University of New Mexico, MS and P.hD in Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering
Reviewed on Mar 9, 2026(Enrolled 2016)What Students Say
Likes
- Really good academics on the engineering and medical side
Dislikes
- Location makes it hard to collaborate with other universities although there are national labs nearby
Course Curriculum
10
- State-of-the-art curriculum with professors who are at the forefront of their respective fields.
- I was exposed to a significant amount of internships during my PhD (something I pursued on my own, along with my advisor)
- Graduate classes can be around 3-4 hours, with a lot of breaks in between for catching up on other stuff, like your assignments
Admission Experience
- I chose this university due to my advisor, since I was going for my PhD advisor plays a crucial role in your success, and the Engineering Centre (Centennial) was pivotal to my sucess
Faculty
10
- A lot of them, namely my advisor Prof. Abhaya Datye, Prof. Garzon, Prof. Bearly, etc.
Campus Life
8
- Pretty good, we had a large campus housing department, art and culture places, fountains, parks, and wonderful weather
Part Time Jobs
- I received full Research Assistantships, so everything was paid for, but you can find a lot of other campus jobs like TA, tutor, librarian, etc..
- Max hours employable are 20 hrs and 40 hrs during 2 months in summer. Most PhDs have TA/RA and then some master's students have also (~10%)
Placement
8
- I do not have this data since a PhD is an individual journey for the most part, and people graduate along different timelines. That being said, the common methods described here are the way to go. Average salaries can range between $85,000-$130,000
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- Community hunting via walking neighborhoods. My rent was a studio apartment for $500, including utilities
Exams
- GRE and TOEFL.
- SOP, 4 LOR, CV, and Research Statement
- My GRE scores: 320. No amount of scores can get you admission into an American university; it's the whole profile. Scores are for merely checking a box and compliance. It is a rejection criterion instead of a selection criterion.
Fees
- Out-of-state tuition is around $13,000 per semester, which should be higher now.
