Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Materials Engineering, BS

Materials Engineers design, characterize, and manufacture the “stuff” of our everyday world. Semiconductors, metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites are examples of the materials used to make everything around you - from your computer to the chair you are sitting in, from artificial body parts to the skin of the space shuttle. Materials scientists and engineers work in nanotechnology, biotechnology, aerospace, alternative energy, microelectronics and virtually every industry sector.

Major areas of study are the relationships between materials’ structure, properties, processing, and performance. The MatE program, offered by the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , stresses the roles of design, development, and process engineering, and also prepares the exceptional student for research and graduate study. The Department has excellent laboratory facilities for courses and student research.

The Materials Engineering Bachelor of Science degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Program Criteria and the Materials (1), Metallurgical (2), Ceramics (3) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Program Criteria. The department also offers a combined Materials Engineering BS + MS program.

Program Learning Outcomes

Summary of Degree Units

University Graduation Requirements	21
Major Preparation	33
Major Requirements	66
Total	120

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

Major-Specific Graduation Requirements

The following course in Preparation for the Major must be completed with a “C- or Better”: ENGL 1B .

The following required in the Major Lower Division Core must be satisfied with a “C- or Better”: MATH 30 , MATH 31 , MATH 32 , CHE 110A , PHYS 50 , PHYS 51 , CHEM 1A , CHEM 1B , CE 99 (or CE 95 ), ME 20 , MATE 25 , and ENGR 10 .

The MATE Junior Core consists of a 2.0 average in {MATE 115 , MATE 141 , MATE 151 , MATE 153 , MATE 154 and MATE 155 } and ENGR 100W . Students receiving a grade less than “C-” in a Junior Core course may have to repeat the course. The Junior Core must be satisfied in order to enroll in Senior Core courses.

The MATE Senior Core consists of {MATE 186 , MATE 195 , MATE 198A , MATE 198B , MATE 185 , and MATE 152 }. Students receiving a grade less than “C-” in a senior core course will have to repeat the course before graduation.

Prerequisite Requirements

Enrollment in any chemistry course requires that the prerequisite courses be passed with a grade of “C or better” (C- not accepted). Exceptions may be made only with instructor consent or if not explicitly stated in the course description. Refer to the course descriptions for specific information regarding course prerequisites.

University Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the major and Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements , which includes unit, GPA, and residency requirements as well as the below identified General Education , American Institutions, Graduation Writing Assessment, and Physical Education requirements. Courses that meet Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements are noted with an area designation (see Course Note Abbreviations ).

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements apply to this major.

Core Lower Division General Education (15 units)

Of the 39 units required by the university, 24 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Courses that meet GE Areas A1, A2, A3, B4, or F must be passed with a “C-” or better to meet the requirement. Of the 39 units, the following 15 units are not satisfied by the major or the American Institutions courses outlined below:

GE Area A1 - Oral Communication (3 units)
GE Area A2 - Written Communication I (3 units)
GE Area C1 - Arts (3 units)
GE Area C1 or C2 (3 units)
GE Area F - Ethnic Studies (3 units)

Upper Division General Education

Of the 9 units required by the university, 9 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Consult with major advisor for details.

American Institutions (6 units)

Complete one 6-unit sequence of American Institutions (US123) courses, which also satisfies GE Area D. Students may also satisfy the American Institutions Requirement with other courses, but these may not satisfy other GE areas.

The American Studies sequence (AMS 10 /AMS 11 ; 6 units) satisfies the American Institutions Requirement and additional GE Areas (see course descriptions for details).

Consult with a major advisor to select the appropriate sequence.

U.S. History and Government (6 units)

Complete One US1: US History Course

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) (C2+US1)
HIST 15 - Essentials of U.S. History 3 unit(s) (D+US1)
HIST 170S - Topics in American History: American Identities and Institutions 3 unit(s) (S+US1)

Complete One US23: US Constitution and California Government Course

AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 15 - Essentials of U.S. & California Government 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 16 - Power and Ideas in American Politics 3 unit(s) (C2+US23)
POLS 170V - American Politics in Global Perspective 3 unit(s) (V+US23)

Physical Education

The Physical Education Requirement is waived for this major. See the Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements .

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass a Writing in the Disciplines (100W) course with a grade of C or better (C- not accepted) to meet graduation requirements. For this major, the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) is satisfied by a course in the major.

Major Preparation (33 units)

CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (B1+B3)
CHEM 1B - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (B1+B3)
ENGL 1B - Argument and Analysis 3 unit(s) (C2) (or equivalent second semester composition course.)
MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (B4) (or MATH 30X )
MATH 31 - Calculus II 4 unit(s) (B4) (or MATH 31X )
MATH 32 - Calculus III 3 unit(s) (B4) (or MATH 32H or MATH 32X )
CHE 110A - Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering 2 unit(s)
PHYS 50 - General Physics I: Mechanics 4 unit(s) (B1+B3)
PHYS 51 - General Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism 4 unit(s) (B1+B3)

Major Requirements (66 units)

Core Courses (11 units)

ENGR 10 - Introduction to Engineering 3 unit(s) (E)
ENGR 100W - Engineering Reports 3 unit(s) (WID+R)
MATE 25 - Introduction to Materials 3 unit(s)
CE 99 - Introductory Statics 2 unit(s) (CE 95 also accepted.)

Major Courses (46 units)

CHE 110B - Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering 2 unit(s)
CHE 161 - Process Safety and Engineering Ethics 1 unit(s)
CHE 162 - Engineering Statistics and Analysis 2 unit(s)
MATE 115 - Structure/Properties of Solids 3 unit(s)
MATE 141 - Structure and Analysis of Materials 3 unit(s)
MATE 146 - Experimental Methods in Materials Characterization 3 unit(s)
MATE 151 - Solid State Thermodynamics 3 unit(s)
MATE 152 - Solid State Kinetics 3 unit(s)
MATE 153 - Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials 3 unit(s)
MATE 154 - Metals and Alloys 3 unit(s)
MATE 155 - Materials Selection and Process Design 3 unit(s)
MATE 185 - Ceramics 3 unit(s)
MATE 186 - Polymers 3 unit(s)
MATE 195 - Mechanical Behavior of Materials 3 unit(s)
MATE 198A - Senior Design Project 2 unit(s) (S)
MATE 198B - Senior Design Project 2 unit(s) (V)
ME 20 - Design and Graphics 2 unit(s)
ENGR 195A - Global and Social Issues in Engineering 1 unit(s) (S)
ENGR 195B - Global and Social Issues in Engineering 1 unit(s) (V)

Technical Electives (9 units)

Electives must be selected from the approved departmental list in consultation with the students’ advisor.

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