Post-Bachelor's Certificate in Nanoscience

UNC Greensboro’s Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Nanoscience provides graduate-level training in the scientific principles used to understand materials, biological systems, and processes at the nanoscale. Offered through the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN), the 12-credit certificate brings together concepts from chemistry, physics, biology, materials science, mathematics, and computation. Students develop a broad foundation in nanoscale science while selecting additional graduate coursework that can align with their scientific background or professional interests.

The program is designed for students and professionals with STEM backgrounds who want to develop interdisciplinary knowledge of nanoscience, prepare for research or technical work involving nanotechnology, or build additional graduate-level preparation before pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree.

Why Choose UNCG for your Nanoscience PBC

Nanoscience is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring researchers to understand scientific problems from multiple perspectives. At JSNN, students study in an environment where chemistry, physics, biology, materials science, computation, and engineering intersect. The Nanoscience certificate provides broad graduate-level preparation rather than requiring students to specialize immediately in a single technical area. Students first build a common scientific foundation and then select additional nanoscience coursework based on their interests.

JSNN’s research environment also exposes students to areas such as nanomaterials, bio-nanotechnology, computational nanoscience, biosensing, bioelectronics, nanomedicine, and nanoscale characterization. This combination makes the certificate particularly useful for students who want to explore nanoscience before choosing a more specialized research or graduate-education pathway.

What You’ll Study in The Nanoscience PBC

The 12-credit Nanoscience certificate begins with two foundational graduate courses that introduce students to the major scientific approaches used to understand nanoscale systems.

Students study:

• Physical foundations of nanoscience
• Chemical principles at the nanoscale
• Biological systems and nanoscale processes
• Analytical approaches to nanoscience
• Statistics and scientific data analysis
• Computational methods
• Nanoscale measurement and scientific reasoning

Students then select two additional graduate Nanoscience courses, allowing them to explore areas that complement their background or professional interests. Depending on course availability and approval, elective study can provide additional exposure to topics such as nanomaterials, spectroscopy, microscopy, synthetic biology, biomaterials, nanomedicine, computational nanoscience, or other specialized areas.

Career Outcomes and Opportunities

Graduate training in nanoscience can strengthen preparation for research and technical work in organizations that develop, analyze, or apply nanoscale materials and technologies.

Relevant career areas can include:

• Nanotechnology research
• Materials science
• Laboratory and analytical science
• Research and development
• Biotechnology
• Biomedical technologies
• Semiconductor and electronics technologies
• Advanced manufacturing
• Scientific instrumentation
• Energy and environmental technologies
• Government and academic research

The certificate can also provide additional preparation for graduate study in nanoscience, materials science, chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, or other related STEM disciplines.