Program Overview

Are you interested in learning more about the science and engineering behind the electronic, optical, and magnetic materials that make up our modern world? Are you an undergraduate studying chemistry, physics, or engineering, or are you a graduate of one of these fields looking to grow your knowledge base? Would you like to explore a new field while building upon your knowledge in your primary field of specialization?

The MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering would like to invite you to pursue an Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices xMinor on edX. This program includes intermediate and advanced level undergraduate coursework that, together with your undergraduate science or engineering degree, will prepare you for employment or graduate study in fields relating to electronic, optical and magnetic materials science and engineering.

The first course in this series, 3.012Sx: Structure of Materials, will provide you with an introduction some of the most fundamental concepts in materials science. You will learn to describe the underlying structure of materials, develop a basic understanding of crystallography, and learn how structure influences the properties of materials. You will explore the structure of various types of materials– crystalline, non-crystalline, and liquid crystalline, and this knowledge will lay the groundwork for more advanced coursework. In the second course, 3.024x: Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials, you will learn to use the principles of quantum mechanics, solid state physics, and electricity & magnetism to describe the origins of the electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of materials. In the final course, 3.15x: Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Materials and Devices, you will take the fundamentals that you learned in previous courses and learn how these principles are applied in the design of electronic, optical and magnetic devices. Finally, you will demonstrate your learning by completing a comprehensive, proctored final program examination.

What is an xMinor? An MITx xMinor is a sequence of intermediate and advanced undergraduate courses, plus at least one proctored exam. xMinors are valuable additions to an undergraduate education; they may open additional career options for you or may strengthen your preparation for a Masters program. The courses are drawn from MIT curricula; some universities may incorporate them into their own curricula, offering them to their students as ways to enhance their undergraduate experience.

Recommended prerequisites: one year of introductory college-level calculus, chemistry and physics; differential equations.

What you will learn

• You will develop an understanding of the materials and devices essential to modern display technologies, such as the structure of liquid crystals and the design principles used to tailor light emitting diodes
• You will receive a solid grounding in electronic, optical, and magnetic materials science, which will give you the background to undertake future studies fields such as advanced materials and electronic materials
• You will have knowledge of the science of photovoltaic technology and design, preparing you to contribute to the future of clean energy solutions
• You will know the fundamental operating principles of optical fibers and optoelectronic devices
• You will understand the origins of the magnetic behavior of materials and the operating principles behind magnetic storage media