The bachelor of science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (M&ME) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Student Outcomes
The Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering curriculum has been developed in consonance with ABET criteria to ensure its graduates have the abilities to:
- identify, formulate, and solve complex Materials Science and Engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- 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
- communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- 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
- function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
- apply advanced science, such as chemistry, biology, and physics), computational techniques and engineering principles to materials systems implied by the program modifier, e.g., ceramics,, metals, polymers, biomaterials, composite materials.
- integrate the understanding of the scientific and engineering principles underlying the four major elements of the field: structure, properties, processing, and performance related to metallurgical and materials systems appropriate to the field, and
- apply and integrate knowledge from each of the above four elements of the field using experimental, computational, and statistical methods to solve materials problems including selection and design consistent with the program educational objectives.
To help satisfy these student outcomes, the curriculum has evolved to (1) train the student to understand a wide range of M&ME methods which apply to the five disciplines as well as related fields, (2) prepare the student to adapt to an ever-changing world and its demands for minerals, metals and materials, and (3) give the student practical, hands-on experiences with numerous laboratory courses and field trips. In this regard, it is highly recommended that the students gain employment appropriate to M&ME or related fields during all summer breaks and even the school year to help guide them in their career choices, pay for college expenses, and ultimately make them more marketable upon graduation.
Program Educational Objectives
Program educational objectives of M&ME are to produce graduates who achieve some of the following within five years of graduating with their B.S. Degree:
- Practice the M&ME profession as demonstrated by
- Continued professional employment,
- Job promotion, and/or
- Expanded career responsibilities.
- Obtain professional registration
- Professional Engineer (PE),
- Qualified Professional (QP) and/or
- Professional Certification.
- Complete an advanced degree in M&ME or a related field
- Master of Science (MS) and/or
- Doctorate (PhD or ScD).
- Continue professional development as demonstrated by
- Society membership and participation,
- Master's in Business Administration (MBA),
- Continuing education, and/or
- Engineering related volunteerism.
Assessment
These student outcomes and program educational objectives are constantly assessed through knowledge surveys, course evaluations, mid-student surveys, senior exit interviews, graduate/alumni surveys, student satisfaction surveys, advisory board feedback, and imbedded indicators such as specific homework and test questions. Assessment responses from students, alumni, and the advisory board are documented and evaluated periodically by the faculty in order to make changes to and thereby improve the quality of the program as needed. The M&ME faculty believe that the quality of the program is ultimately defined by the long-term success of its graduates. If these outcomes and educational objectives are met, both students and graduates will be well-prepared for a career and consequently will be successful. Thus, the assessment goal is to insure that the program is maintained and continuously improved so that students achieve the outcomes and graduates meet the educational objectives.