Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Materials Science

California Institute of Technology

The doctoral program in Materials Science consists of taking a series of preparatory classes, followed by an oral candidacy exam, a written thesis, and a final oral thesis defense. The goals of this program are to develop competence in a chosen field of specialization; to develop tools with which to assess problems outside the student's field of specialization; to develop sufficient strength in the physical sciences for self-education beyond formal training; and to cultivate the motivation and foresight to become a productive and influential leader. As such, the graduate program in Materials Science is designed to be a doctoral program and students are only admitted into the doctoral program. There is no separate master’s program in Materials Science, however, a degree of Master of Science in Materials Science can be awarded upon request by students after the fulfillment of course requirements.

The Ph.D. degree in Materials Science is focused on research. Study and research programs for the Ph.D. degree are individually planned to fit the interests and background of the student. A comprehensive research project resulting in an original contribution to the field documented by a dissertation is required.

Residency: A minimum of three academic years in residence as a graduate student are required by the Institute, and two or more additional years are usually needed for preparation of the thesis.

To be recommended for candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, the student must, in addition to meeting the general Institute requirements, do the following:

a. Courses. To continue in the graduate program, the student must maintain a B– average for each term. Advancement to candidacy requires the successful completion of the program listed under “Core Courses” above. Alternatively, if the student has taken equivalent courses elsewhere, he or she may prove competency to the instructor of the equivalent course at the Institute and request a waiver of the required course. With the above course schedule as a guide, students must complete a minimum of 135 units of courses, numbered 101 or above, plus 2 units of MS 110ab, before presenting themselves for the candidacy exam. The coursework towards the Ph.D. degree in applied physics is typically completed within the first two years of residency at Caltech.

• All units must be taken for grades and passed with a grade of at least a C, except for courses offered only on a pass/fail basis.
• Only courses in which a student has obtained a grade of C or higher will be counted toward the 135 unit minimum.
• No more than 27 units of research through MS 200 can be counted toward the 135 unit requirement of candidacy.
• Students must complete the degree progress report online.
• Alternate Subjects or Areas
  • Students entering the program with advanced preparation may choose either to substitute more advanced courses in the topical areas shown or to demonstrate competency by successfully passing both the midterm and final examinations.
  • Students may petition the option representative to accept alternate subjects or areas.
  • These changes should retain core materials science knowledge, and should represent sufficient breadth.
  • The approval is not automatic; such petitions must be submitted to the option representative and approved before the student registers for the course.