The Emerging Undergraduate Curricula in Materials Science and Engineering
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LLETIN/AUGUST1990
comes the issue. If one doesn't consider a breakdown of the current materials classes into subgroups, then a réunification approach becomes not only désirable but absolutely necessary. Historically, this reunification has been an issue in the materials field. Prior to the 1940s there was, so I am told, the perception of the "materials renaissance person." A small set of materials was of major industrial interest and one could be expected to "learn" the entire set of materials from raw materials through finished product. However, even then we recognized some aspect of breadth by having a diversity of educational programs in both metallurgical and ceramic engineering. The realization struck in the late 1940s and early 1950s that one could not cover ail metallic or ceramic materials in any one undergraduate program. Rather than subdividing each area, a réunification based upon phenomena became the guideline to the new curricula. At Purdue University two curricula evolved: a phenomena-based metallurgical engineering program, and a materials science program based almost equally on an expanded science and a fondamental materials phenomena base. The latter program was one of the early "materials type" programs. Both programs hâve been the basis for the evolutionary development of curricula at Purdue and provided the background for the revolutionary change recently instituted there. This article will explain the perceived directions being taken to provide one
type of undergraduate program in materials science and engineering envisioned in the MS&E Study. The focus will be on generic materials programs and attempts at unification approaches. Information was solicited from 14 universities: Cornell, Florida, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Utah, Washington State, and Wright State. Although the solicited information is the basis for this article, its interprétation is solely mine. The Purdue program is highlighted because the program is totally new and dérives its base from the factors outlined below. MS&E Study Guide The MS&E Study's Panel on Education made some spécifie comments and recommendations for undergraduate educational programs that are of interest hère: (1) among the backgrounds deemed désirable for materials, one spanning the materials classes is of dominant need; (2) undergraduate programs must provide entry to both industry and graduate schools; (3) undergraduate courses and programs should be centered on the basic éléments of MS&E (synthesis/ processing, structure, properties, and performance of materials) and the relationships among them. The report also noted that intégration at the undergraduate level might be especially difficult given other constraints such as accréditation and the goals of a libéral collège éducation. Accréditation In engineering, ABET (the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology) provides the basis for accréditation. ABET is a professionally driven organization in that professional societi
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