Topics include types of materials, bonding in solids, basic crystallography, crystal structures, tensor properties of materials, diffraction methods, crystal defects, and amorphous materials.
This course will consist of a detailed study of the structure of materials as well as a survey of important properties of materials concepts. Topics covered will include electronic and atomic structures, primary and secondary bonding, crystal structures, symmetry in structures, mircostructures and polycrystalline samples, diffraction and structural characterization, structure-property relationships, and material tensors. These topics will be discussed as applied to metallic, ceramic, polymeric, and composite materials at bulk and nano scales. The course will also introduce mechanical, electronic, and chem-bio properties of materials.
This course is online released in weekly modules. Each module is designed to be worked on a Monday-Sunday schedule. Each module should take 7-10 hours to complete including ~3 hours of lectures. It is highly recommended that you set aside time to watch the lectures during the beginning of each module week and then work through any problems and assignments.
Modules will generally be released 2 days early to give students advanced time to complete the module.
The course will be presented using a unique Lightboard format of lecture. These lectures are pre-recorded studio sessions with the instructor. This format should bring the advantages of an engaging in-person-like lecture while giving students the unique online opportunity to go back and review material that may have been difficult to understand.
Please know that you are expected to take notes while watching the online lecture content each week. This course requires active and engaged viewing of all lecture content. The instructor has found active note taking to be a critical means of learning the material.
The goal of this course is to have the basic skills needed to understand the "language of materials science" which is structures and properties. After this course, you should be able to read a technical paper and understand the structures detailed in the paper as well as their implications for properties and applications.
Recommended: Structure and Bonding in Crystalline Materials: Paperback – 2001by Gregory S. Rohrer
Publisher: Cambridge
ISBN: 978-0-521-66379-3
Required: Understanding Solids: The Science of Materials: Paperback –2013
by Richard J. D. Tilley (Author)
Publisher: Wiley; 2nd edition (May 28, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1118423461
ISBN-13: 978-1118423462
(available online through library.jhu.edu)
Optional: Introduction to Crystallography (Dover Books on Chemistry) Paperback –1994 by Donald E. Sands (Author)
Publisher: Dover Publications; Reprint edition (January 7, 1994)
ISBN-10: 0486678393
ISBN-13: 978-0486678399
The following assessments will be used to evaluate and grade your progress throughout the course. All assignments will be posted through Canvas and due dates will be linked to the assignment as well as the course calendar.
2 take-home exams to be completed individually: Exams will be open book and open notes. Students may not discuss problems with any other persons or post questions to online forums for help. Students may consult existing online resources (ie Wikipedia), journal articles, or published books. One take home exam will be given out during Module 7 and the other will be distributed during Module 13. Each exam will be worth 25% of the final grade for a total of 50%.
4 homework assignments to be turned in individually: Students are open to use external resources and encouraged to work with each other to discuss homework assignments. Final work must be completed and turned in individually by students. Homework will comprise a total of 40% of the grade.
Short module quizzes and participation: Some modules will include a short interactive “concept quiz.” These quizzes and class participation will total 5% of the final grade. Quizzes are graded on timely completion (watching the videos during the assigned module week). Participation will be determined by timely completion of all assignments and watching all lecture videos for each module within 10 days of the start of a module.
4 Literature Search Submissions: Students will be assigned readings from publications relevant to the work at hand. Students will read the article, find another related article and write short (250 words or less) summary of the new article found and its relevance to the topic in an open class discussion forum. There will be approximately 4 literature assignments throughout the semester. Students are encouraged to read and discuss each other’s topics but are not required to do so. Literature Search will total 5% of the final grade.
The course will generally be graded on a linear scale as follows:
Score range | Letter Grade |
98-100 | A+ |
94-97 | A |
90-93 | A- |
87-89 | B+ |
83-86 | B |
80-82 | B- |
77-79 | C+ |
73-76 | C |
70-72 | C- |
67-69 | D+ |
63-66 | D |
<63 | F |
Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses
Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.
Academic Misconduct Policy
All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.
This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.
Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility
Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.
For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.
Student Conduct Code
The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically.
For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/
Classroom Climate
JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity.
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).
Course Auditing
When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.