Coatings and Polymeric Materials
| Program and Application Information | |
|---|---|
| Department Chair: | Dr. Dean Webster |
| Graduate Coordinator: | Dr. Dante Battocchi |
| Department Location: | Research I, Research Park |
| Department Phone: | (701) 231-7633 |
| Department Web Site: | www.ndsu.edu/cpm/ |
| Application Deadline: | April 15 for fall semester. Applications are reviewed for all semesters, however fall start is preferred. |
| Degrees Offered: | Ph.D., M.S. |
| Test Requirement: | GRE: Required for international applicants (unless the applicant has earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university within the United States); Recommended for all applicants |
| English Proficiency Requirements: | TOEFL ibT 79 IELTS 6.5 |
Program Description
The Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials offers graduate studies leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in polymers and coatings science, and students in the department may also get a Ph.D. in the Materials Science and Nanotechnology program. The departmental research bridges between basic and applied research in the field of polymers and coatings. There is a unique atmosphere and opportunities for cross-disciplinary research experience, often accomplished by multi-disciplinary research activities with, for example, chemistry or engineering departments. Advanced research work involves specialized training in the following areas: colloidal and interfacial chemistry of polymers and coatings, polymer synthesis, adhesion, durability, spectroscopy, corrosion, electrochemistry, nanomaterials design and synthesis, and rheology. The department has an industrial advisory board consisting of leading industrial scientists and/or former graduates who provide new directions and other feedback to the program.
First-year students who enter the program may take entrance examinations, which are used by the graduate committee primarily for advisory purposes. During the fall semester, the faculty meet with the new students to acquaint them with the research programs in the department. Because students are required to team with a research adviser by the end of the first semester in residence, they are required to discuss research opportunities with all faculty members.
Admission Requirements
The Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials graduate program is open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. To be admitted with full standing status to the program, the applicant must meet the Graduate School admission requirements and have adequate preparation in a science or engineering field.
Financial Assistance
The student must first be accepted in full or conditional status before he/she is eligible for an assistantship in the Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials. To be considered for an assistantship, the Graduate School application packet must be complete no later than April 15. International students must also submit a TOEFL score. General and subject GRE scores are highly encouraged if they are available to the student. Graduate students may be supported during both the academic year and summer months by either teaching or research assistantships.
The current monthly stipend is $1,750+ per month, for an annual stipend of $21,000+. University tuition is waived for qualified TAs and RAs.
Research Facilities and Equipment
The Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials is housed in a new building in the NDSU Research and Technology Park on the northwest corner of the campus. This building consists of nearly 40,000 square feet of space for research and teaching. Modern equipment and instrumentation have profoundly influenced the development of instruction and are the cornerstones of research in the chemical sciences. The Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials possesses extensive instrumentation to characterize polymers and colloids ranging from state-of-the-art spectrometers, thermal analysis systems, advanced electrochemical equipment to study corrosion, and atomic force microscopes, as well as equipment for paint making and testing. Other modern research facilities, including state-of-the-art electron microscopy, high-performance computing and NMR laboratories, are readily available to all researchers on the NDSU campus and in the NDSU Research and Technology Park.
