Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Table of Contents

Basic
Information……………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

Eight-semester
Display…………………………………………………………………………………………….3-4

Matriculation
Requirements………………………………………………………………………………………..5

Critical Thinking and

Reflection…………………………………………………………………………………..6

Job Outlook………………………………………………………………………………….……….Separate
sheet

Rubric…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
11-12

Page 1 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Purpose
• To learn what is required in a particular curriculum (= requirements for a particular
major and college), and to be able to get this information on any major at NCSU
• To see some of the connections between majors and careers
• To begin to reflect on whether a particular major is a "good fit" for you
• To pull together some of the components of informed decision-making
• To learn and practice some research skills
• To manage your time to complete a large assignment or project

Select a major to research

Ideally, you should pick a major that you are interested in or would like to know more about.
If you're completely undecided, choose a major in a general area that interests you. A list of
majors can be found in The Transition to Higher Education Workbook.

Your packet must include

Basic information
1. State the name of the major you are researching.
a. Materials Science and Engineering
2. What college is it in?
a. College of Engineering
3. What is the name of the dean of this college, and where is the dean's office located?
(building name and office #)
a. Louis A. Martin-Vega, 113 Page Hall
4. Who is the chair or head of the department, and where is the department office?
(building name and office #)
a. Dr. Justin Schwartz, 3010 Engineering Building I
5. Where are the majority of classes held?
a. Centennial Campus
6. What is the highest level of math required?
a. MA 341
7. What is the foreign language requirement?
a. None
8. Is chemistry required?
a. Yes
9. Does USC 101 count for anything? (the answer will not be on the “degree audit” – you
will have to get this info in another way)
a. Yes, for the E 101 class.
10. How many hours of free electives are there?
a. 15
11. What scholarships, if any, are available?
a. $1000 First year scholarships to freshmen in the fall.
12. Using your own words, briefly describe the major, including some possible career
options. (If you paste in a description from a website or brochure, you are cheating. USE
YOUR OWN WORDS.)
a. Materials Science and Engineering is basically the engineering of different
materials using the chemistry of these materials to and any other materials to
enhance what is being engineered. Such as creating a super stretchy fabric or a
very strong fabric. Some jobs would be government jobs, or any kind of
manufacturing industry.

Print out the plan of work and the eight-semester display for your intended major

Page 2 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Every major has a list of requirements called a “curriculum.” Each curriculum includes
courses in the major, other required courses (for example, calculus courses for majors in the
College of Engineering), General Education requirements, and, for many majors, free
electives (courses you take because you are interested in them). Go to your plan of work
through MyPack, then
• Make sure that classes you registered for for spring 2010 are included as “planned”
classes, and remove planned classes you did not register for.
• Print out the “degree audit” version of your intended major. The “degree audit” shows
the official curriculum for a major. Do NOT print out the degree audit for the FYC
“major”!
• Go to the Registration and Records site, select Curricula, then select “8-semester
display” (navigation bar on the left side) for the major you are interested in. This shows
a typical sequence of courses by semester for the major. Print it out and include it in
your packet.

Curriculum: Materials Science & Engineering

Concentration:

Degree earned: Bachelor of Science in Materials Science & Engineering

Effective: 07/2009
Updated:
FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall Semester Credit Spring Semester Credit
CH 101 Chemistry, A Molecular 3 CH 201 Chemistry, A Quant Science 3
Science1 1 CH 202 Quantitative Chemistry Lab 1
CH 102 General Chemistry Lab1 1 MA 241 Calculus II1
E 101 Introduction to Engr & Prob 1 PY 205 Physics for Engr & Sc I1
4
Solv 1
4 PE 10* Fitness & Wellness Course* 4
E 115 Intro to Computing Environ 4 GEP Requirement* 1
ENG 101 Academic Writing and 3 3
Research1
MA 141 Calculus I1 17 16
EC 205 Economics (or EC 201 or ARE
201)*

SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall Semester Credit Spring Semester Credit
MSE 201 Structure & Prop of Engr 3 MSE 255 Exp Meth Struct Analysis of 2
Materials 1 3 Matls 3
CSC 11x Introd to Computing 4 MSE 260 Math Methods for Material 1
MA 242 Calculus III 4 Engrs. 4
PY 208 Physics for Engr & Sc II 1 MSE 270 MSE Seminar 3
Phsy Ed/Healthy Living Elective* CH 220 Intro Organic Chemistry 3
15 MA 341 Applied Differential
Equations I 16
GEP Requirement*

JUNIOR YEAR
Fall Semester Credit Spring Semester Credit

Page 3 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

MSE 300 Structure of Materials at 3 MSE 355 Elect, Mag & Opt Prop of 3
Nanoscale 3 Materials 3
MSE 301 Intro to Thermodynamics of 3 MSE 360 Kinetic Process in Materials 3
Matls 2 MSE 370 Microstructure of Inorganic 3
MSE 320 Intro to Defects in Solids 3 Materials 3
MSE 335 Exp Meth Analysis of Matls 3 MSE 380 Microstructure of Organic
Prop. Materials 15
GEP Requirement* 17 Engineering Elective2
GEP Requirement*

SENIOR YEAR
Fall Semester Credit Spring Semester Credit
MSE 420 Mechanical Prop of Materials 3 MSE 470 Mat. Sci & Eng. Design 3
MSE 423 Intro to Materials Eng 1 Project 3
Design 3 MSE 480 Materials Forensics 3
ENG 331 Technical Writing (or ENG 3 MSE Processing Elective 3 3
333) 3 Technical Elect2 2-3
Technical Elect2 3 Ethics Elective (GEP Requirement*)4
Technical Elect2
GEP Requirement* 16
14-15

Page 4 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Determine the matriculation requirements

1. Most majors at NC State have a minimum GPA required to matriculate (transfer into a
major). The required GPA's are listed in Chapter 11 of the Workbook. Double check for
updates at:

http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/enrollment/reg_recs/REG02.65.3.php

The required GPA for the major you are researching is _2.9_________.

2. To determine if this is a reasonable goal for you personally, you'll have to estimate
your current GPA. You can see how to calculate a GPA in THE Workbook. Show your
estimated grade for each course you are taking, then figure your estimated GPA. SHOW
YOUR WORK!
a. AS 121, A+, 4.33
b. CH 101, D, 1.00
c. CH 102, A, 4.00
d. E 115, S
e. ENG 101, A, 4.00
f. MA 141, D, 1.00
g. USC 101, A-, 3.67
h. PE 239, A, 4.00
i. TOTAL =
((4.33x1)+(1.00x4)+(4.00x1)+(4.00x4)+(1.00x4)+(3.67x1)+(4.00x1)) =
40/16 = 2.5

3. Many colleges and departments at NCSU have other matriculation requirements.

What are the requirements other than GPA which you must meet in order to matriculate
into this major?
a. completed CH 101, CH 102, ENG 101, MA 141, MA 241, and PY 205 with a C –
or higher, and E 115 satisfactorily

4. Could you currently transfer into this major? If so, what letter grades would you have
to maintain? If not, what letter grades would you have to earn to make the minimum
GPA, and what other requirements must you meet? When could you matriculate into this
major? Be complete and specific in answering these questions.
a. No I would have to wait until the Fall of next year, as long as I receive at least
a C- in CH 101, CH 102, ENG 101, MA 141, MA 241, and PY 205, and complete
E 115. In order to maintain minimum GPA I need at least a B in all of my
classes, or if I get a C in one class I need an A in another.

Critical Thinking and Reflection

While you are gathering this information, look for the reasons behind the curriculum
requirements. Consider the other academic activities this department sponsors, such as
internships, community projects, or research. Write at least a paragraph in which you
explore the skills and qualities which this curriculum and the other activities aim to help
students develop. What values lie behind this curriculum? Are these appealing or interesting
to you? Why or why not?

Write another paragraph (or more, if you wish) in which you reflect on the fit between
yourself and this major. Be sure to talk about:
• Why you are considering this major
• Other majors you are considering (and why)

Page 5 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

• Any concerns you have about the degree requirements

• Whether this major seems to agree or disagree with your MBTI results.
• What for you are the pro’s and con’s of this major?

You can use any work you’ve done for this class to help you write these paragraphs:
summer reading assignment; reflections; majors and minors scavenger hunt; majors fair;
intended major worksheet and reflection; decision-making circle and chart; forum events
(especially vocational events); discussions with professors, students in a major, and others,
etc.

Use your own words for these paragraphs. Do not just paste in text from the
department’s website, or copy words and ideas from other department or college sources.
(See note at end of this assignment about plagiarism for guidance.)

The main skills required for this curriculum is excellence in Chemistry and Physics.
Chemistry is the foundation of the development of materials and plays a huge role in how
the material is made and what can be done. Likewise, without a solid understanding of
physics and how things work and what things do, the development of a new material would
be impossible. In high school I enjoyed chemistry and physics and got A’s in both classes.
Regarding the qualities and values in this curriculum, one must be a honest person. When
developing new materials, many new discoveries will be made, and it is important not to
take credit for someone else’s work.
The major of Materials Science and Engineering is a great fit for me because I find it
very interesting the things they do, and I generally enjoy chemistry and physics. As with any
engineering degree, a high level of math is also required. I also generally excel in math; my
only concern is my struggling in math this semester. The MBTI results would agree with my
decision in choosing this major because I am hard-working and organized which is important
for any engineering degree. Some pros of this major would be the fact that I would be
interested and enjoy the work, it is a good degree to have to find a job in the work force, and
using my degree I could get a fairly well paid job upon graduation. Some cons of the major
however are that a hard work load of classes are required, and the degree might take longer
than four years to complete.

Page 6 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Check out the job outlook for students in this major

Here are several resources to help you answer the questions:
• The University Career Center online. You can also visit them in person. Each degree-
granting college at NC State has a Career Center staff member to help students
interested in that college: http://www.ncsu.edu/career/students/quicklinks/staff.php
• The department and college you are interested in. Several of NC State's colleges
provide this information on-line; you can also find out by talking to professors in the
major you are interested in, and other staff members in the college or department.
• The reference librarians at D. H. Hill Library are very knowledgeable about resources.
You can see them in person, or get help online at Ask A Librarian:
www.lib.ncsu.edu/libref
• The Majors and Careers web resources page created by DH Hill librarians at
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/courses/usc101career/

Type your answers and citations on separate piece of paper – do NOT just turn in
these worksheets (if you do, you earn ZERO for this section).

Cite your sources for each answer. No citation = no credit for answer!
Put the citations with each answer. Do NOT gather all the citations into one list
at the end. If you make one list, you will earn ZERO points for “Job Outlook”.

1. List five jobs that students with a degree in this major might go into. List at
least one that you have not considered before, or that you had not heard of before; write
“new to me” next to it.

Sources to consult 
What can I do with a major in…?
www.ncsu.edu/majors-careers/do_with_major_in/

Page 7 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

2. Choose one of the jobs on your list, state which job you selected, then
research the outlook for it.

Sources to consult 
Occupational Outlook Handbook
www.bls.gov/oco
Use the “A-Z Index” link in the top skinny light blue bar to begin your search.

“The 2006-2016 Job Outlook in Brief” Occupational Outlook Quarterly

www.bls.gov.opub/ooq/2008/spring/art01.pdf
Scroll to the end of the PDF and look for your job title in the index.

DISCOVER Career Exploration Website

a. Are there likely to be positions available when you graduate?

b. Will this occupation have many job openings or relatively few?

c. Will more people be trying to get jobs in this occupation than there are openings,
about the same number of job seekers as job-openings, or is a shortage of job
seekers predicted?

d. Are there other factors that make a difference to the availability of jobs (such as
geographic location, economic trends, training and education, etc.)?

3. What is a typical salary for this job? State whether this salary is entry level,
average, or median.

Sources to consult 
Sources listed above in #2, or:
American Almanac of Jobs & Salaries
HD8038 .U5 A68 2000/2001

BLS: Wages by Area & Occupation

www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm

DISCOVER Career Exploration website

Page 8 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

4. Locate a description of the kind of work this job entails and the skills and aptitudes it
requires, and summarize it in a paragraph. Summarize in your own words. Then
write another paragraph about what appeals to you about this job, what might be
challenging about it for you, and what for you are the pro’s and con’s of this job.

Sources to consult 
Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance
HF5381 .E52 2003 in the Reference Area on the 1st floor, East Wing

Career Information Center

HF5382.5 .U5 C32 2007 in the Reference Area on the 1st floor, East Wing

Occupational Outlook Handbook

www.bls.gov/oco

O*NET Online
online.onetcenter.org/find
Use the dropdown menu to find your career under “Browse by job family.”

DISCOVER Career Exploration website

5. List at least two careers or job titles that are related to this one, but not the same as it.
For instance, if the job you’re researching is “doctor,” do not write “physician” or
“medical practitioner” as alternates—these are just synonyms. However, you could list
“medical researcher” or “pharmaceutical sales director” as alternates.

Sources to consult 
O*NET Dictionary of Occupational Titles
HB2595 .O16 in the library or online at: online.onetcenter.org

Page 9 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Details

Complete packets are due the last day of class (Dec 1)

Due at the start of class.

After you have finished each of these steps, you should gather your work together in report
form. Include a table of contents. Put your name on the rubric pages and include them in
your packet. Refer to the Grading Rubric to see how your assignment will be graded. Use
the rubric as a checklist to ensure your work is complete and correct.

Grade: This assignment is worth 50 points.

A note on plagiarism and citing sources

If you get information from another source, you must give credit to your source. In
particular, when you are asked to write about something in your own words, do NOT simply
paste in what someone else has written. Do not take someone else’s work and change
some of the words—that’s still essentially someone else’s work, not your own. Both of these
are plagiarism = stealing, and a very serious academic and honor code offense. Plagiarized
work will result in an F for this assignment.

Review chapter 7 on Academic Integrity in THE Workbook. Still not sure whether you are
plagiarizing, giving credit correctly, quoting or paraphrasing appropriately, etc.? Ask a
writing tutor (check the Tutorial Center website for locations), your freshman English
instructor, a reference librarian, or Dr. Atkin.

You may find the online Citation Builder helpful. Be sure to use MLA (Modern Language
Association) format. Go to the NC State Library online at www.lib.ncsu.edu , look under
“Services,” then click on “Citation Builder.”

**The Citation Builder does not include a format for “entry in a reference book”, which will
certainly be important for you to use. Dr. Atkin or the librarian will give you the correct
format. **

Page 10 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Overall appearance Yes / No

Table of contents provided
Work is neat, clean, and put in order; Name and page number on
every page
Very few typos; errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation; other
surface errors
Work is turned in on time
Each “NO” = minus one point
Basic information -- You MUST number your answers Correct?
1. Identify the major you are researching
2. What college is it in?
3. Name of dean of this college, where is the dean's office located?
4. Name of chair or head of department, where is the department
office?
5. Where are the majority of classes held?
6. What is the highest level of math required?
7. What is the foreign language requirement?
8. Is chemistry required?
9. Does USC 101 count for anything?
10. How many hours of free electives are there?
11. What scholarships, if any, are available?
12. In your own words: describe the major, with some possible career
options
Sources cited? (sources not cited = 0 points for this section)
Total points for this section – 10 points
possible
Print out plan of work and 8-semester display
Plan of work for intended major (not FYC display)
Degree audit display for intended major (Not semester-by-semester
display)
Plan of work shows courses for which you are registered for spring
2010
8-semester display for intended major
Total points for this section – 10 points possible
Matriculation requirements – You MUST number your answers
1. The required GPA for the major you are researching is
2. My estimated GPA for fall 2009 is (SHOW YOUR WORK)
3. What are other matriculation requirements?
4. Could I transfer into this college? If yes, what letter grades do I
have to maintain? If not,
• What letter grades do I have to earn to meet the GPA reqt?
• What other requirements must I meet?
• When could I matriculate into this major?
Total points for this section – 5 points possible
Critical Thinking, Reflective Writing Addressed
?
Paragraph One
• Skills, qualities this curriculum and the other activities develop
• What values lie behind this curriculum?
• Are these appealing or interesting to you? Why or why not?
Paragraph two
• Why you are considering this major,

Page 11 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

• Other majors you are considering (and why)

• Concerns you have about the degree requirements
• How major agrees or disagrees with your MBTI results
• Pro’s and con’s of this major for you (no con’s = 0 points)

Page 12 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Both paragraphs
• Show an understanding of the major
• Show understanding of self and “fit” between major and self, or
the “fit” that a good choice of major will have
• Support statements with details and examples
• Writing is clear and well-organized
• You have used your own words.
• Ideas and statements from other sources are clearly and correctly
cited.
Extra Credit – the writing:
• Shows a particularly thoughtful consideration of the topics OR
• Is stylish, sophisticated, or engaging (but style does not detract
from ideas)
Total points for this section – 15 points possible
Job Outlook Info
Missing citations, incorrectly formatted citations, or citations grouped included?
together into a single list = 0 points for this section
Answers are numbered
1. List five jobs for students with a degree in this major. State which
one(s) are new to you.
• Sources cited?
2. Outlook for this job:
a. Are there likely to be positions available when you graduate?
b. Will this occupation have many job openings or relatively few?
c. Will there be more people trying to get jobs in this occupation
than there are openings, about the same number of job seekers as
job-openings, or is a shortage of job seekers predicted?
d. What other factors may make a difference to the availability of
jobs (such as geographic location, economic trends, training and
education, etc.)?
• Sources cited?
3. Typical salary = ? Is this entry-level, average, or median? Sources
cited?
4. Summary:
• Describe the kind of work this job entails
• Describe the skills and aptitudes this job requires
• Summary is specific and accurate
• Summary is in own words
• At least one paragraph
• Sources cited?
4. Response:
• What is appealing to you about this job?
• What might be challenging about it?
• Pro’s and con’s of this job for you?
• Discussion of these topics is specific and detailed
• At least one paragraph
5. List at least two careers or job titles related to this one
Total points for this section – 10 points possible

Page 13 of 14
Major and Career Research Packet Name _Kevin Rice_____________

Total points for this packet – 50 points possible _______

Page 14 of 14