The request to revise the Ph.D in Nanoscale Science

Date: March 11, 2016
To: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
From: Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: March 4, 2016
Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Summer 2016

Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.

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Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science requires 72 credit hours. Core courses account for at least 30 22 credit hours, and elective courses account for at least 9 credit hours. The remaining credit hours are fulfilled by enrolling in NANO 8900 – Dissertation Research. , NANO 8681 (Nanoscale Science Seminar), and NANO 8682 (Nanoscale Science Colloquium). Students may count additional elective courses towards meeting the 72 credit hour requirement with approval of the Program Director. A schedule for completing degree requirements can be found online at nanoscalescience.uncc.edu.

Elective Courses

Students complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of elective coursework in a chosen science or engineering discipline (selected from biology, chemistry, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering and engineering science, physics and optical science, or NANO 8060 – Special Topics in Nanoscale Science any 7000-8999 course from BIOL, CHEM, ECGR, MEGR, PHYS, OPTI, or NANO 8060, or a course approved by the Program Director), in addition to completing the core courses. Elective courses are selected in consultation with the student’s advisor or dissertation advisor and dissertation committee to best meet the student’s needs and interests.

Cumulative Exams

Students must pass 6 exams (4 if done during the first year) covering announced topics in nanoscale science. The exams require knowledge of basic principles of nanoscale science and current literature and will be administered monthly. Each student is expected to take the cumulative exam each time it is offered until he/she passes the required number of exams. Student progress in completing the cumulative exams is tracked by the Program Director.

General Science Proficiency Exam (GSPE)

The purpose of the GSPE is to ensure that students possess a working knowledge of material needed to master concepts in nanoscale science. The exam will cover introductory material in chemistry, physics and mathematics (including calculus). The website for the Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science (nanoscalescience.uncc.edu) contains detailed information about the exam, including a list of topics to be covered and sample questions, to assist students in preparing for the exam. The exam will be administered three times per year, in August, January, and May. Students are expected to take the GSPE each time it is offered until they pass it. Each student will discuss his/her performance on the GSPE with the Program Director regardless of whether (s)he passes the exam. The Program Director will indicate to the student any material he/she should study in greater detail and which faculty member the student should consult if he/she requires assistance in learning specific material. Students who do not pass the GSPE by the end of their first year enrolled in the program will be terminated from the program. The Program Director monitors student progress in completing the GSPE.