Academic Programs
Ph. D. Degree
There are general Ph.D. Degree requirements set by the Rackham Graduate School. These are set forth in "Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies" and cover residence, minimum total fees, preliminary examinations and candidacy requirements.
The specific Program requirements include completing most of the course requirements prescribed in each specialization or option by the end of the second year, passing a two part comprehensive written examination, selection of a research area and a Research Supervisor and Dissertation Committee.
Counseling on both the general and specific requirements is provided by an advisor representing the Executive Committee of the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Program. The advisor is designated through a selection process during the student's first month. The student then chooses among seven specializations or options: Biomaterials Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry (synthetic or physical), Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Organic Electronics and Photonics, or Physics. An individualized option or specialization is also available as described below.
The progress to a Ph.D. is normally four to five years with coursework being emphasized during the first two years. Students are approved for candidacy after they have completed the basic prescribed courses satisfactorily, passed the comprehensive exam, formed a Dissertation Committee and passed a preliminary oral examination by that Committee.
Research
An early start in research is encouraged as soon as the students have demonstrated satisfactory progress in courses and have selected a Research Supervisor. The interdisciplinary nature of the Program allows for a wide range of research possibilities.
Master's (MS or MSE) Degree
Course requirements will depend upon your choice of specialization both for courses in that field and in Macromolecular Science and Engineering. The course distribution should be a minimum of three courses in Macromolecular Science and Engineering, a minimum of three courses from those required in the specialization, plus additional approved courses to complete the minimum credit hour requirement (30) for the M.S. degree. These course requirements consist of a minimum of thirty credits of graduate work with not more than six credits and not less than four allowed for a research project. There is to be a written report describing the results of such a research project. All courses must be approved by the advisor.
Representative Course Programs
There are several specializations or options from which to choose. These include Biomaterials Engineering, Biomedical Engineering,(Synthetic or Physical) Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Organic Electronics and Photonics, and Physics.
The general requirements in all of these specializations or options for the Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering is 30 credit hours; 12 of these from Macromolecular Science and Engineering courses and 12 more from the specialization courses and then an additional 6 hours of graduate credit. See the next page for the courses available.
It is recommended that in all the options an introductory course such as MacroSE 412 be taken as part of these credits by all students who do not have a strong polymer background. The specific course requirements for you are recommended by the Director and your advisor. Contact the Macromolecular Science and Engineering office if you would like more information on these requirements.
An individualized selection of courses may be proposed by students who already have a Master's Degree or have equivalent experience. This course program must be approved by the Executive Committee.