Major Authorization Proposal Materials Science and ... in the NWEC proposal and is similar to the special course ... and approved by UW-System for UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh ... Marathon,

Major Authorization Proposal Materials Science and Engineering

UW – Eau Claire

A. Abstract

UW-Eau Claire proposes a new comprehensive major in Materials Science and Engineering as part

of the course array offered by the Northwest Wisconsin Engineering Consortium. The proposed major is the

next step in fulfilling UW-EC’s commitment made to the State of Wisconsin when it funded the NanoSTEM

DIN in 2008.

B. Program Identification

The Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) degree, designed for in-person delivery to 100

students (projected enrollment), is proposed as part of the Northwest Wisconsin Engineering Consortium

(NWEC). Courses for this Bachelor’s of Science degree program will be available starting in the fall of 2016

and delivered by faculty and staff in the Materials Science Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at

UW-Eau Claire, with some upper level elective courses offered by Consortium schools.

Students will be assessed the regular undergraduate tuition and fees that all UW-EC students pay.

For semesters during which students are admitted to the engineering program and enrolled in engineering

courses, (typically a student’s junior and senior years), an additional $700 per semester special course fee

will be assessed (for a full-time student), in addition to regular tuition and fees. For part-time students this

fee will be pro-rated, based on the number of credits below 12 that they pursue. Full-time students will be

able to complete all degree requirements in eight semesters. The engineering special course fee supports the

purchase of supplies, materials, and consumables used to deliver an engineering curriculum. It was

described in the NWEC proposal and is similar to the special course fee proposed by UW-Stout (to support

Mechanical Engineering) and approved by UW-System for UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh to support

their joint engineering technology program.

C. Introduction

1. Background

In 2006 faculty and staff from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and at the Chippewa Valley Technical

College (CVTC), developed a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technology for Education

(ATE) project to be managed by CVTC. The proposal was funded, in part because of the complementary

expertise and mission of each campus. The result of the grant was a novel Associate’s degree in

Nanoscience offered at CVTC and supported by UW-EC and UW-Stout. In 2007, as a consequence of the collaboration already in place between faculty and staff at these

three institutions, each institution proposed to develop a regional Materials Science initiative. The proposal to the State of Wisconsin emphasized two key objectives, in support of industry in western Wisconsin:

• to provide access to existing state-of-the-art instrumentation and equipment as well as

coordinate faculty and staff assistance on industry-driven projects • to strengthen degree programs in Materials-related areas at each campus

The State funded the NanoSTEM DIN in 2008. At UW-Eau Claire faculty developed a Materials

Science degree that took advantage of the instruments housed in the Materials Science Center; the first

students enrolled in the major in the fall of 2009. The program, similar to many MS&E degree programs

across the U.S, is unique in its interdisciplinarity amongst engineering degrees; the field of materials science

draws from the widest array of science and engineering disciplines, compared to more traditional engineering

programs. The DIN provided the support to hire the eight (8) faculty and staff to deliver the Program. To date, three cohorts of students have graduated with Materials Science degrees (a total of 14

graduates). Four (4) graduates have been admitted to graduate school in STEM. Eight (8) graduates have

found employment in industry, from local startup companies to established mid-sized companies to

multinational corporations (e.g., 3M). The remaining two students are employed in industries outside of

Materials Science. Almost all students pursuing a career in industry are employed in jobs normally held by

engineers. The Program has a strong track record of graduating students in a timely manner; amongst all

graduates, 68% finished in 4 years or less.

UW-Eau Claire MS&E – 2

2. Student Interest and Reason for Program

Materials Science was established within the vibrant research culture that characterizes several

STEM departments at UW-EC. This “research as teaching” approach has been made possible by state-of-

the-art instruments, all purchased with external support, most funded by the NSF and now managed by the

Materials Science Center (MSC). The founding principle of the MSC (formed in 2004) is to provide

industry access to these instruments. As the Center has matured, it has become a natural “connect point” for

business and industry partners. And the research culture described above has become a hallmark of the

Materials Science program. We continue to challenge students to integrate knowledge from disparate fields

of study, connect to the Eau Claire community, and to work as practicing scientists through research. This

immersive environment produces students who are highly accomplished researchers who have won on-

campus recognition and national (even international) scholarships (e.g., two Barry Goldwater scholarships

and one Rhodes scholarship). The proposed MS&E program offers students who want to work in industry immediately after

graduation an equally compelling and more appropriate environment in which to develop into practicing

engineers. The MS&E degree is in direct response to graduate interest (expressed during exit interviews) in

an immersive applied science environment. Conversations with recent graduates indicate that while they find

employment in engineering jobs, they are not paid as engineers. The MS&E degree will also provide a

competitive edge to graduates, as it will better reflect student understanding and knowledge of Materials

Science. It will also communicate more clearly to students and their parents what the goal of the degree

program is, and to employers the skill set that graduates of the program possess. In parallel, the existing

Materials Science major will continue to serve students seeking a graduate education.

To document student interest in an engineering degree, we surveyed UW-EC students who are in the

existing Materials Science degree program. Of those who responded (28 of the 42 majors), 92% (that is, 26

students) indicated they would be “interested” or “strongly interested” in an MS&E degree if it were

available. Of that same group of 28 respondents, 85% of them (22 students) indicated that their interest

would remain the same, even if a $700/semester fee was assessed. With regard to prospective employment,

95% of all respondents expected that an MS&E degree help them find a job. Interestingly, 91% of that same

group thought that an MS&E degree would help them get into graduate school. The trends are clear:

students have an interest in an MS&E degree.

3. Relation to UW-EC’s Mission and Strategic Plan

UW-EC’s Centennial Plan challenges to offer all students the opportunity to learn through

embedded high-impact practices, and UW-EC students have committed to that vision by supporting the

Blugold Commitment. Faculty/student collaborative research and internships (or applied practica) are among

the most impactful of such practices and the proposed MS&E program includes both of these experiences for

all its graduates. As previously discussed, the State of Wisconsin committed significant resources in the

NanoSTEM DIN, enabling the development of a Materials Science major and support to industry via the

MSC at UW-Eau Claire. The proposed degree in MS&E is the next step in fulfilling UW-Eau Claire’s

commitment to the State in meeting regional talent and economic development needs in the area of Materials

Science and Nanomaterials. In addition, the Engineering community has increasingly called for degree

programs that provide a solid foundation in the technical aspects of engineering while simultaneously

providing opportunities for students to develop the skills commonly afforded by a liberal arts education. The

proposed degree program fits seamlessly in UW-Eau Claire’s mission as an institution that emphasizes a

broad, multifaceted education.

4. Need for Program – Market Analysis

In 2012, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report “Engaging to

Excel”1 noted that “Economic projections point to a need for approximately 1 million more STEM

professionals than the U.S. will produce at the current rate over the next decade if the country is to retain its

historical preeminence in science and technology. To meet this goal, the United States will need to increase

the number of students who receive undergraduate STEM degrees by about 34% annually over current

rates”. This national need for students trained in STEM is evident in Wisconsin as well. “Be Bold 2:

Wisconsin’s Talent Pool” recommended that the State “Align talent development with economic

development” and highlights key skill shortages in Wisconsin for engineers (particularly mechanical


engineers and materials engineers)2. This need and its link to the economic vitality is echoed by prospective

employers in western Wisconsin and the WEDC. The proposed MS&E degree program is the appropriate

step at UW-EC to address these needs.

Recent studies of the need for engineers in western Wisconsin, including a National Center for

Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) study commissioned by the UW System, indicates a

need for engineers in the region.3 The NCHEMS report indicates that this demand currently exceeds supply

by roughly a factor of four and that “Border State” production of MS&E degrees exceeds that in Wisconsin

by a factor of 3, and concludes that there is a need for MS&E majors in western Wisconsin.4 The Education

Advisory Board was similarly commissioned by UW-River Falls to study the need for engineers in western

Wisconsin. Counties most in need of engineers (specifically – and listed in the order of greatest need ‐ Marathon, Eau Claire, St. Croix, Wood, and Dunn counties) are also those served by the proposed three-

campus NWEC. At the same time, salary potential for engineers (including graduates with MS&E degrees)

remains high, indicating that demand for graduates with these skills is also high.5 The engineering

community increasingly expects graduates to have an interdisciplinary perspective and to be broadly

educated with skills afforded by a liberal education. The proposed MS&E program will provide that

education for Wisconsin students, and graduates of the program will help fill a persistent employment need

in the region.

Among the public universities in Wisconsin, only UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee offer an MS&E

degree. Yet many students encounter significant barriers to attending these schools: some students prefer to

remain close to home, some prefer a smaller campus, and some prefer to attend college in a smaller city. In

addition, as costs associated with attending college increase, students choose to stay close to home in an

effort to manage expenses. Equally important to industry in western Wisconsin, students who graduate from

a particular campus often seek jobs in the local community. For example, UW-EC chemistry and biology

graduates often find employment at Nestle Nutrition in Eau Claire, geology graduates often find employment

in the sand industry in western Wisconsin, and materials science graduates find employment in the growing

plastics industry in the Chippewa Valley. The proposed engineering degrees of the NWEC will support

existing industries in western Wisconsin and provide a pool of talent to attract companies considering

relocation to the region.

5. New Directions in Materials Science and Engineering

Within Materials Science, a need for graduates with skills in computational Materials Science in

particular, is an area of need underscored by a White House report entitled “The Materials Genome

Initiative”6. A key goal of the initiative is to “reduce by half the time it takes to develop new materials (from

inception to market)”. Such an ambitious goal places increasing importance on educating Materials Science

students in computational methods. By requiring all students to study this area of concentration, the

proposed MS&E degree prepares graduates to contribute immediately to challenges associated with the

Materials Genome Initiative.

6. Resources

As noted in the Intent to Plan, the MS&E program will be initially implemented within the existing

operational budget of the Materials Science program, while continuing to offer the current major. The

funding is provided by the 2008 State of Wisconsin NanoSTEM DIN, which was used to establish the base

operating budget of the Materials Science Program. The proposed MS&E degree is a natural evolution of that

investment and will help UW‐Eau Claire continue to develop the human capital needed to meet the economic

development needs of the region.

Over $4M in specialized equipment has been purchased through grants and private gifts to support

Materials Science. In addition, two complete teaching laboratories will be available beginning Fall 2016

with a capacity of 24 student workstations each; the Materials Science teaching laboratory is already in‐place

and the Materials Engineering laboratory is planned for construction during the summer of 2015 with an

internally‐allocated budget of nearly $225K. Equipment for the Materials Engineering laboratory will be

acquired as needed and will be funded from the existing services and supplies and capital equipment budgets

for the Materials Science program.

Faculty Dr. Jennifer Dahl, Assistant Professor. Ph.D., Chemistry. Nanomaterials.

Dr. Doug Dunham, Professor, Ph.D. Physics. Refractory semiconductors, SiC.


Dr. Elizabeth Glogowski, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Polymer Engineering. Smart polymers.

Dr. Matthew Jewell, Assistant Professor. Ph.D. MS&E. Superconductor metals and ceramics.

Dr. Marc McEllistrem, Professor. Ph.D. Chemistry. Wide-bandgap semiconductors, silicon.

Dr. Ying Ma, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. MS&E. Computational Materials Science.

Facilities Electron microscopy lab (Established).

Elemental identification lab (Established).

High-resolution microscopy lab (Established).

Molecular Characterization lab (Established).

Polymers Characterization suite (Established).

Mechanical testing lab (Established).

Materials polishing facility (Established).

Materials Science teaching lab (Established).

Materials Engineering teaching lab (Funds encumbered; lab to be finished in Summer, 2015).

Computer Aided Design lab (Established).

Funds NanoSTEM DIN – Capital equipment + services and supplies

$700/semester fee assessed of engineering juniors and seniors

D. Description of Program

1. General structure of program

a. Program fit into institutional array and academic plan

The proposed MS&E major will complement and build on the current strengths of the University, the

College of Arts and Sciences, and the Materials Science program at UW-EC in several ways.

i. MS&E and the Liberal Arts-based Mission of UW-EC - National leaders in engineering note with increasing

frequency that engineers need “soft skills”, the kind of skills that students develop in a degree program with a

liberal arts-based education. This need was noted by the National Academy of Engineering in their report

titled “Educating the Engineer of 2020”7, as well UC Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education.8

Such visions of the “Engineer of the Future” align well with the proposed MS&E degree at UW-EC, which

has long recognized importance of a liberal arts-based education, regardless of intended career. Consistent

with national need, companies with whom UW-EC’s Materials Science Center collaborate agree that such an

education is increasingly necessary for all engineers. Several companies, most local though some remote,

attest to this fact in their letters of support, including Cray, Phillips Medisize, Resonant Microsystems,

Fiberstar Bio, and Interfacial Solutions (now Stratasys).

ii. MS&E and the College of Arts and Sciences at UW-EC - As previously described, MS&E is a unique engineering

discipline, being more reliant on diverse science and engineering disciplines, in addition to advanced STEM

courses than more familiar engineering disciplines. A white paper submitted in 2006 to ABET by the

University Materials Chairs,9 noted the “great diversity in the nation’s materials programs, with many now

including … biomaterials, ceramics, electronic materials, metals and polymers, along with nanotechnology

and computer simulation and modeling… which makes these programs different from those in most other

engineering disciplines.” As a relatively “young” discipline, some campuses in the U.S. see MS&E as a merger

of metallurgy-, ceramics- and polymer-science and engineering and have linked the program with Mechanical

Engineering, while other campuses have emphasized the “process engineering” aspects of the field and linked

it with Chemical Engineering. In all cases, MS&E operates at the intersection of many science and engineering

disciplines, and challenges engineers to draw from those foundations to develop novel materials or use existing

materials in new ways.

The proposed MS&E major thus fits naturally in the College of Arts and Sciences at UW-EC, which

boasts nationally-recognized Chemistry and Physics departments, as well as an active Math department

attuned to the campus’s “research as teaching” culture. Combined with a broad liberal-education core, the

“forward-looking” MS&E curriculum highlights areas of concentration such as nanomaterials and

computational materials, in addition to areas of metals, polymers, ceramics, and semiconductors.


iii. MS&E and the Current Materials Science Major - Addition of MS&E at UW-EC will complement the current

Materials Science major. As previously discussed, the current major is a more research-focused degree and

best serves students planning on graduate school. The proposed MS&E major will require students to develop

skills and knowledge about applications and will best serve graduates seeking immediate employment. ABET

accreditation will clarify for incoming students and their parents the distinction between the two programs.

For students exploring options beyond the MS&E degree, the current major, in addition to other STEM majors

at UW-EC and other engineering degrees offered through the NWEC, will be alternatives to enable students

to graduate in a timely way.

iv. MS&E and the UW-EC Commitment to Flexible Degree Programs - The proposed MS&E program will evaluate

and award credit for prior learning from other academic sources and professional experience, such as

experience, training, and expertise in materials or engineering design, processing, or optimization. There are

several courses identified in the four-year plan that could accommodate such prior learning, including two

courses that include Computer-Aided Design, our Materials Characterization course and Lab, Macroprocessing

of Materials course and Lab, our Microelectronics Processing course and Lab, and the Nanostructured

Materials course.

b. Duplication of existing programs

While there are diverse engineering degrees offered within the UW system, only two MS&E degrees are

offered at sister campuses and none are currently offered at the comprehensive universities. We expect that

the proposed MS&E degree will have no impact on the enrollment of any engineering program – existing or

proposed. Instead, we expect the number of engineering graduates in Wisconsin to increase.

i. Other MS&E Programs within UW System - UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, are the only other MS&E

programs within the UW System. Neither is well-suited to meet the educational needs of students or the

regional need for engineers in western Wisconsin. As described in the 2012 Enrollment Trends Report by

ACT,10 college students tend to enroll in an institution within 51 miles of home. Comprehensive universities

serve primarily regional populations and facilitate regional development; UW-EC’s mission is to meet the

educational and transitional needs of students in rural western Wisconsin. The proposed MS&E major will

not impact the number of students at UW-Madison or UW-Milwaukee, since both of these universities are far

from Eau Claire (178 miles and 246 miles respectively) and their respective missions are dramatically distinct

from that of UW-EC. Importantly, MS&E offered at UW-EC will provide engineering opportunities for

students from western Wisconsin who plan to work in western Wisconsin.

The Eau Claire County Economic Development Corporation sponsored a 2013 report titled

“Narrowing the Skills Gap”11 that pointed to the need for engineers and other high-skill employees in

western Wisconsin. It called for a long-term action plan to “bring engineering-related curricula to universities

in western Wisconsin” because employers cannot recruit employees in certain key occupations. “This

(recruiting engineers to western Wisconsin) can be a large undertaking involving significant expense with a

low rate of success,” the report concluded. The NanoSTEM DIN funded in 2008 outlined a plan for how

instrumentation and expertise could serve the educational needs of students seeking an engineering degree,

and so meet the need for talent required by existing and growing industries in the Chippewa Valley. The

connection between these industries and Materials Science is already made, as the MSC works with

approximately 40 companies per year on a wide variety of projects, most of which involve the development

of new products or adapting existing products to new markets. Our students have been actively involved in

some of these projects through internships; on several occasions, those internships were converted into full-

time employment, thereby supplying the human capital for businesses in the region.

ii. Engineering Programs at Other Comprehensive Campuses within UW System - As described above, MS&E is a

degree program distinct from traditional engineering degrees. In contrast, UW-Platteville and UW-Stout offer

traditional engineering degrees. The MS&E major at UW-EC will have no impact on the number of students

who pursue these more traditional engineering degrees. Since, the MS&E program complements those being

offered or proposed by partners of the NWEC, we expect that partnerships with UW-Stout and UW-River Falls

will ensure that the campus efforts continue to complement each other. Separately, since UW-Platteville is

well outside the radius of influence described in the ACT report, the proposed MS&E program will not

negatively impact enrollment in engineering programs at UW-Platteville.

c. Collaborative nature of the program


The proposed MS&E program will be an integral part of the Northwest Wisconsin Engineering

Consortium (NWEC) proposed by UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls. The consortium, which

is designed as a fully-cooperative, administratively-lean entity with collaboration and a seamless student

experience at its core, will provide a cost-effective engineering education to the residents of western

Wisconsin, produce an ongoing supply of engineering talent, and thereby create an economic environment

attractive to engineering-related industries. As described in the proposal for the NWEC, the consortium will:

Establish a quasi college of engineering with an efficient management model that aims to maximize the

strength of each participating campus and minimize the associated cost. The rotating Managing Partner

will assume administrative functions for the Consortium, including coordinating course offerings, assessment of student learning, accreditation, etc.

Design a curriculum that provides flexibility for students within the Consortium both in the first year

curriculum and in upper level electives. A detailed description of the proposed MS&E curriculum can be

found in section D.3. The first year foundational coursework in mathematics, physics, chemistry and

engineering for any of the Consortium engineering degrees can be taken at any of the partner institutions

and will allow students to transfer within the Consortium while maintaining four year graduation plans.

Students within the NWEC will be able to take selected upper level engineering electives at partnering

institutions and apply those electives toward their engineering degree at their home institution. This

approach will provide students with greater choices while also significantly reducing costs by

consolidating course offerings and sharing common core courses. As courses are developed, online

offerings of both the core courses and engineering electives will be considered to simplify the scheduling for students.

Eliminate institutional barriers to provide students a seamless experience. Students admitted into the

Consortium will have full access to each institution’s academic support operations, including library

resources and advising and career counseling services. Each partner institution will perform the basic

student services for its students, such as financial aid, academic recordkeeping, fee assessment and

collection, and administrative reporting. A single, common website will be created and integrated into

the web presence of each partner campus. To the students, the Consortium will look and feel like any

other academic college at the partner institutions. This will provide superior benefits to the students through sharing of resources and will decrease costs overall among the partner institutions.

Enhance the ongoing collaborative efforts and identify opportunities that will benefit the students outside

of the Consortium. We will establish additional articulation agreements with both the UW-Colleges and

Technical Colleges). Students at CVTC, UW‐Barron County and UW‐Marathon County represent the

largest transfer student population at UW-EC. These campuses have vibrant pre‐engineering curricula

aligned with the proposed engineering programs. Articulation agreements will enable seamless transfer

of pre-engineering students to the MS&E program and the Consortium.

Strengthen the connections with local industries and build a strong engineering community in western

Wisconsin. For a sustainable and continuous growth of the state’s economy, a well-trained engineering

workforce that responds to the needs of the State is essential. In this regard, the Consortium will

continuously improve its educational approaches and goals by developing and regularly seeking input

from a joint Consortium Advisory Board comprised of industry and economic development

representatives as well as public school district representatives from the partner institutions’ regions.

Further collaborations between the Consortium and local industries involving sharing of facilities and

resources will be mutually beneficial. At UW-EC, the Materials Science program has already developed

strong connections with regional companies by virtue of the MSC. We anticipate expanding internships

opportunities with these corporate partners; these practical experiences could be used to meet the Senior

Design Lab requirement for students in the MS&E major. The Materials Science program is also a

founding member of the Regional Materials Network which allows for sharing of facilities, data,

software, and MSC resources to increase opportunity and efficiency for the materials engineering community in Wisconsin.

Coordinate outreach activities. Materials Science faculty, staff, and students are already engaged in

outreach to the community as described in section D.1.d. The Consortium will coordinate ongoing efforts

and organize the development of new activities (e.g., Youth Summer Engineering Camps).


d. Student preparation for an integrated and multicultural society

Materials Science faculty are cognizant of persistent equity and diversity issues (EDI) in the field of

engineering, including low participation by women and individuals of color from under-represented groups.

Within the MSE major, students learn through high-impact practices that are known to have a positive

impact on underrepresented populations. In addition, students who struggle because of EDI issues are helped by:

i. Faculty Mentorship – The faculty and staff of Materials Science mentor students through career counseling,

academic advising, undergraduate research experiences, small class sizes and outreach activities. As of 2011,

women comprised only 13.8% of tenured or tenure-track faculty posts in the United States. In contrast, three

of the eight faculty and staff in Materials Science at UW-EC are women and one faculty member is a person of color, providing students with role models, and benefiting all students with diverse perspectives.

ii. Undergraduate Research Experiences – In 2001 the Council on Competitiveness established BEST:

Building Engineering and Science Talent. In February 2004, a BEST review panel concluded its assessment

of best practices in higher education for increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in STEM.

Their report identifies some of the challenges that confront minority students who contemplate a career in

STEM. The report identified personal attention, peer support, and genuine research experiences with engaged faculty as key mechanisms that benefit all students, especially under-represented students.

Two programs designed to encourage women and young minority students that have successfully

supported these students are:

a. an NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program at UW-Madison

(WiscAMP); in 2014 this program received a Phase III award. Materials Science at UW-EC has been

a sub-awardee of the WiscAMP grant since 2012. The primary goal of WiscAMP is the recruitment

and retention of students from under-represented groups. Based on the results of many studies

including the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report “Engaging to Excel,”1

the best way to mentor and retain such students is to engage them in undergraduate research.

b. Brazilian Science Mobility Program – The federal government of Brazil has funded international

study for all students who qualify. For the 2014-15 academic year, 15 students from Brazil have

enrolled in Materials Science courses. The Materials Science Program's support of this international

initiative directly impacts the development of global connections to the University, as well as

impacting the EDI climate that all students encounter on UW-EC’s campus.

iii. Outreach – Enriching the experience of students and faculty, outreach activities provide an opportunity to

attract diverse new cohorts of students to UW-EC. Materials Science outreach has taken several forms in

recent years: presentations at area K-12 schools, collaborations with and presentations to area K-12 teachers,

outreach events to the Eau Claire community, and “Technical” outreach events, such as regional manufacturing showcases.

iv. Recruitment – Beyond typical efforts in working with the UW-EC Admissions Office, Materials Science

has supported hiring a “ STEM Admissions counselor”, funded by the NanoSTEM DIN. In addition to

focusing on working with potential students with an interest in STEM, this counselor connects STEM

students from under-represented groups with research faculty.

2. Plan for assessing student outcomes

a. What students will know and be able to do as a result of completing the program

The proposed MS&E program will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for lifelong learning. In designing the program, the following overarching learning goals have been identified:

knowledge of the natural world especially those relevant to the field of MS&E

creative and critical thinking

effective communication

respect for people

individual and social responsibility


Specific student-centered learning outcomes as defined by ABET have been integrated into the proposed

curriculum and are listed below. A detail description of the curriculum and the student learning outcomes is

available online.12 Learning outcomes specific to ABET accreditation are: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as

economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

(d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

(g) an ability to communicate effectively

(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic,

environmental, and societal context

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues

(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

b. Assessment of learning outcomes

An assessment plan is already in place for the existing curriculum in Materials Science. The

assessment plan and the associated rubrics for the proposed program will be designed and performed

following applicable ABET guidelines, using the above-listed learning outcomes, and the results of these

evaluations will be systematically utilized as an input for the continuous improvement of the program. A

plan for evaluating each course with ABET accreditation in mind requires assessment of each course; a

timeline for developing, offering, and assessing each course is tabulated below.

A central tenet of the program is that students learn best when challenged by experiential learning.

Capstone courses (Senior Design Lab I and II, Msci 480 and 481) will be designed to assess the students’

understanding of scientific and engineering principles relevant to the four areas (structure, properties,

processing and performance) of the field. These courses are envisioned to be hands-on and project-driven,

mixing discussion and experimental components as students carry out a final project.

As new courses are developed for the MS&E major, an assessment plan will also be developed.

Learning outcomes for each course will be assessed using “embedded assessment artifacts” from assigned

problems, exams, and projects, as well as course satisfaction surveys and student interviews. The courses

will be evaluated for effectiveness in achieving student learning outcomes and inform course revision.

Yr Engineering Curriculum ABET Accreditation

2015 Winter Plan Eng. courses, begin development Assessment Prep – ABET training

2015 Summer Discuss/design Msci 120, 221, 256 Assessment Prep – ABET training

0 2015 Fall <continue existing Msci major> Assessment Planning

2016 Winter Discuss/design Msci 230, 256 Assessment Planning

2016 Spring <continue existing Msci major> Assessment Planning

2016 Summer Finish Msci 120, 221, 230, 256

1 2016 Fall Offer Msci 120, 230, 256 Collect artifacts

2017 Winter Discuss/design Msci 341, 342, 371, 372 Summary, Fall 16

2017 Spring Offer Msci 221, 234, 355 Collect artifacts

2017 Summer Finish Msci 341, 342, 371, 372; revise 300 Summary, 2016-17;feed back

2 2017 Fall Offer Msci 300, 371 Collect artifacts

2018 Winter Discuss/design Msci 440, 451; revise 480, 481 Summary, Fall 17


2018 Summer Finish Msci 440, 451, 480, 481 Summary, 2017-18; feed back

3 2018 Fall Offer Msci 338, 362, 480 Collect artifacts

2019 Winter Discuss assessment of eng. electives Summary, Fall 18


2019 Summer Prepare for ABET Review Summary, 2018-19; feed back

4 2019 Fall <continue offering fall Msci courses> Readiness Review by 11/1

2020 Winter Work on Self-study Request for Evaluation by 1/31

2020 Spring <continue offering spring Msci courses> Work on Self-study

5 2020 Summer Finish Self-study; prepare for On-Site Review Self-study due by 7/1

2020 Fall On-Site Review

2020 Spring Draft Statement from ABET

2020 Summer Final Statement from ABET


Senior exit surveys will be conducted to provide feedback about the overall program. Feedback from

graduate programs and employers about the preparation of Materials Science and Engineering graduates will

also be solicited. Such assessment data will be collected and analyzed by the program director, with input

sought from participating faculty. The assessment report will be reviewed by the Dean of the College of Arts

and Sciences and provided to the University Assessment Committee.

Assessment of the program will also include statistical data, such as the number of continuing

students, number of graduates, student enrollment in courses, student retention, and student diversity in the

program. Since specific efforts will be made to recruit and retain a diverse student and faculty population,

performance in these areas will receive specific attention.

3. Program curriculum

a. Program structure

The Materials Science & Engineering curriculum is comprised of 128 credits, split amongst the Pre-

Engineering Core (year 1), the MS&E Engineering Core, and the UW-Eau Claire College of Arts & Science

General Education requirements for a B.S. degree. A four-year degree plan has been developed and is

shown in Table 1. MS&E courses all have a “Msci” prefix. A detailed course description for each MS&E

offering, including prerequisites, technical elective options, and student learning goals is available online.12

The curriculum is designed to provide a rigorous student experience in MS&E, meet ABET

accreditation guidelines, and enable seamless transfer to a NWEC partner institution. Students who complete

the pre-engineering core and earn admittance to the MS&E program will have an average GPA of ≥ 2.5

based on the following courses: Math 114, Math 215, Chem 115 (or equiv.), Msci 120, Msci 221, Phys 231,

and Writ 116 (or equiv.).

New engineering course, serves MS&E major

New engineering course, serves NWEC consortium and engineering community Existing engineering course, revised Planned new engineering course independent of MS&E

The curriculum draws heavily on the existing Materials Science coursework at UW-EC (which has

been designed with an engineering framework in mind for the last five years), and only five new courses are

required by the MS&E degree that will be developed by the faculty, with two of those courses developed to

support the NWEC core and the engineering community and another four courses modified or renumbered.

Table 1. UW-EC Materials Science & Engineering Major Title Credits Title Credits

Year Msci 120 - Intro. to Engineering 3 Msci 221 - Intro. to Mat. Sci. & Eng. 3 1 Chem 115 - Chemical Principles (GE-IIB) 6 Math 215 - Calculus 2 (GE-IB) 4 Math 114 - Calculus 1 (GE-IB) 4 Phys 231 - University Physics I (GE-IIE) 5 GE-IA 3 Writing 116 5 Semester total 16 17

Year Phys 232 - University Physics II (GE-IIE) 5 Msci 234 - Soft Materials 3 2 Msci 230 - Molecules to Materials 4 Msci 355 - Materials Characterization 4 Phys 255 - Statics 3 Math 312 - Diff. eq. & linear algebra 4

Msci 256 - Materials Design Lab 1 GE-IV 3 GE-III 3 Foreign Language/Foreign Culture 3 Semester total 16 17

Year Msci 300 – Thermodynamics of Mat. 4 Msci 341 - Macroprocessing of Mat. 3 3 Msci 371 - Phase Transform. & Kins. 3 Msci 342 - Processing Lab 2 Math 345 - Probability and Statistics 4 Msci 372 - Transport Phenomena 3 GE-III 3 Msci 391 - Junior Seminar 1 GE-IV 6 Semester total 14 15

Year Msci 338 - Physics of Solids 4 Msci 481 - Senior Design Lab 2 1 4 Msci 480 - Senior Design Lab 1 2 Msci 451 - Comput. Mat. Sci. & Eng. 4 Msci 362 - Microelectronic Proc. of Mat. 2 Msci 440 - Nanostructured materials 3 Engineering Elective 1 3 Engineering Elective 2 3 GE-III 3 Foreign Language/Foreign Culture 3 Cultural Diversity 3 Physical Activity & Wellness 2 Semester total 17 16


No additional instructional resources are needed by the Materials Science Program to provide the offerings described. Several highlights of the program curriculum include:

A first-year course sequence that is aligned with that at UW-Stout and UW-River Falls

Hands-on, design-based lab experiences in each year of the major

Efficient utilization of existing Materials Science and shared space resources (e.g. use of an existing

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) laboratory space for the two computer-aided drafting/design (CAD)

labs).

Technical electives drawn from existing courses at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, and the

Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC). This provides elective offerings without requiring the

development of additional courses.

The maintenance of the existing research-focused Materials Science degree program, which will be constituted

from a sub-set of the MS&E program offerings. No separate UW-EC teaching resources are needed to

continue offering the existing degree.

In addition to the technical depth of the MS&E core curriculum, graduates from program will benefit from the

strong mathematics and physical science foundation that will remain a hallmark of all UW-EC STEM

degrees, the practical design and processing skills that this major introduces, and the writing,

communication, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills characteristic of our liberal education approach.

b. Projected time to degree

A prepared student can complete the MS&E degree as shown in table 1 in eight semesters with an

average load of 16.0 credits per semester. Alternative graduation forecasts have been run for (a) students

with Chem 103 (rather than Chem 115) preparation, and (b) students with pre-calculus (rather than calculus)

preparation. A four-year graduation path exists in both of these cases, with the average loads increasing to

16.3 and 16.8 credits per semester, respectively. The Materials Science Program has a strong track record of

graduating students in a timely manner; amongst all current graduates (including those graduating in May

2015), the average time to degree is 4.29 years and 68% of graduates finished in 4 years or less.

4. Summary of program review process

a. How and when will the program be reviewed

Academic programs are reviewed at UW-EC every five (5) years. The current Materials Science

major is being reviewed in the 2014-15 academic year. The on-campus review process involves an internal

review panel (consisting of three faculty members), and an external evaluator from a similarly-sized

university. Recommendations from these reviewers are forwarded to the Provost and actions to be taken are

made at that point.

ABET on-site reviews are also conducted every five (5) years. As with UW-EC’s on-going

assessment process described above, ABET’s program of Continuous Improvement requires yearly updates

and assessment of the academic program. The first site visit requires at least 18 months of preparation before

the site-visit team arrives. The on-site visit process is far more proscribed and structured than a typical on-

campus review. Once the program is accredited by ABET, the on-campus review will use the same reports

and data as the ABET review document.

b. What aspects of the program will be evaluated to determine quality

As discussed above, ABET accreditation is typically seen by students as an indicator of a quality

program. In addition, the effectiveness of high-impact experiences, notably the Senior Design courses,

practica in the form of internships and co-ops, and collaborative research with faculty will be an indicator of

quality. Finally, the learning of “soft skills” and other aspects of a liberal arts-based education will be an

indicator of the quality of the students’ experience. All of these learning experiences are assessed, some by

the Materials Science Program, and some by the larger university community. Their assessment will inform

our conclusions about how to better immerse students in their learning.

c. Consideration of EDI during review

EDI considerations with regard to students, as described in section D.1.d above, inform and motivate EDI

initiatives that faculty pursue. Such considerations thus impact program review as it is important for students

and for faculty. These considerations can be characterized as:


EDI Practices for Faculty – The Program's faculty-specific EDI efforts have to date focused on hiring

practices. In an effort to diversify the Materials Science Program, a field that is often dominated by

men, senior faculty emphasized hiring women faculty and staff. This approach will encourage

women students to explore Materials Science as a possible major.

EDI Practices for Students – Faculty are encouraged to utilize high-impact practices that are known

to increase the retention and academic success of women and students from underrepresented groups.

In particular, undergraduate research experiences are known to be one of the most powerful practices

for increasing participation amongst under-represented students, and it is a practice that naturally folds

into the proposed degree.

Faculty Review – Faculty or staff initiatives to enhance the EDI of the program, College, or campus

are included as part of their review. Such efforts could impact their teaching, scholarship, service,

advising, or outreach and as such are seen as an essential dimension of a Program member’s work.

d. Need for external accreditation

The proposed MS&E curriculum is designed to meet the strict ABET accreditation standards. The

proposed program will be the first degree accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission

(EAC) at UW-EC, although a Computer Engineering degree was previously accredited by the Computing

Accreditation Commission. Most of the components required by the EAC (students, program, educational

objectives, program outcomes, continuous improvement, curriculum, faculty, facilities, support, and the

Materials Engineering specific program criteria) are already in place or will be in place before we apply for

accreditation. We will begin collecting samples of student work and assessment data for the first students

entering the program. We will be ready for the ABET Readiness Review at the first opportunity and full

accreditation after our first graduate.

HLC will be notified of the new major after approval by UW System. Since less than 24% of the

credits will come from a consortial partner and it is only a new major and not a new degree, we will not need

to seek HLC approval.


References – 1 PCAST, Undergraduate STEM Education Report, 2012; see

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/pcast/docsreports 2

“Be Bold 2: Growing Wisconsin’s Talent Pool”, Competitive Wisconsin, Inc., 2012. 3 “Baccalaureate and Master’s Engineering Degree Supply and Demand in Wisconsin”, 2014 National Center for Higher

Education Management Systems. 4

“Market Demand for Baccalaureate Programs in Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering”, 2013 Education

Advisory Board, data from Burning Glass Labor/Insight. 5 2014‐2015 Payscale College Salary Report, Payscale.com. 6 Materials Genome Initiative; see http://www.whitehouse.gov/mgi 7 National Academy of Engineering; for pdf see http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11338 8 Restructuring Engineering Education: Why, How, and When, UC Berkeley CSHE; see

http://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/restructuring-engineering-educationwhy-how-and-when 9 UMC White paper on “Design” in Ceramics, Materials, Metallurgical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs 10 “Enrollment Management Trends Report 2012” ACT, 2012 11 “Narrowing the Skills Gap: A Regional Workforce Initiative” Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation,

2013 12 http://www.UW-EC.edu/Matsci/program/Course-Description.htm#mse

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/pcast/docsreports

http://www.whitehouse.gov/mgi

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11338

http://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/restructuring-engineering-educationwhy-how-and-when

http://www.uwec.edu/Matsci/program/Course-Description.htm#mse

Documents

Major Authorization Proposal Materials Science and ... in the NWEC proposal and is similar to the special course ... and approved by UW-System for UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh ... Marathon,