2020-31

Motion Introduced by:  Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee

Date of First Reading:   December 2, 2019

Date of Second Reading: February 3, 2020

Title of Motion: Request from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering ––School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy - for the establishment of a graduate certificate – Semiconductor Processing

Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision. 

Rationale: With the recent demand by local industries for engineers with focused training in semiconductor processing and characterization, this certificate program provides students with a venue to obtain that training. The number of jobs in semiconductor processing has increased over 11% since 2017, and is expected to grow in the future as well.

This program is attractive to current students and local professionals who are interested in obtaining employment or professional development, respectively in the areas of semiconductor device manufacturing and semiconductor process equipment manufacturing and electronic components manufacturing. There is only one other certificate in the US that would be comparable. However what differentiates this certificate is the proximity to major semiconductor manufacturing companies and major equipment manufacturers, which allows for infusion of state-of-the-art courses to be taught by local professionals in the field.