum offers Ph.D. and Masters degrees in selected
science and engineering tracks pertaining to the nanoelectronic, optoelectronic,
optical, nano/micro-electro-mechanical, nano/micro-opto-electro-mechanical,
energy, and nanobiological fields. Multiple student entry channels are designed
to accommodate students from undergraduate and graduate educational background
in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, and Electrical, Mechanical,
Chemical, and Biochemical Engineering.
The cross-disciplinary Ph.D. and M.S. curriculum proposed integrates the fundamental
science principles of physics, chemistry, computer science, and biology with
the cross cutting fields of nanosciences, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology.
The underlying graduate course instructional strategy supports this multidisciplinary
approach. A comprehensive portfolio of courses provides fundamental knowledge
in the basic science and engineering of design, growth, and properties of nanomaterials
(including metals, semiconductors, polymers, and chemical and biological materials).
This would include the integration, processing, testing and qualification of
these materials in integrated nanocircuitry, micro- and nano-systems and sensors,
and integrated optics. Significant emphasis within each discipline is placed
upon the science and technology know-how for atomic scale material modeling,
characterization, and metrology to develop the fundamental skills necessary
for independent and original research.
Pertinent concentration areas include:
Molecular Materials and Architectures: Material properties of molecular dots, wires, and crystals, quantum confinement and ballistic transport based device structures, and the integration of molecular/electronic materials in nanodevice geometries.
Optoelectronic Materials, Architectures, and Devices: Compound semiconductor material properties, quantum confinement-based nanodevice structures, and integration of optoelectronic/electronic materials in emerging "XYZ-on-a-chip" or "system-on-a-chip" (SOC) architectures and systems.
NanoSystems Sciences and Technologies: Design, fabrication, integration, and testing of nano/microelectrical and nano/micro-optoelectrical mechanical systems for incorporation in SOC architectures and systems.
Thin Film Single and Multilayered Material Structures: Self-assembly, deposition, modification, and integration of single and multilayered thin film materials.
Nanomaterials for Nanotechnology: Design, deposition, and integration of atomic and molecular-level nanoengineered materials for nanotechnology based applications.
Nanoscale Materials Modeling, Characterization, Analysis, and Metrology:
Advanced x-ray, ion, and electron based microscopic and spectroscopic analytical
techniques and process metrologies for atomic and molecular-level material properties
of thin films, nanomaterials and nano/micro-scale devices. Advanced Theory and
Simulation of optical, electronic, elastic, and thermodynamic properties utilizing
state of the art electronic structure methods (Density Functional Theory, Hartree-Fock/Configuration
Interaction, Quantum Monte Carlo, Quantum/Classical Molecular Dynamics, etc.)
Program Leading to the Master of Science Degree
The Master of Science program provides a solid foundation in the emerging interdisciplinary fields of NanoSciences and NanoEngineering in preparation for entry into the workforce or for further graduate study and research leading to a doctoral degree. Selected M.S. science and engineering tracks pertain to the nanoelectronic, optoelectronic, optical, nanosystems, energy, and nanobiological fields. Students accepted into the CNSE M.S. program are required to construct a preliminary program of graduate study with the assistance of their academic advisor at the completion of the first year of study. This preliminary program will consist of the student's choice of concentration and a tentative concentration course curriculum from the following areas: Molecular Materials and Architectures; Optoelectronic Materials, Architectures, and Devices; NanoSystems Sciences and Technologies; Thin Film Single and Multilayered Material Structures; Nanomaterials for Nanotechnology; Nanoscale Materials Modeling, Characterization, Analysis, and Metrology.
M.S.- Nanosciences and Nanoengineering
Graduate Program - 30 credits.
1. Courses in Nanosciences and Nanoengineering as advised including 12 credits
of thesis research (699) and submission of an acceptable thesis. With permission,
a master's research project can be can be substituted for the formal thesis.
(18 credits)
2. Concentration - 3 course sequence selected from one of the following sets
of courses (9 credits)
a. Chemistry 508, 520a, 520b, 525a, 525b, 526 or 561.
b. Physics 510a, 510b, 519, 532, 560, 562, or 563.
c. Nanosciences and Nanoengineering 501, 511, 512, 519, 525, 528 or 541.
3. Seminar/External courses as advised (3 credits)
Students admitted into the CNSE M.S. Program are required to undertake an original research project that represents a significant scientific contribution to one of the appropriate CNSE concentration areas. Completion of the M.S. research requirement follows one of two pathways:
a. Submission and successful defense of a formal Masters Thesis: Within two
semesters of matriculation the student must submit a proposal outlining an original
research project constituting a Masters Thesis to their Thesis committee. The
candidate must describe the motivation and background for the thesis, the critical
milestones for completing the research, and a statement of work outlining a
specific research plan. The five-person M.S. thesis committee consists of at
least three members of the CNSE faculty (including the candidate's advisor)
and at least one outside member (University at Albany faculty outside CNSE or
CNSE research partner). Upon timely completion of the Thesis research project,
the candidate prepares a thesis and submits the final draft to the thesis committee.
The committee ascertains the suitability of the draft and recommends amendments
which the candidate must complete before the final defense is scheduled. Once
approved by the committee, permission is granted for the candidate to present
and defend his or her thesis in a public seminar.
b. Submission of a detailed written research report combined with the successful
completion of a portion of the Ph.D. written qualifying examination: Within
two semesters of matriculation the student must submit to their research advisor
a proposal outlining an original research project to be undertaken. The candidate
must describe the motivation and background for the proposal, the critical milestones
for completing the research, and a statement of work outlining a specific research
plan. Upon timely completion of the Masters Research project, the candidate
prepares a detailed written research report and submits the final draft to the
research advisor. The advisor ascertains the suitability of the draft and recommends
amendments which the candidate must complete before being recommended for the
Masters degree. Students following this pathway must also pass a portion of
the Ph.D. written qualifying examination within two attempts.
M.S. Research Support
The research and academic obligations for any funded CNSE M.S. students, i.e., students who are funded by government, industrial or private fellowships, scholarships, research assistantships through sponsored research projects, etc… must be related directly to their research projects or to the development of the critical research skill set necessary to carry out their research project. As such, the intent of this financial support is to provide resources to assist in their educational and professional development, and cannot be used to require students to perform tasks that are unrelated to their research and academic obligations.
Requirements for Admission
A Bachelor's degree or equivalent in the physical sciences, engineering, or
mathematics is required for admission to the CNSE M.S. program. A minimum GPA
of 3.0 (out of a maximum of 4.0) is strongly recommended in addition to strong
letters of recommendation from past academic/professional instructors, mentors,
advisors, or managers who can evaluate the applicant's potential for graduate
education and research. All applicants into the program must have satisfactory
performance in the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE). Minimum TOEFL scores of 250 are required for entrants
whose native language is not English.
Dual Degree Master of Science in Nanosciences and Nanoengineering (M.S.)/Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
The NanoTechnology Management Program (NTMP) is an interdisciplinary program linking the M.B.A. and M.S. in Nanosciences and Nanoengineering degree programs with the goal of developing “industry ready” graduates who will be facilitators of change with the ability to integrate engineering, business, and people issues. The objectives of this dual degree program are to (1) integrate knowledge and skills from nanotechnology and business disciplines for effective responses to rapidly changing environments; and (2) prepare engineers for effective participation in the management of nanotechnology based organizations.
The dual degree NTMP program requires the completion of 36 credits in the School of Business and 27 credits in the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) for a total of 63 credits. All 36 credits in the School of Business are required courses; there are no electives. Of the 27 credits in the CNSE, 12 are required (CNSE 699); 3 credits are a seminar/external course, 3 credits are an elective course, and 9 credits are concentration courses.
Students must be eligible to matriculate in both programs and must be accepted through the admissions process of each program.
Program of Study – 63 credits
School of Business Courses (36 credits)
Acc 518 Accounting for Managers (3)
Bus 523 Presentation Skills (1)
Bus 675 International Business (3)
Fin 515 Economic Analysis (3)
Fin 525 Financial Management (3)
Itm 510 Computer Skills (1)
Itm 513 Quantitative Analysis for Business (3)
Itm 514 Operations Management (3)
Itm 520 Database Management (1)
Itm 522 Managing Information Technology (3)
Mgt 513 Organizational Behavior and Managerial Skills (3)
Mgt 514 Human Resources Management (3)
Mgt 682 Strategic Management (3)
Mkt 522 Marketing Management (3)
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Courses (27 credits)
Cnse 699 Masters Thesis (12)
Cnse xxx Concentration Courses (9) from the following: Cnse 501, 511, 512, 519,
525, 528 or 541
Cnse xxx Elective (3)
Cnse xxx Seminar/External Course (3) from the following: Cnse 517, 519, 528,
541, 555, 560, 565, 601, 605, 606, 614, 631 or 661
Program Leading to the Doctor of Philosophy
Degree
The purpose of the program is to prepare the student for a career as a productive research scholar in NanoSciences and NanoEngineering. The program is intended for students with career interests in industrial research and development, academic scholarship and research, or government research agencies.
The program is designed to develop the student's ability to discover fundamental knowledge in the basic science and engineering pertaining to: The design, growth, and properties of nanomaterials, including metals, semiconductors, polymers, and chemical and biological materials; And to the integration, processing, testing, and qualification of these materials in nanocircuitry, nanosystems, nanosensors, and integrated nano-optical systems. Significant emphasis within each discipline is placed upon the science and technological know-how for atomic scale material modeling, characterization, and metrology to develop the fundamental skills necessary for independent and original research. Pertinent concentration areas include: Molecular Materials and Architectures; Optoelectronic Materials, Architectures, and Devices; NanoSystems Sciences and Technologies; Thin Film Single and Multilayered Material Structures; Nanomaterials for Nanotechnology; Nanoscale Materials Modeling, Characterization, Analysis, and Metrology.
Students accepted into the CNSE Ph.D. program are required to construct a preliminary program of graduate study with the assistance of their academic advisor at the completion of the first year of study. This preliminary program will consist of the student's choice of concentration (specialization) and a tentative concentration course curriculum.
Program of Study and Research
1. Students admitted with an appropriate Bachelor's degree shall complete 66
credit hours of academic coursework in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree
requirements:
a. 36 credit hours in coursework at the 500 level or higher (including coursework
in the student's area of concentration).
b. 12 credit hours of seminar/external courses.
c. 18 credit hours of Ph.D. dissertation research.
d. Completion of a seven core-course sequence consisting of an appropriate subset
of the following courses: CHM 520A, CHM 520B, CHM 525A, CHM 525B, CHM 526, CHM
535A, and CHM 561; or PHY 510A, PHY 510B, PHY 519, PHY 532, PHY 560, PHY 562,
and PHY 563; or CNSE 501, CNSE 511, CNSE 512, CNSE 519, CNSE 525, CNSE 528 and
CNSE 541. The core-course sequence is designed to accommodate multiple nanosciences
student specialization channels, including Physics and Chemistry.
2. Students admitted with an appropriate Masters of Science degree shall complete
36 credit hours of academic coursework in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree
requirements:
a. 15 credit hours in coursework at the 500 level or higher (including coursework
in the student's area of concentration).
b. 6 credit hours of seminar/external courses.
c. 15 credit hours of Ph.D. dissertation research.
d. Completion of the core-courses listed above for which the student did not
receive course equivalency upon matriculation into the Ph.D. program.
3. Qualifying Written Examination for Formal Admission to the Ph.D. program: Admission to the CNSE Ph.D. program requires successful completion of a qualifying written examination covering materials nanoscience, nanoengineering and basic nanoscience applications. The exam will be offered yearly and must be passed within two attempts to maintain academic standing in the CNSE Ph.D. program.
4. Preliminary Oral Examination for completion of the Ph.D. degree: Normally, within 2 semesters of passing the qualifying written examination, students in the CNSE Ph.D. program must take and pass a preliminary oral examination relevant to an CNSE concentration area. Successful completion of the preliminary oral examination is determined by a five-member oral examination committee. This committee consists of at least three members of the CNSE faculty (including the student's advisor) and at least one outside member (University at Albany faculty outside CNSE, or CNSE research partner). Upon passing this examination the student advances to candidacy for the Ph.D.
5. Submission and successful defense of a formal Ph.D. Dissertation (see below).
Dissertation
Within one semester of passing the preliminary oral examination the candidate must submit to a Ph.D. dissertation committee a proposal outlining an original NanoSciences/NanoEngineering research project constituting a Ph.D. dissertation. The candidate must describe the motivation and background for the dissertation; the critical milestones for completing relevant research tasks; and a statement of work outlining a specific research plan. The five-person Ph.D. dissertation committee consists of at least three members of the CNSE faculty (including the candidate's advisor) and at least one outside member (University at Albany faculty outside the CNSE, or a CNSE research partner).
Upon timely completion of the Ph.D. dissertation research project the candidate prepares a dissertation and submits the final draft to the dissertation committee. The committee ascertains the suitability of the draft and recommends amendments which the candidate must complete before the final defense is scheduled. Once approved by the committee, permission is granted for the candidate to present and defend his dissertation in a public seminar.
Ph. D. Publication Requirement
For successful completion of the Ph.D. degree requirements, students are also required to be the first author on a minimum of two scientific publications that have already been accepted for publication in recognized peer-reviewed technical journals that are related to the their concentration area.
Ph. D. Degree Research Support
The research and academic obligations for any funded CNSE Ph.D. students, i.e., students who are funded by government, industrial or private fellowships, scholarships, research assistantships through sponsored research projects, etc… must be related directly to their research projects or to the development of the critical research skill set necessary to carry out their research project. As such, the intent of this financial support is to provide resources to assist in their educational and professional development, and cannot be used to require students to perform tasks that are unrelated to their research and academic obligations.
Requirements for Admission
A Bachelor's or Master's degree (or equivalent) in the physical sciences, engineering,
or mathematics is required for admission to the CNSE Ph.D. program. A minimum
GPA of 3.0 (out of a maximum of 4.0) is strongly recommended in addition to
strong letters of recommendation from past academic/professional instructors,
mentors, advisors, or managers who can evaluate the applicant's potential for
graduate education and research. All applicants into the program must have satisfactory
performance in the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE). Minimum TOEFL scores of 250 are required for entrants
whose native language is not English.