This is an archived copy of the 2022-23 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Minor and Certificate Programs

Minors

The transcript-recognized undergraduate academic minor must be completed in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information regarding the requirements for achieving a minor, including a comprehensive list of minors, please visit the Minor and Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Materials Science and Engineering Minor

The transcript-recognized undergraduate academic minor in materials science and engineering must be completed in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin in one of the following majors: chemistry, physics, aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, or mechanical engineering; students pursuing an integrated undergraduate/graduate program must complete the requirements for the minor within one year after completing the undergraduate requirements of their program. For more information regarding the requirements for achieving a minor, including a comprehensive list of minors, please visit the Minors and Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog. Details about the minor in Materials Science and Engineering are available at http://tmi.utexas.edu/academics/undergraduate-minor-materials-science-engineering/.

Admissions

To be considered for admission into the Minor Program for Materials Science and Engineering, students must meet the following requirements:

  • The minor must be completed in conjunction with an undergraduate degree in one of the five supported majors of chemistry, physics, aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, or mechanical engineering.
  • ​Students must have completed Mathematics 408C, Mathematics 408D, Mathematics 427J, Chemistry 301, Physics 303K and Physics 303L, or equivalent and all with a grade of C- or higher.
  • Students who have completed 30 hours or more and have not taken more than 60 hours will be encouraged to apply online at the earliest possible date. Applications will be reviewed continuously throughout the year.

Requirements

The requirements for the minor in Materials Science and Engineering will consist of 15 credit hours towards the minor. All students will be required to take a three-credit hour, laboratory-based bridge course (MSE 360M). The remainder of the required courses required for the minor will consist of a sequence of courses that are specific to the major degree and which are detailed below.

If students are interested in additional coursework, they can see http://tmi.utexas.edu/academics/undergraduate-minor-materials-science-engineering/ for a complete list of courses that would serve as optional electives. Courses beyond 15 hours are not required for the completion of the minor.

Chemistry Majors 
RequirementsHours
MSE 360MExperiments in Materials Science and Engineering3
CH 353Physical Chemistry I3
PHY 355Modern Physics and Thermodynamics3
CHE 355Introduction to Polymers3
M E 349Corrosion Engineering3
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.
Physics Majors
RequirementsHours
MSE 360MExperiments in Materials Science and Engineering3
PHY 369Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics3
CH 367CMaterials Chemistry3
or CH 367L Macromolecular Chemistry
or M E 336 Materials Processing
CH 354SElements of Spectroscopy3
ECE 334KQuantum Theory of Electronic Materials3
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.
Aerospace Engineering Majors
RequirementsHours
MSE 360MExperiments in Materials Science and Engineering3
M E 310TApplied Thermodynamics3
ASE 357Mechanics of Composite Materials3
ASE 324LAerospace Materials Laboratory3
M E 349Corrosion Engineering3
or M E 336 Materials Processing
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Majors
RequirementsHours
MSE 360MExperiments in Materials Science and Engineering3
PHY 369Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics3
ECE 325Electromagnetic Engineering3
CH 354SElements of Spectroscopy3
or CH 367C Materials Chemistry
ECE 334KQuantum Theory of Electronic Materials3
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.
Mechanical Engineering Majors
RequirementsHours
MSE 360MExperiments in Materials Science and Engineering3
M E 316TThermodynamics3
PHY 355Modern Physics and Thermodynamics3
or PHY 375S Introductory Solid-State Physics
or PHY 369 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
or CH 353 Physical Chemistry I
M E 378KMechanical Behavior of Materials3
M E 349Corrosion Engineering3
or ASE 357 Mechanics of Composite Materials
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.

Sustainable Energy Minor

The Sustainable Energy minor is restricted to the following majors: chemistry, BS in environmental science, BS in geological sciences, architectural engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, environmental engineering, geosystems engineering and hydrogeology, mechanical engineering, or petroleum engineering.  

Students pursuing an integrated undergraduate/graduate program must complete the requirements for the minor within one year after completing the undergraduate requirements of their program. For more information regarding the requirements for achieving a minor, including a comprehensive list of minors, please visit the Minors and Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog. Details about the minor in Sustainable Energy are available at https://www.pge.utexas.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate- minor-sustainable-energy/.

Admissions

To be considered for admission into the Minor Program for Sustainable Energy, students must meet the following requirements:

• The minor is restricted to the following majors: chemistry, BS in environmental science, BS in geological sciences, architectural engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, environmental engineering, geosystems engineering and hydrogeology, mechanical engineering, or petroleum engineering.
• Students must have completed Mathematics 408C, 408D, 427J, Chemistry 301, Physics 303K, and 303L, or equivalent with a grade of C- or higher.
• Students who have completed 30  to 60 hours will be encouraged to apply online at the earliest possible date. Application deadlines are March 1 for summer or fall and October 1 for spring.

Requirements

The Sustainable Energy minor requires a total of 18 credit hours towards the minor. The following nine hours are required for all students: Engineering Studies 369N, Mechanical Engineering 363M, and Geological Sciences 302C. The remaining nine credit hours consist of six credit hours from students’ home departments and three credit hours from outside. These courses must be selected from the list of approved courses below.

If students are interested in additional coursework, they can select additional electives from this list. Courses beyond 18 credit hours are not required for the completion of the minor.

Required Courses for All Majors

RequirementsHours
E S 369NSustainability Issues in Energy3
M E 363MEnergy Technology and Policy3
GEO 302CClimate: Past, Present, and Future3
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade points average of at least 2.00 in these courses.

Approved Courses for Remaining Nine Credit Hours for All Majors

RequirementsHours
ARE 346NBuilding Environmental Systems3
ARE 371Energy Simulation in Building Design3
CH 353Physical Chemistry I3
CH 367CMaterials Chemistry3
C E 341Introduction to Environmental Engineering3
C E 367ROptimization Techniques for Transportation Engineers3
C E 369LAir Pollution Engineering3
C E 370LClimate Change Mitigation3
CHE 341Design for Environment3
CHE 346FAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics3
ECE 339SSolar Energy Conversion Devices3
ECE 362GSmart Grids3
ECE 369Power Systems Engineering3
ECE 462LPower Electronics Laboratory4
EVE 310Sustainable Systems Engineering3
EVE 312Environmental Engineering and Science3
GEO 330KEnergy Exploration3
GEO 341Mineral Resources, Society, and the Environment3
GEO 347DGlobal Warming3
M E 374TRenewable Energy Technology3
M E 378ENanotechnology for Sustainable Energy3
PGE 379Studies in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (Topic 3: Geothermal and Sustainable Energy Resources)3
PGE 379Studies in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (Topic 4: Carbon Capture and Storage)3
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade points average of at least 2.00 in the courses selected for their program of study.

Certificates

National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholars Program Certificate

The National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) certificate is designed to be complementary, not additive, to a student’s traditional academic path. The GCSP certificate provides students with the scholarship network and formal recognition from the National Academy of Engineering, while typically requiring only one course beyond their standard degree program.

The GCSP certificate program is designed to offer students from all majors and all years an introduction to the program through Engineering Studies 377, an array of university-wide course connections, and mentorship. GC Scholars choose between 18 and 24 hours of approved coursework from a broad range of offerings that align with the five key program components. The five key curriculum components include facing the 21st Century Engineering Grand Challenges with (1) entrepreneurship and (2) service-learning by (3) understanding global dimensions through (4) research and (5) interdisciplinary curriculum. Each Scholar must choose at least one class that emphasizes each one of the components. Scholars will be advised on progress regularly by faculty affiliated with the program, and will present their work at an annual GCSP colloquium.

The certificate requirements are:

RequirementsHours
E S 377Topics in Engineering (Topic 2: 21st Century Grand Challenges)3
At least 18 hours of approved courses from GC Scholar Coursework Program Plan18
Be a student of good standing
Complete courses, a research project, a community project, a comprehensive reflective report, and a final design, which are evaluated with aligned rubrics.

Computational Science and Engineering Certificate

The Cockrell School sponsors the transcript-recognized Certificate in Computational Science and Engineering along with the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Natural Sciences.

The foundations of science and engineering are under rapid, dramatic, and irreversible change brought on by the advent of the computer. Steady growth in computer capabilities, and enormous expansion in the scope and sophistication of computational modeling and simulation, have added computation as the third pillar of scientific discovery and have revolutionized engineering practice. Computational science and engineering can affect virtually every aspect of human existence, including the health, security, productivity, and competitiveness of nations.

The Computational Science and Engineering Certificate program is sponsored by the Cockrell School of Engineering, the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Natural Sciences; it is administered by the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. The program offers highly qualified upper-division students an opportunity for in-depth study and research in computational science and engineering, including computational and applied mathematics, numerical simulation, scientific computation, and visualization. A student who completes the general requirements listed on Transcript-Recognized Programs and the specific requirements below receives recognition on his or her University transcript and a letter from the director of   the Oden Institute that describes the program and the work completed. Along with supporting letters from supervising faculty and graduate mentors, these are valuable assets for students applying to graduate school and pursuing competitive job opportunities.

To apply for admission, students must have completed 60 semester hours of coursework, must have a grade point average of at least 3.00, and must have taken coursework in calculus. 

Students must complete 18 semester hours of approved coursework with a grade of at least C- in each course.  A student’s overall GPA in certificate courses must be 3.00 or greater. 

RequirementsHours
Students must take at least one course in each of the following areas:18
Upper Division Mathematics
Basic Programming
Numerical Applications
Advanced Computing
Electives
Scientific Computing Project 1
---
1. To be supervised by a member of the computational science, engineering, and mathematics (CSEM) graduate program faculty. The research project is completed in a three-semester-hour research methods or individual instruction course, which the student should take during the senior year. The research project may include mentoring by Oden Institute postdoctoral fellows and CSEM graduate students as part of a vertical instructional research team.

With the approval of the certificate program’s faculty advisor, course substitutions may be made within the broad area of computational science and engineering.

Some courses on the approved course list may be restricted by the department offering the course. Please note that the CSE Certificate Program cannot ask the department to waive prerequisites or force the department to lift restrictions on their courses.

A list of approved courses is available at https://www.oden.utexas.edu/programs/cse-certificate/ and in the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, POB 4.110

Humanitarian Engineering Certificate

The undergraduate Humanitarian Engineering Certificate provides students with the opportunity to develop expertise in designing and/or implementing projects or products for traditionally underserved populations, e.g., the physically or mentally challenged, low-income or rural communities, or communities experiencing humanitarian crises. The participants will develop not only technical knowledge but also awareness of social, political, and/or economic circumstances that may be important to the development of engineering solutions for underserved populations.

The certificate consists of 18 hours. Students must receive a grade of at least a C- in each course applied toward the certificate and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in the courses presented to fulfill the certificate. The certificate program will be managed by the Committee for the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate in the J. Mike Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering. Students may apply for participation in the program at any time during their enrollment at The University of Texas at Austin, but it is recommended that they apply prior to starting the requirements. Students must contact the Committee for the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate in the J. Mike Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering to apply for the certificate in the semester in which they are completing the requirements and graduating.

The course requirements for the certificate are:

RequirementsHours
Three hours from the following:3
First-Year Signature Course 1
First-Year Signature Course 1
Cultural Anthropology
Classics of Social and Political Thought
This Human World: An Introduction to Geography
PHY 303L
PHY 103N
Engineering Physics II
and Laboratory for Physics 303L
4
Humanitarian engineering project chosen from the following:4
Project Development with Underserved Communities
and Project Design with Underserved Communities
Humanitarian Product Design
and Humanitarian Product Prototyping
Approved project design course such as M E 466K 2
Approved independent study research project 2
M E 120CHumanitarian Engineering Seminar1
Three hours from the following: 3
Global Food, Farming, and Hunger
Population and Society
Contemporary Cultural Geography
Geographies of Globalization
Medical Geography
Global Health Issues and Health Systems
Might and Right among Nations
Environmental Ethics and Philosophy
Medicine, Ethics, and Society
Topics in Asian Studies (Topic 31: Global Markets and Local Cultures)
Topics in History (Topic 18: Global History of Disease)
Communicating Sustainability
Communication and Social Change
Three hours from the following: 33
Project Management and Economics
Building Environmental Systems
Biochemical Engineering
Biomechanics of Human Movement
Biomechanics
Engineering Biomaterials
Medical Decision Making
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering
Design of Wastewater and Water Treatment Facilities
Indoor Air Quality
Hydrology
Introduction to Biochemical Engineering
Cell and Tissue Engineering
Design for Environment
Chemical Engineering Economics and Business Analysis
Technology and Its Impact on the Environment
Solar Energy Conversion Devices
Renewable Energy and Power Systems
Development of a Solar-Powered Vehicle
Biomedical Electronic Instrument Design
Applications of Biomedical Engineering
Nuclear Environmental Protection
Design and Control of Robots for Rehabilitation
Biomechanics of Human Movement
Solar Energy Systems Design
Development of a Solar-Powered Vehicle
Energy Technology and Policy
Renewable Energy Technology
Medical Device Design and Manufacturing
Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy
---
1. For an approved list of courses, please see your advisor.
2. Approval for these options must be obtained in advance from the Committee for the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate.
3. Additional courses may be substituted for those listed upon approval by the advisor for Humanitarian Engineering.

What Starts Here Changes the World