Seven years ago, the Carleton College physics department began offering an introductory materials science course for physics and chemistry students with interests in materials science and engineering (MSE). However, in order to appeal to a broader audience and provide more focus for a course that offered extensive breadth but limited depth, the course has evolved over the years to concentrate on materials science, energy, and the environment. The revised course begins with an overview of the relationship between material structure and properties, with a focus on the mechanical properties of materials, but then contains four units that consider applications of materials science to address environmental and energy issues. The four units are materials for solar energy conversion, smart materials and energy applications, materials for green buildings, and materials life cycle analysis. This modified course aims to serve two groups of students: physics and chemistry majors with an interest in MSE and environmental studies majors. This paper provides an overview of how the course has evolved, including the learning goals, course content, and assessment tools, as well as possible future directions for this course. In addition, the paper discusses the successes and challenges in trying to address the needs and interests of students in these two different constituencies.
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