MAT SCI 120

Physics of Materials

Materials Science and Engineering · 4 units · Undergraduate upper division (100-199)

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Introduction to electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of solids. Free electron model, introduction to band theory and Schrödinger wave equation. Crystal bonding and lattice vibrations. Mechanisms and characterization of electrical conductivity, optical absorption, magnetic behavior, dielectrical properties, and p-n junctions.

Letter grading.

When it runs

Fall 2025
Winter 2026
Winter 2027

Scheduled, not typical — from UCLA’s Schedule of Classes, which publishes Fall 2025 through Spring 2027 and nothing before it.

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Requisites

Official UCLA wording
Enforced requisites: courses 104, 110 (or Chemistry 113A).

BruinTree reads · Prerequisite

confidence 1.00 · from text

all of

MAT SCI 104
one of
- MAT SCI 110
- CHEM 113A

Requires

Everything that has to come before this course, not just the courses named in the requisite above.

MAT SCI 120

MAT SCI 104Science of Engineering Materials
- PHYSICS 1APhysics for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics
  - MATH 31ADifferential and Integral Calculus1 more beneath
  - MATH 31BIntegration and Infinite Seriesanother path to it
  - MATH 32ACalculus of Several Variables

Unlocks

What this course is a requisite for, and what those courses lead to in turn.

MAT SCI 120

MAT SCI 121Materials Science of Semiconductors
- MAT SCI 121LMaterials Science of Semiconductors Laboratory
MAT SCI 200Principles of Materials Science I
- MAT SCI 226Si-CMOS Technology: Selected Topics in Materials Science
- MAT SCI 271Electronic Structure of Materials