Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Degrees Offered

• Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Materials (1), Metallurgical (2), Ceramics (3) Engineering.

Metallurgical and Materials Engineering play a major role in the development, utilization, and advancement of technology in every engineering discipline and on a broader scale – society’s way of life. The department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering offers two programs united in core beliefs to provide undergraduates with the fundamental knowledge associated with materials processing and manufacturing in the context of sustainability, material properties, and materials selection and application. Graduates of either program will have the necessary background and skills for successful careers in a wide variety of engineering industries that include mining, aerospace, automotive, electronic, biomedical, and many more; or for pursuit of graduate education in materials research and technology development and related fields.

The Metallurgical & Materials Engineering program instills fundamental knowledge pertaining to materials processes including extraction and refining of materials, alloy development, casting, mechanical working, joining and forming, high-temperature reactions, and of engineered materials. The relationship of materials' properties and performance with the microchemistries, microstructures, and controlled defect structures or their elimination is emphasized for all types of applications.

The Ceramic Engineering program provides students valuable knowledge focused on ceramic materials on particle processing, sintering, thermal stability and behavior, glass science, and mechanical strength. The expertise is relevant to technical applications such as semiconductors, biomaterials, optics, energy storage and conversion, and tribological needs as well as traditional applications such as refractories, whitewares, and cements.

Both programs emphasize hands-on experimental work in addition to classroom learning to provide a well-integrated undergraduate education. Engineers from these programs will acquire knowledge in materials’ structure, properties, processing, and performance which can be applied to their desired area of focus.   

Program Educational Objectives

The programs have shared department educational objectives such that students graduating:

1. Obtain a range of positions in industry or government facilities or pursue graduate education in engineering, science, or other fields.
2. Demonstrate advancement in their chosen careers.
3. Engage in appropriate professional societies and continuing education activities.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Primary Contact

Savannah Rodgers
303-273-3660
savhende@mines.edu

Professors

Geoff Brennecka

Kip O. Findley, John Henry Moore Chair

Brian P. Gorman

Michael J. Kaufman, Co-Director of the Center for Advanced Non-Ferrous Structural Alloys (CANFSA)

Jeffrey C. King

Suveen N. Mathaudhu

Emmanuel De Moor

Ryan P. O'Hayre

Ivar E. Reimanis, Department Head, George S. Ansell Distinguished Chair

John G. Speer, Director of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC), American Bureau of Shipping Endowed Chair in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Associate Professors

Vladan Stevanovic

Zhenzhen Yu, Director of the Center for Welding, Joining and Coatings Research (CWJCR)

Assistant Professors

Lawrence Cho

Xiaolei Guo

Megan Holtz

Jihye Kim

Jonah Klemm-Toole

Eve Mozur

Anna Staerz

Teaching Professors

Gerald Bourne, Associate Department Head, Charles F. Fogarty Limited Professorship

Kimberly Scott

Research Faculty

Corby G. Anderson

Lawrence Cho

Amy Clark

Kester Clarke

Robert Cryderman

Arun Devaraj

David Diercks

Prashun Gorai

Jaeheon Lee

Terry Lowe

Steve Midson

Nelson Delfino De Campos Neto

Michael Sanders

Sridhar Seetharaman

Billy Stanbery

Andriy Zakutayev

Affiliate Faculty

Adam Creuziger

C. Matthew Enloe

Ron Goldfarb

Andrew Kustas

Patricio Mendez

Nathan Orloff

Terry Totemeier

Emeriti Professors

Glen R. Edwards, University Professor Emeritus

John P. Hager, University Professor Emeritus

George Krauss, University Professor Emeritus

Stephen Liu, University Professor Emeritus, Inaugural American Bureau of Shipping Chair Professor

Gerard P. Martins, Professor Emeritus

David K. Matlock, University Professor Emeritus

Brajendra Mishra, University Professor Emeritus

John J. Moore, Professor Emeritus

David L. Olson, University Professor Emeritus

Dennis W. Readey, Universtiy Professor Emeritus

Patrick R. Taylor, Professor Emeritus

Chester J. Van Tyne, Professor Emeritus

Emeriti Associate Professors

Gerald L. DePoorter

Robert H. Frost

Steven W. Thompson

Curriculum

The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME) curriculum is organized to educate students in the fundamentals of materials (MME Basics) and their applications (MME Applications).

A. MME Basics: The basic curriculum in the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering program will provide a background in the following topic areas:

1. Crystal Structures and Structural Analysis: crystal systems; symmetry elements and Miller indices; atomic bonding; metallic, ceramic and polymeric structures; x-ray and electron diffraction; stereographic projection and crystal orientation; long range order; defects in materials.
2. Thermodynamics of Materials: heat and mass balances; thermodynamic laws; chemical potential and chemical equilibrium; solution thermodynamics and solution models; partial molar and excess quantities; solid state thermodynamics; thermodynamics of surfaces; electrochemistry.
3. Transport Phenomena and Kinetics: Heat, mass and momentum transport; transport properties of fluids; diffusion mechanisms; reaction kinetics; nucleation and growth kinetics.
4. Phase Equilibria: phase rule; binary and ternary systems; microstructural evolution; defects in crystals; surface phenomena; phase transformations: eutectic, eutectoid, martensitic, nucleation and growth, recovery; microstructural evolution; strengthening mechanisms; quantitative stereology; heat treatment.
5. Properties of Materials: mechanical properties; chemical properties (oxidation and corrosion); electrical, magnetic and optical properties: failure analysis.

B. MME Applications: The course content in the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering program emphasizes the following applications:

1. Materials Processing: particulate processing; thermo- and electro-chemical materials processing; hydrometallurgical processing; synthesis of materials; deformation processing; solidification and casting; welding and joining.
2. Design and Application of Materials: materials selection; ferrous and nonferrous metals; ceramics; polymers; composites; electronic materials.
3. Statistical Process Control and Design of Experiments: statistical process control; process capability analysis; design of experiments.

C. MME Curriculum Requirements: The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering course sequence is designed to fulfill the program goals and to satisfy the curriculum requirements. The time sequence of courses organized by degree program, year, and semester is listed below.

Degree Requirements (Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering)

Major GPA

During the 2016-2017 academic year, the Undergraduate Council considered the policy concerning required major GPAs and which courses are included in each degree’s GPA.  While the GPA policy has not been officially updated, in order to provide transparency, council members agreed that publishing the courses included in each degree’s GPA is beneficial to students. 

The following list details the courses that are included in the GPA for this degree:

• MTGN100 through MTGN599 inclusive

Five-Year Combined Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Baccalaureate and Master of Engineering in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with an Electronic-Materials Emphasis.*

The departments of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and Physics collaborate to offer a five-year program designed to meet the needs of the electronics and similar high-tech industries. Students who satisfy the requirements of the program obtain an undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, or Ceramic Engineering in four years and a Master of Engineering degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the end of the fifth year. The program is designed to provide a strong background in science fundamentals as well as specialized training in the materials-science and processing needs of these industries. Thus, the educational objective of the program is to provide students with the specific educational requirements to begin a career in microelectronics and, at the same time, a broad and flexible background necessary to remain competitive in this exciting and rapidly-changing industry. The undergraduate electives which satisfy the requirements of the program and an overall curriculum need to be discussed with the student’s advisor and approved by the Physics or Metallurgical and Materials Engineering departments. A program mentor in each department can also provide counseling on the program.

Application for admission to this program should be made during the first semester of the sophomore year (in special cases, later entry may be approved upon review by one of the program mentors). Undergraduate students admitted to the program must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average or better. The graduate segment of the program requires a case study report, submitted to the student’s graduate advisor. Additional details on the Master of Engineering can be found in the Graduate Degree and Requirements section of the graduate bulletin. The case study is started during the student’s senior design project and completed during the year of graduate study. A student admitted to the program is expected to select a graduate advisor in advance of the graduate-studies final year and prior to the start of their senior year. The case-study topic is then identified and selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. A formal application during the senior year for admission to the graduate program in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering must be submitted to the Graduate School. Students who have maintained all the standards of the program requirements leading up to this step can expect to be admitted.

The Mines guidelines for Minor/ASI can be found in the Undergraduate Information section of the Mines Catalog.

Minor in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

A minor program in metallurgical and materials engineering consists of a minimum of 18 credits of a logical sequence of courses.  Students majoring in metallurgical and material engineering are not eligible to earn a minor in the department.

A minor program declaration (available in the Registrar's Office) must be submitted for approval prior to the student's completion of half of the credits proposed to constitute the program. Approvals are required from the department head of metallurgical and materials engineering, the student's advisor, and the department head or division director in the department or division in which the student is enrolled.

Recommended Courses: The following courses are recommended for students seeking to earn a minor in metallurgical and materials engineering:

Other sequences are permissible to suit the special interests of individual students. These other sequences need to be discussed and approved by the department head in metallurgical and materials engineering.

Courses