Ph.D. in Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology
The Ph.D. in Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology provides a formal framework for students to engage in the study of structures and devices assembled by nature on the one hand, and those assembled by humans on the other.
This program is interdisciplinary and is jointly administered by the College of Engineering and Science and the College of Applied and Natural Sciences. The program has active participation from faculty in biological sciences, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics & statistics, mechanical engineering, and physics.
Major breakthroughs are expected at the intersection of molecular biology and nanotechnology. Some examples are novel vaccines, diagnostic methods, cancer therapies, drug delivery systems, catalysts, energy storage and conversion devices, and minimally invasive treatment methods for many diseases.
The Ph.D. requires 48 credit hours of coursework (nearly all the hours from the M.S. can be applied toward the Ph.D.) and 18 credit hours of research leading to a dissertation.
Key Facilities
The Biomedical Engineering (foreground) and Institute for Micromanufacturing (background) complex provides 100,000 sq. ft. of modern space for research in molecular sciences and nanotechnology.
Job Opportunities
A 2008 survey estimated that there were about 400,000 workers worldwide in the field of nanotechnology, with an estimated 150,000 of those in the United States. A study funded by the National Science Foundation projects that 6 million nanotechnology workers will be needed worldwide by 2020, with 2 million of those jobs in the United States.
Admission Criteria
The minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School of Louisiana Tech University must be satisfied. The following criteria are in addition to those, and specific for admission to the Ph.D. in Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology:
a) A Master’s degree in biological sciences, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, physics, or a closely related area is the expected qualification.
b) Students with Bachelor’s degrees may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program on the basis of outstanding academic achievements (as evidenced by GPA, GRE, and scholarly achievement).
c) An official GRE score is required. Scores in the 60th percentile or higher in each of the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections are expected. Allowances on the expected minimum GRE scores may be made based on high GPA from US institutions and/or evidence of productive undergraduate/master’s level research.
d) At the discretion of the Ph.D. Steering Committee, the GRE requirement may be waived in the case of exceptional students, especially for those with national fellowships, scholarships, or professional achievement.