Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology (MSNT)

The College of Applied and Natural Sciences and the College of Engineering and Science coordinate to offer an interdisciplinary MS degree in Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology (MSNT).

Please see below for more information.

Administration

Coordinators

Steering Committee Members
 

Engineering and Science:

Applied and Natural Sciences:

David K. Mills, Professor of Biological Sciences
Rebecca Giorno, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Jamie Newman, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies

Address

More information about the Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology program can be obtained by writing to one of the coordinators:

c/o Dean of Graduate School
Louisiana Tech University
P.O. Box 7923
Ruston LA 71272
(318) 257-2924

and visiting the web site:

 https://ans.latech.edu/biological-sciences/graduate-programs/​ and https://coes.latech.edu/graduate-programs/

Objectives

The objectives of this interdisciplinary program are

1. To train graduate students in experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects of research in molecular biology, chemistry, and physics, particularly where these disciplines intersect.
2. To enhance interdisciplinary applied research at Louisiana Tech University in micro and nanotechnology, including molecular biology and protein engineering.
3. To prepare graduate students for the next generation of careers in science and technology by offering a unique, flexible, and highly marketable graduate degree.
4. To prepare graduate students for interdisciplinary or traditional PhD programs in biochemistry, chemistry, materials science, molecular biology, and physics which emphasize research at the intersections of one or more of the traditional disciplines.

Program Administration

The coordinators and the steering committee, with the approval of the Dean of Graduate School, will establish the policies and procedures applicable to this program, evaluate applications, administer examinations, and oversee all aspects of the student’s work.

Admission Requirements

The program is offered by the College of Applied and Natural Sciences (ANS) and the College of Engineering and Sciences (ES). Students with undergraduate backgrounds in biological sciences should choose degree codes that start with the “ANS” college code on the application. Students with physical sciences or engineering backgrounds should choose degree codes that start with the “ES” college code on the application.

1. A four-year undergraduate degree in biological sciences, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, or physics, or a closely related discipline such as biochemistry, biophysics, chemical technology, engineering physics, molecular biology, or pharmacology.
2. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required. It is expected that most applicants will have a minimum total score of 300 in the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections with a minimum of 142 in the Verbal Reasoning section.

Course Requirements

Thesis or practicum options are available. The thesis option consists of 24 semester credit hours (SCH) of courses + 6 SCH of research and thesis for a total of 30 SCH. The Practicum Option consists of 33 SCH of courses + 3 SCH of practicum for a total of 36 SCH.

All students will be required to take either MSNT 505: Nanotechnology Principles or MSNT 521: Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology depending on research interests. All students will also take MSNT 502: Research Methods and MSNT 504: Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology Seminar as core courses. The remainder of the curriculum is to be determined by consultation with the research advisor and advisory committee.

Some remedial work may be necessary to acquire the required background if the student decides to change fields at this point (e.g., physics students may have to take biology classes and biology students may need to improve their knowledge of the physical sciences).

Committee, Plan of Study, and Research Proposal

A graduate advisory committee will be appointed for each student by the end of the first quarter of enrollment. The advisory committee shall consist of at least 3 members, with at least 1 member from the two participating colleges (Engineering & Science, and Applied & Natural Sciences). A Plan of Study listing the courses to be taken should be prepared in consultation with the research advisor, approved by the committee, and submitted by the end of the first quarter of enrollment. The choice between thesis and non-thesis options must be made at this time.