Master in Semiconductor Technology (MaST)

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The Master of Science in Semiconductor Technology is a non-thesis post-bachelor’s degree program intended for those who wish to enter the semiconductor industry upon completion or engage in advanced research. The program is designed to reflect the broad range of needs and the interdisciplinary nature of the semiconductor field. The program includes core areas such as Semiconductor Devices and Processing, Circuits and Systems Design, and Power Electronics. The degree requires a set of semiconductor courses from the core areas and interdisciplinary elective courses. Students entering the program will typically hold an accredited bachelor’s degree in engineering or science, e.g., Electrical, Computer and Systems, Chemical, Materials, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, as well as Computer Science or Physics.  Master's project through research, co-op, internship, or similar experience is encouraged.  Rensselaer is situated close to numerous semiconductor companies in the Hudson River Valley, including IBM, GlobalFoundries, Micron, OnSemi, and others, providing excellent opportunities for internships and co-op.

Tuition scholarships are available to highly qualified MaST applicants.  Students interested in the MaST program should send inquiries to the ECSE Graduate Program Director or Professor James Lu. 

Students pursuing the M.S. in Semiconductor Technology must complete the following requirements: 

• 30 total credits of approved graduate coursework 
• At least 18 credits taken at the 6000 level¹ 
• Up to 12 credits taken at the 4000 level 
• 12 to 24 credits taken from core courses 
• 6 to 18 credits taken from interdisciplinary courses 
• Optional up to 6 master’s project credits² 
• Optional up to 6 transfer credits 
• Optional up to 3 credits of Independent Study 
• No 1000- or 2000-level courses may be applied toward the degree. 

Sufficient courses are offered for each of the core areas and in the pool of interdisciplinary courses at both 4000 and 6000 levels. Based on these courses, students are required to put together a Plan of Study for a core area. Students who do not have adequate preparation for their chosen core area may need to take background courses in addition to the 30-credit-hour requirement.

Footnotes:
¹ With prior written approval from the Graduate Program Director, special topics courses (e.g., ECSE 496X or ECSE 696X) may be used to fulfill certain course requirements.
 ² A master’s project in the semiconductor area, with faculty supervision and evaluation, is optional. It may be fulfilled or partially fulfilled by an internship or co-op at a semiconductor company. Such an experience must be planned with the approval of the Graduate Program Director. A comprehensive report prepared at the conclusion of an internship, co-op, or a similar practical experience must be endorsed by the student’s supervisor at the company/organization and evaluated and approved by the Graduate Program Director.

Courses for Master of Science in Semiconductor Technology

To acquire a depth and breadth of experience, master’s degree students must complete the requisite credits of core and interdisciplinary courses from the courses listed below. Sufficient courses are provided so that alternate selections are available for those who have previously completed some of the core courses. The courses offered are reviewed, updated and/or changed frequently to keep pace with rapid advancement in the field; some courses are delivered in alternate years. Please see the ECSE website for the most current information.

List of required courses:

• ECSE/ENGR/ISCI 4961/6961 - Advanced Materials, Metrology and Equipment for Semiconductor Manufacturing 
• ECSE/MTLE 6300 - Integrated Circuit Fabrication Laboratory

List of courses for the Core of Semiconductor Devices and Processing:

• ECSE 4250 - Integrated Circuit Processes and Design 
  or MTLE 4160 - Semiconducting Materials 
  or CHME 4600 - Introduction to Semiconductor Processing (cross-listed) 
• ECSE 6200 - Semiconductor Device Characterization 
• ECSE 6210 - Advanced Device Concepts 
• ECSE 6220 - Physical Foundations of Solid-State Devices 
• ECSE 6230 - Semiconductor Devices and Models I 
• ECSE 6270 - Optoelectronics o ECSE 6290 - Semiconductor Devices and Models II 
• ECSE 6240 - VLSI Fabrication Technology 

List of courses for the Core of Circuit and System Design (no more than one 4000 level course can be selected):

• ECSE 4030 – Analog IC Design 
• ECSE 4040 – Digital Electronics 
• ECSE 4220 – VLSI Design 
• ECSE 6680 – Advanced VLSI Design 
• ECSE 6310 – Fundamentals of RF/Microwave Engineering 
• ECSE 6320 – Advanced Computer Systems 
• ECSE 6700 – Advanced Computer Hardware Design

List of courses for the Core of Power Electronics (no more than one 4000 level course can be selected):

• ECSE 4030 – Analog IC Design 
• ECSE 4080 – Semiconductor Power Electronics 
• ECSE 6090 – Advanced Power Electronics 
• ECSE 6200 – Semiconductor Device Characterization 
• ECSE 6230 – Semiconductor Devices and Models I 
• ECSE 6260 – Semiconductor Power Devices

List of Interdisciplinary courses:

• CHME 4011/6011 – Semiconductor Electrochemistry 
• CHME 4050 – Chemical Process Design: Fundamentals 
  or CHME 4060 – Chemical Process Design: Applications 
• MANE 4730 – Heat Transfer 
  or MANE 4790 – Advanced heat Transfer 
  or MANE 6790 – Advanced heat Transfer 
• MANE 6460 – Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue of Materials 
• MANE 6630 – Conduction Heat Transfer 
  or MANE 6640 – Radiation Heat Transfer 
  or MANE 6650 – Convective Heat Transfer 
  or MTLE 4200 – Electrical and Optical Properties of Materials 
• MTLE 4440/6440 – Thin Films o MTLE 6120 – Advanced Electronic Properties of Materials 
• MTLE 6430 – Materials Characterization 
• PHYS 6710 – Theory of Solids I 
• ISYE 4210 – Design and Analysis of Supply Chains 
  or ISYE 6600 – Design of Manufacturing System Supply Chain 
• ISYE 6780 – Introduction to Optimization 
• ENGR 6120 – Advanced Manufacturing Processes and Systems

List of advanced undergraduate foundational courses:

• ECSE 4030 – Analog IC Design 
• ECSE 4040 – Digital Electronics 
• ECSE 4050/6050 – Advanced Electronic Circuits 
• ECSE 4080 – Semiconductor Power Electronics 
• ECSE 4220 – VLSI Design 
• ECSE 4250 – Integrated Circuit Processes and Design 
  or MTLE 4160 – Semiconducting Materials 
  or CHME 4600 – Introduction to Semiconductor Processing (cross-listed) 
• ECSE 4310/6310 – Fundamentals of RF/Microwave Engineering 
• ECSE 4320/6320 – Advanced Computer Systems 
• ECSE 4370 – Introduction to Optoelectronics Technology 
• ECSE 4720/PHYS 4720 – Solid State Physics 
• ECSE 4770 – Computer Hardware Design  
• ECSE 4780/6700 – Advanced Computer Hardware Design 
• ECSE 4790 – Microprocessor Systems

Sample Program Templates

Sample templates for the Core of Semiconductor Devices and Processing

 Sample templates for the Core of Circuit and System Design