• UNM 2012-2013 Catalog
• »Colleges
• »Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies
• »Nanoscience and Microsystems
• »Graduate Program

Graduate Program

The M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in NSMS prepare individuals for careers in the emerging fields in Nanotechnology and Microsystems. The program includes three PhD Concentrations: Nano-Bio Interfaces, Complex Functional Materials, and Information Nanotechnology. It also includes the Professional Science Masters Concentration. The program is a collaborative effort among several departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, as well as the Anderson School of Management, with numerous cross-listed and team-taught courses. The participating departments are: Biology, Biochemistry, Civil Engineering, Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy. Students who choose the NSMS degree program can continue to be advised by, supported by and conduct research with faculty in these departments. There are numerous courses in these departments that may be of interest as electives–some of which are listed below–for students in the NSMS program. Faculty in the Health Science Center and the UNM Cancer Research center also participate in the NSMS.

The Professional Science Masters Concentration in Nanoscience and Microsystems emphasizes the innovation and entrepreneurial skills necessary to bring discoveries in nanoscience to the marketplace. Candidates for this degree learn the fundamentals of nanoscience, receive hands-on training in microsystems and are introduced to entrepreneurship, innovation and project management. The degree may be completed within one year. This curriculum has been developed in concert with industry and is designed to address present and future professional career needs. Professional Science Masters Concentration students will complete 32 credit hours including stipulated required courses.

Master’s Degree (M.S.) Requirements

M.S. Admission Prerequisites

The general admission requirements described in the Graduate Program in this Catalog apply to the NSMS program. Applicants who plan to apply to the NSMS program must have a bachelor’s degree in a natural science or engineering field. All incoming NSMS students should meet a minimum level of competency indicated by passing grade in a math class of MATH 316 or higher. If needed, incoming students who are otherwise qualified may take MATH 316 during their first semester and pass with a B or better or by taking and passing an equivalency exam that certifies their mathematical ability.

M.S. Application Process

The general application process for domestic and international students is described in the graduate program section of this Catalog. In addition to meeting those requirements, applicants must submit the following directly to the NSMS Program Office for the Admissions Subcommittee review and selection process:

1. Letter of Intent from the applicant about why this program is of interest. (Approximately 250 words stating the rationale and motivation for entering the NSMS Program.)
2. Three sealed letters of recommendation (sent directly to the NSMS Office).
3. GRE entrance examination scores.
4. Any other materials that are relevant to this application, such as experiential credit.
5. Departmental application available online or at program office.

M.S. Admission and Advising Roles

The Admissions Subcommittee reviews applications and makes admission decisions. Selected applicants are sent a notice of acceptance.  Students are encouraged to meet with the program director or program administrator to discuss fellowship opportunities, class enrollment and UNM standard procedures such as the details of becoming a student, obtaining an ID card and procedures for enrolling in classes.

M.S. Faculty Advisor/Mentor. Students are responsible for selecting a faculty mentor who will help them establish a Committee on Studies. The program office will aid students in their selection process. Ideally, students and faculty members will agree about the advising/mentoring relationship but for those who need assistance, the Director will request that the Admissions Subcommittee assist in this process.

M.S. Committee on Studies. The student and faculty mentor invite three faculty members to serve on the student’s Committee on Studies. The committee members help the student to plan a Program of Studies–a list of courses that meets the student’s interests and needs which will be counted toward the degree. This plan must be approved by the student’s advisor and the NSMS Program Director prior to being submitted to the OGS. The Committee also supervises the student’s progress and conducts the required thesis or other exams. If the student subsequently qualifies for entering the doctoral program, this committee can continue in the role of Doctoral Studies and Dissertation Committee to assist the student in completing the Ph.D.

M.S. General Degree Completion Requirements. The maximum time-to-degree for Master’s students is 7 years, during which time the student must be enrolled full time for at least three consecutive semesters. A student must take 9 credit hours to be a considered a full time student by financial aid. If the student has an assistantship, full time is considered to be 6 credit hours per semester. In order to complete the M.S., students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in graduate-level courses taken in graduate status and a GPA of at least 3.0 for courses listed in the Program of Studies. Students cannot graduate with incompletes pending nor while on probation.

Three M.S. Plans: Degree Completion Requirements

There are three options to receive an M.S. in NSMS.

Plan I (Thesis Option)–

1. The student must complete all core course requirements.
2. Student must complete a total of 24 credit hours.
3. Student must complete 6 thesis hours.

Plan II (Standard Plan II)–

1.  Students must complete all core course requirements.
2.  Student must complete 32 credit hours.

Plan II (Professional Science Masters Concentration)-

1. Students must complete all core course requirements and other stipulated courses.
2. Students must complete 32 credit hours.

All students must pass a master’s examination and/or thesis defense.

Students planning on continuing to pursue a Ph.D. are encouraged to follow Plan 1 (Thesis Option). These are the minimal requirements. In most cases the actual course load completed by a student are likely to be more than the minimum requirement, as dictated by their educational needs and committee on studies. 

Ph.D. Application and Admission Process. For prospective doctoral students, the process of applying and being selected is the same as for applicants to the Master’s program, with the Admissions Subcommittee assuming responsibility for reviewing applications and selecting candidates. Applicants who plan to apply to the NSMS program must have a bachelor’s degree in a natural science or engineering field. All incoming NSMS students should meet a minimum level of competency indicated by passing grade in a math class of MATH 316 or higher. If needed, incoming students who are otherwise qualified may take MATH 316 during their first semester and pass with a B or better or by taking and passing an equivalency exam that certifies their mathematical ability. 

Ph.D. Faculty Advisor/Mentor. Newly admitted doctoral students must also go through the process of selecting an advisor/mentor. They will then request the Graduate Subcommittee that the Qualifying Exam be scheduled sometime during or immediately after they have completed all of the core courses. The program office will aid students as needed in their selection process.  

NSMS Qualifying Examination Procedure. General requirements for the Ph.D. degree are set by the Office of Graduate Studies and are stated in other pages of this Catalog. Required NSMS core courses are described below.  Students who wish to Advance to Candidacy in NSMS must pass a program qualifying examination. This examination covers the four core subject areas listed in this section, and should be taken as soon as possible after entering the program.  The qualifying exam is in two parts:

1. Written Examination: Mastery of the core Nanoscience and Microsystems subjects will be demonstrated by the cumulative grades in the Core NSMS classes. The written exam is not required if the student has obtained a grade of A- or better in 3 of the 4 core courses (excluding ethics). 
2. Oral Examination: The Ph.D. qualifying exam will consist of an independent, critical analysis of a research article by the student and the preparation of a research proposal. The student will deliver a 30 minute presentation to critique the research paper and present the research proposal. The student will be allowed two attempts for each exam.

Ph.D. Committee on Doctoral Studies. The student and faculty mentor invite three faculty members to serve on the student’s Dissertation Committee on Studies. The committee members help the student to plan a program of studies that is reflected on the student’s Petition for Candidacy form. These courses meet the student’s interests and needs which will be counted toward the degree. The Petition for Candidacy must be approved by the student’s advisor and the NSMS Program Director prior to being submitted to the OGS. The Dissertation Committee also supervises the student’s progress and conducts the required exams.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Ph.D. Candidacy Requirements

To advancement to candidacy students must:

1. Satisfactorily complete all NSMS course requirements.
2. Pass a qualifying exam.
3. Pass a comprehensive exam
4. File all required paperwork by required time deadlines.

General Degree Completion Requirements

The NSMS Ph.D. requires that students complete 48 credit hours of courses plus 18 credit hours of dissertation research credit (699). Overall, the basic requirements for Ph.D. candidates include four core courses and an ethics course, plus four courses in a concentration or in an area of focus, as recommended by the student's dissertation committee. Additional details are available in the Graduate Program section of the UNM Course Catalog under the heading Doctoral Degree General Requirements. These are minimum requirements. The actual number of thesis or dissertation credits will in most cases be larger. Ph.D. candidates have a maximum of five years from the semester in which they pass the doctoral comprehensive examination to complete all of the degree requirements.

Ph.D. Minor in Nanoscience and Microsystems
Students who satisfactorily complete 3 of the 4 NSMS core courses required by the NSMS Ph.D. program (NSMS 510, 512, 518, 519) will be awarded a transcripted minor at the Ph.D. level.

Curriculum for Students in the NSMS M.S. & Ph.D. Degree Programs

M.S. Plan I and M.S. Plan II

There are two options to receive an M.S. in NSMS.

Plan I (Thesis Option)–

1. The student must complete all core course requirements.
2. Student must complete a total of 24 course credit hours.
3. Student must complete 6 thesis hours.

Plan II (Standard Plan II)–

1. The student must complete all core course requirements.
2. Student must complete 32 course credit hours. 

Plan II (Professional Science Masters Concentration)-

1. Students must take core course requirements
2. Students must complete 32 credit hours.

Ph.D. Candidates must complete a total of 48 credit hours past the bachelor’s degree, 24 of which are taken as a doctoral candidate. In addition to the courses completed at the M.S. level (the 4 core courses plus an ethics course) the Ph.D. candidate will complete one of the concentrations listed below, or the required core courses in one of the participating departments. Any student who has already completed an M.S. degree in a natural science or engineering field has already acquired a concentration. Ph.D. candidates must also complete 18 dissertation research (699) credit hours. 

General Electives

Many courses offered at UNM will be accepted for NSMS elective credit with the intent to supplement the nano-based coursework. We have also listed numerous elective courses here, some of which were developed as new courses specifically for this degree program, with very specific relevance to the nanoscience program. This is not an exclusive list. Many other courses will be added as they are developed and identified. Currently, the list of electives includes: