Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering
ROBERT G. DENNIS, Chair
Lu Chang Qin, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies
Richard L. Goldberg, Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies
Professors
Al Banes, Maurice Brookhart, Joseph M. DeSimone, Gregory Forest, Wenbin Lin, Jianping Lu, Laurie E. McNeil, Royce W. Murray, Michael Rubinstein, Edward T. Samulski, Richard Superfine, Sean Washburn, Yue Wu, Otto Zhou.
Associate Professors
Ted Bateman, Robert G. Dennis, Dorothy Erie, Michael Falvo, Richard L. Goldberg, Nalin Parikh, Lu-Chang Qin, Russell Taylor, Alex Trophsha, Frank Tsui, Paul Weinhold, Gregory Welch.
Introduction
One certainty about modern technology is change, continual change that occurs with increasing rapidity. People working in technological fields, those who develop new materials and devices and apply them to both old and new purposes, find themselves constantly challenged to create new developments and to keep pace with new concepts and the developments of others. Another characteristic of modern technological innovation is increasing sophistication of tools and ideas. As a result, it has become increasingly important to have a footing in both the basic sciences and engineering. Indeed, these two areas have moved toward each other, deriving mutual benefits from the stimulus of basic concepts and device needs.
In response to the needs of students preparing for the challenging and ever-changing world of modern technology, the University initiated the Curriculum in Applied Sciences in 1984. It is directed toward students seeking a career in the sciences but having applied interests.
By their very nature, the applied sciences are interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional boundaries. The Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering at Carolina is a cooperative effort of several departments: biomedical engineering from the School of Medicine and chemistry, physics and astronomy, computer science, and mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences. Courses are taught by faculty from these departments and also by distinguished industrial scientists and engineers from the Research Triangle area.
A major in applied sciences prepares the student for entry-level industrial positions, for graduate study in several fields of science or engineering, or for medical school.
Programs of Study
The degree offered is the bachelor of science with a major in applied science. Three tracks are available: biomedical engineering, computer engineering, and materials science.
• In the biomedical engineering track, students learn to apply engineering principles to solve medical and biological problems. This is a field of great breadth that incorporates the fields of medical imaging, informatics, prosthetics, medical devices, tissue engineering and genomics, and applications of signal processing and control.
• The computer engineering track emphasizes the analysis, design, and use of digital systems, microprocessors, and computers.
• Options in the materials science track allow the student to emphasize interests in biomaterials, electronic and optical materials, or polymeric materials.
For all tracks, the first two years of study have many courses in common with the B.S. programs in chemistry, physics, computer science, or mathematical sciences. Interchange of those majors is common during the student’s time in the General College. Students in all tracks are encouraged to engage in research in a laboratory at UNC–Chapel Hill or elsewhere, or have an internship experience in industry. In addition, students in the two engineering tracks are required to complete a senior design project. The curriculum, as for all sciences, is vertically structured, with experience and knowledge from each course serving as a foundation for subsequent courses. Students’ attention to prerequisites is important. The specific requirements are listed below.
Majoring in Applied Science:
Bachelor of Science
Common Requirements
Students must satisfy all Foundations, Approaches, and Connections requirements, as outlined elsewhere in this bulletin. Some General Education requirements should be met with specific courses:
• CHEM 101/101L (preferably by placement through high school chemistry). The course satisfies the physical and life sciences with lab Approaches requirement.
• MATH 231 and 232 (quantitative reasoning Foundations and quantitative intensive Connections requirements)
• PHYS 116 (physical and life sciences Approaches requirement)
• Students must also take the following courses in their first two years: MATH 233 and 383; PHYS 117
• Other requirements specific to the major tracks are detailed below.
B.S. Major in Applied Science: Computer Engineering Track (128 hours)
Core Requirements
• APPL 210, 310, 410, 430, 450, 460, 480 (PHYS 351 prerequisite), 697, and 698
• Choose one of BIOS 600 or STOR 435 or 455
• COMP 401, 410, 411, 431, and 541
• PHYS 351 and 352
Additional Requirements
• MATH 381
• Four electives, with at least one from each of the following
categories:
• APPL 392, 472; BIOL 101/101L, 202, 252; CHEM 102/102L; PHYS 128L, 331, 341
• COMP 520, 521, 523, 530, 575; MATH 529, 547
B.S. Major in Applied Science: Biomedical Engineering Track (127 hours)
Core Requirements
• APPL 150, 160, 210, 310, 341, 410, 450, 465, 697, and 698
• BIOL 202 and 252
• Choose one of BIOS 600 or STOR 435 or 455
• MATH 528 and PHYS 351 and 352
Additional Requirements
• Choose one of COMP 110, 116, 401, or PHYS 331
• BIOL 101/101L
• CHEM 102/102L
• A choice of three biomedical specialty electives: Any BMME above 400, or PHYS 301, or PHYS 660/MASC 560
B.S. Major in Applied Science: Materials Science Track (125 hours)
Core Requirements
• APPL 150, BIOL 101/101L, and CHEM 261
• APPL 395 or 396, or take both 697 and 698
• APPL 420, 470, 472, 473, and 491L; APPL 492L or 520L; and APPL 341 or CHEM 481
• BMME 400
• CHEM 102/102L; CHEM 262/262L or PHYS 352; and CHEM 482 or PHYS 321
• MATH 528 and either COMP 116 or PHYS 331
• PHYS 351
Additional Requirements
• Four materials specialty electives (12 hours) from the following list: APPL 392, 410, 421, 422, 423, 450, 465, 510; PHYS 352 (if CHEM 262/262L was taken to fulfill a requirement above), 415, 471; MATH 529; MTSC 573, 615, 715, 720, 730
• One free elective (3 hours)
Honors in Applied Sciences
Students who successfully complete a research project and have a sufficiently outstanding academic record are eligible for graduation with honors or highest honors. The requirements of the curriculum for graduation with honors or highest honors are 1) overall grade point average of 3.2 or higher, 2) grade point average of 3.5 or higher in all science and mathematics courses specifically required in the curriculum, and 3) completion of a research project judged to be of honors or highest honors quality by a faculty committee. In addition, to be considered for highest honors, the research project must be judged to be of publishable quality. Students wishing to be considered for graduation with honors should apply in the curriculum office by September 15 for those who are graduating in May or August, or by January 15 for those who are graduating in December.
Special Opportunities in Applied Sciences and Engineering
Departmental Involvement
Student organizations include the BME club and Engineering World Health.
Experiential Education
All students in the biomedical engineering and computer engineering tracks participate in a capstone design experience in which they spend an entire year developing a device or system that has biomedical applications.
Undergraduate Awards
Two cash awards are given annually for excellent scholarship and research. The Crawford Award is given in memory of the founding chair of applied sciences, and the Flexcell Award is given through a corporate donation from Flexcell International Corporation.
Undergraduate Research
Students are strongly encouraged to undertake a research project during their junior and/or senior years. The applied sciences are heavily research-based. Through the challenge of a research project, students come face to face with the leading edge of an area, gain expertise with state-of-the-art techniques and instrumentation, and experience a professional scientific career firsthand. A number of faculty members on campus (particularly those in the Dental Research Center and in the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering) conduct research projects related to the applied sciences. A list of faculty members interested in working with undergraduates is available from the curriculum office and should be secured by students prior to interviewing with faculty about research projects. The UNC–Chapel Hill Office of Undergraduate Research is also an excellent resource for finding research opportunities.
Facilities
Students use laboratory facilities housed in the five departments that participate in this program. In addition, the curriculum has an undergraduate student design laboratory. This has equipment for rapid manufacturing (3-D printer and laser cutter), as well as electronics and microcontroller design and development.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
Each line of study leads to the degree of bachelor of science with a major in applied sciences. Recipients of this degree have gone into entry-level positions in a range of technological industries, wafer fabrication, computer hardware and software, pharmaceutical concerns, business fields, and the polymer industry. Students also have continued their studies at the graduate level. Graduate programs leading to the M.S., Ph.D., and M.D. degrees have been entered by many of our graduates. Students who go on to the doctoral level pursue either an industrial or academic career. Through 2008, more than half of the graduates from the UNC–Chapel Hill Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering entered graduate and professional programs, for example, in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, materials science, medical school, electrical engineering, computer science, and biomedical engineering.
Contact Information
Sallie McDevitt, Academic Affairs Secretary, CB# 3270, 278 Phillips Hall, (919) 962-2078. Web site: www.unc.edu/depts/appl_sci.
APPL
89 First-Year Seminar: Special Topics (3). Special topics course. Content will vary each semester.
150 Introduction to Materials Science (3). Prerequisite, CHEM 102; pre- or corequisites, MATH 383 and PHYS 117. The materials science of electronic, metallic, polymeric, ceramic, and composite materials and their processing are introduced. The electronic, optical, magnetic, and structural properties of materials are related to their uses.
160 Statics (3). Prerequisites, MATH 232 and PHYS 116. The resolution, distribution, and transfer of forces in rigid structural bodies.
170 Exploring Biomedical Engineering (1). Provides an initial framework for intended biomedical engineering education. Course is repeatable for credit. A required first- or second-year course for students enrolled in the biomedical engineering track of the Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering; it is open to all students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
210 BME Design and Manufacturing I (2). Students will learn to use design software: SolidWorks and support/analysis programs such as COSMOS. Basic techniques for directly measuring solid objects using digital calipers, gauges, and identification of standard components to reverse-engineer the dimensions of the object. Specific topics covered: generation of designed solid model, three-view drawings, dimensions, tolerances, etc.
310 BME Design and Manufacturing II (2). Prerequisite, APPL 210. Students learn basic tools and procedures of modern design practice and rapid manufacturing technologies and techniques. This course includes lectures, laboratory exercises, Web-based instructional content, and a series of small CAD project assignments.
341 Thermodynamics and Kinetics Applied to Solids (3). Prerequisites, APPL 150, MATH 383, and PHYS 117. The elements of thermodynamics and phenomenological kinetics of diffusion appropriate to solids are examined. Topics include equations of state, heat capacity, polyphase equilibria, phase transitions, diffusion, and interfaces.
392 Special Topics in Materials Science (.5–21). Permission of the instructor. Advanced specialty topics in material science for undergraduates.
395 Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering for Undergraduates (1–4). Permission of the director of undergraduate studies. At least nine hours of independent work a week. May be repeated for elective credit. Work may be counted towards graduation with honors or highest honors by petition to the curriculum chair. Further details are available from the curriculum office.
396 Independent Study in Applied Sciences (1–3). Permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Independent study under a member of the applied sciences faculty.
410 Systems and Signals (3). Prerequisite, MATH 383. Analysis of linear systems by transform methods to networks, including stability analysis. Survey of numerical methods for network solutions.
415 Information, Modulation, Transmission, and Noise (4). Modulation and demodulation of signals using amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), and related techniques. Practical applications are studied. Techniques are applied in an included laboratory.
420 Introduction to Polymer Chemistry (CHEM 420) (3). See CHEM 420 for description.
421 Synthesis of Polymers (CHEM 421, MTSC 421) (3). See CHEM 421 for description.
422 Physical Chemistry of Polymers (CHEM 422, MTSC 422) (3). See CHEM 422 for description.
423 Intermediate Polymer Chemistry (CHEM 423, MTSC 423) (3). See CHEM 423 for description.
425 Bioelectricity (3). Prerequisites, BIOL 252 and PHYS 351. Quantitative analysis of excitable membrane signals, origin of electrical membrane potentials, propagation, subthreshold stimuli, extracellular fields, membrane biophysics, and electrophysiology of the heart. Design and development of an electrocardiogram analysis system.
430 Digital Signal Processing I (3). Prerequisite, COMP 110 or 116. This is an introduction to methods of automatic computation of specific relevance to biomedical problems. Sampling theory, analog-to-digital conversion, and digital filtering will be explored in depth.
450 Linear Control Theory (3). Prerequisite, MATH 528. Linear control system analysis and design are presented. Frequency and time domain characteristics and stability are studied.
460 Survey of Engineering Math Applications (1). Corequisite, MATH 528. Computational laboratory that surveys engineering math with emphasis on differential equations, and Laplace and Fourier analysis. Applications in biomedical engineering emphasized through problem set computation using Matlab. This course should be taken concurrently with MATH 528.
465 Biomedical Instrumentation (4). Prerequisite, PHYS 351. Topics include basic electronic circuit design, analysis of medical instrumentation circuits, physiologic transducers (pressure, flow, bioelectric, temperate, and displacement). This course includes a laboratory where the student builds biomedical devices.
470 Fundamentals of Materials Science (CHEM 470) (3). See CHEM 470 for description.
472 Chemistry and Physics of Electronic Materials Processing (CHEM 472, MTSC 472, PHYS 472) (3). See PHYS 472 for description.
473 Chemistry and Physics of Surfaces (CHEM 473, MTSC 473) (3). See CHEM 473 for description.
480 Microcontroller Applications I (3). Prerequisites, COMP 110 or 116, and PHYS 351. Introduction to digital computers for online, real-time processing and control of signals and systems. Programming analog and digital input and output devices is stressed. Case studies are used for software design strategies in real-time systems.
490 Special Topics (3). Topics vary from semester to semester.
491L Materials Laboratory I (PHYS 491L) (2). See PHYS 491L for description.
492L Materials Laboratory II (PHYS 492L) (2). See PHYS 492L for description.
510 Biomaterials (BMME 510) (3). Prerequisite, BIOL 101 or BMME 589. Chemical, physical engineering, and biocompatibility aspects of materials, devices, or systems for implantation in or interfacing with the body cells or tissues. Food and Drug Administration and legal aspects.
520L Polymer Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 520L) (2). See CHEM 520L for description.
691H Honors Thesis (3). Research honors course. Prior approval needed from the chair or associate chair of the program for topic selection and faculty research mentor. Minimum GPA requirement, written report, and abstract requirements as set forth by the honors program.
692H Honors Thesis (3). Research honors thesis continuation with required GPA, research topic selection with approved faculty mentor. Written abstract and report per honors program guidelines submitted by specific deadlines.
697 Senior Design Project I (2). Prerequisite, APPL 310. Conceptual prelude and preparation to APPL 698, in which the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired during the undergraduate tenure is applied to develop a solution to a real-world problem.
698 Senior Design Project II (4). Prerequisite, APPL 697. Implementation phase of the senior design experience. Students apply the theoretical and practical knowledge they have acquired in their previous seven semesters to the design and implementation of a solution to a real-world problem.
MTSC
421 Synthesis of Polymers (APPL 421, CHEM 421) (3). See CHEM 421 for description.
422 Physical Chemistry of Polymers (APPL 422, CHEM 422) (3). See CHEM 422 for description.
423 Intermediate Polymer Chemistry (APPL 423, CHEM 423) (3). See CHEM 423 for description.
472 Chemistry and Physics of Electronic Materials Processing (APPL 472, CHEM 472, PHYS 472) (3). See PHYS 472 for description.
473 Chemistry and Physics of Surfaces (APPL 473, CHEM 473) (3). See CHEM 473 for description.
573 Introductory Solid State Physics (PHYS 573) (3). See PHYS 573 for description.
615 Structure of Solids (3). Crystallography, reciprocal lattices, Bloch waves, band structure, electronic wave functions, phonons, thermal expansion. Superlattice structures, including liquid crystals. Overview of properties of ceramic, amorphous, polymeric, and composite materials.