Nanotechnology education involves a multidisciplinary natural science education with courses such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, and molecular biology.Aldrin E. Sweeney (2008) Developing a viable knowledge base in nanoscale science and engineering, Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education (eds. A. E. Sweeney and S. Seal, American Scientific, Stevenson Ranch CA) pp. 1-35,
Nanotechnology education involves the study of materials, devices, and systems at the nanoscale, typically defined as structures between 1 and 100 nanometers in size, where matter exhibits physical, chemical, and biological properties that differ from those of bulk materials. It is an interdisciplinary field, drawing on physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering, with degree programs typically structured to provide foundations across several of these disciplines before specializing in nanoscale phenomena and applications.
Programs are offered at universities worldwide at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, as well as through associate degree and certificate programs at community colleges and technical institutions.
The growth of formal nanotechnology education has been closely linked to government investment in nanoscience research. In the United States, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), established in 2000, designated education and workforce development as a core goal, with the National Science Foundation funding nanotechnology education programs at $21.5 million in fiscal year 2023 alone.
The first program involving nanotechnology was offered by the University of Toronto's Engineering Science program, where nanotechnology could be taken as an option. The University of Waterloo subsequently established a dedicated Bachelor of Applied Science in Nanotechnology Engineering, one of the first standalone undergraduate degrees in the field. In the United States, the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering at the University at Albany, SUNY, established in 2004, was the first college in the country devoted entirely to nanotechnology.
Curriculum and pedagogy Nanotechnology degree programs typically combine foundational coursework in quantum mechanics, surface science, nanomaterials, and nanoelectronics with specialized instruction in nanoscale fabrication and characterization techniques. Commonly taught laboratory methods include atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which allow students to visualize and manipulate matter at the atomic scale. Access to cleanroom facilities is a defining feature of many university nanotechnology programs, as the fabrication of nanoscale devices requires controlled environments not typically available in conventional teaching laboratories.
A recurring challenge in curriculum design is the tension between breadth and depth. Because nanotechnology draws on physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering, programs must balance broad interdisciplinary foundations with the specialized knowledge required for research or industry roles. Considerable debate exists among educators about whether nanotechnology concepts are better delivered through dedicated standalone courses or by integrating nanoscale content into existing physics, chemistry, and engineering curricula. Coordinating faculty from different departments with differing disciplinary conventions presents a further pedagogical challenge documented in the literature.
Many programs incorporate problem-based learning, group projects, and industry partnerships to address the applied nature of the field. Modern nanotechnology curricula increasingly include components addressing the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of nanomaterials, as well as the broader ethical, legal, and societal dimensions of the field – areas sometimes grouped under the heading ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications). The inclusion of such components has been linked to government funding requirements, with bodies such as the National Nanotechnology Initiative explicitly mandating attention to societal implications alongside technical research.
The expansion of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platforms from around 2012 extended access to nanotechnology instruction. Platforms including Coursera and edX have offered nanotechnology courses from institutions such as Duke University, Technion, and Northwestern University, covering topics ranging from nanofabrication and nanosensors to nanomaterials characterization. These online offerings have made introductory nanoscience content accessible to learners beyond institutional settings, though the hands-on laboratory component central to most degree programs cannot be fully replicated remotely.
Here is a partial list of universities offering nanotechnology education, and the degrees offered (Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, or PhD in Nanotechnology).
Africa
Egypt Nile University - master'swww.nano.nileu.edu.eg The American University in Cairo - master's Zewail City of Science and Technology - B.Sc Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering - Masters of Science
Asia
Hong Kong Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - MPhil, PhD
India VIT University, Vellore, Center for Nanotechnology Research, M.Tech. in Nanotechnology Srinivas Institute of Technology, Mangaluru, Karnataka [Affiliated to VTU, Belagavi, Approved by AICTE] - B.E. Nano Technology Desh Bhagat School of Engineering, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab Desh Bhagat University - B.Tech & M.Tech with Nanotechnology Tezpur Central University, Napam, Tezpur (M.Sc & Ph.D in nanoscience and technology) Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore IITs - B.Tech & M.Tech with Nanotechnology Delhi Technological University (formerly DCE), Delhi - M.Tech NITs Central University of Jharkhand - Integrated M.Tech Nanotechnology Jamia Millia Islamia (a central university by an act of parliament), New Delhi - M.Tech (Nanotechnology) & Ph.D Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology - M.Tech (Material Science and Nanotechnology, 2-year regular programme), Ph.D, Equipments: AFM, STM, HWCVD, TCVD Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh B.Tech, M.Sc, M.Sc + M.Tech, M.Tech Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana - M.Sc (Nanoscience & Technology) M.Tech (Nanotechnology) & Ph.D (Nano Science & Technology) Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences - Postgraduate diploma in nanotechnology. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University College of Engineering Sultanpur, B.Tech in (Mechanical and NanoTechnology) Engineering. University of Madras, National Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Chennai - M.Tech, M.Sc and PhD in Nanoscience and NanotechnologyHomepage University of Madras University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, DEHRADUN-Uttarakhand, B.Tech - Material Science specialization in Nanotechnology Nanobeach, Delhi - Advanced Nanotechnology Programs SASTRA University, Thanjavur Tamil Nadu -M.Tech integrated in medical nanotechnology Nano Science and Technology Consortium, Delhi - Nanotechnology Programs Vels university, Chennai - M.Sc nanoscience Bhagwant University, ajmer Rajasthan - B.Tech - Nanotechnology engineering Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, M.Sc Materials Science (Nanotechnology) National Institute of Technology Calicut - M.Tech and Ph.D SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur - B.Tech, M.S. (coursework, research), M.Tech and Ph.D Noorul Islam College of Engineering, Kumarakovil - M.Tech Nanotechnology Karunya University, Coimbatore - master's and Ph.D Anna University Chennai Andhra University, Visakhapatnam - M.Sc., M.Tech Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupathi - M.Sc, M.Tech Bharathiar University, Coimbatore - M.Sc Nanoscience and Technology (Based on Physics or Chemistry or Biotechnology), M.Phil and Ph.D Osmania University, Hyderabad - M.Sc., M.Tech Anna University Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu - M.Tech (Nanoscience and Technology) Centre For Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - M.Tech (Nanotechnology And Nanomaterials) KSR College of Technology, Tiruchengode - M.Tech NanoScience and Technology Mepco-Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi - M.Tech Nanoscience and Technology Sarah Tucker college for Women (Affiliated with MS University, Tirunelveli) B.Sc Nanoscience Karunya University, Coimbatore-114 - Integrated M.Sc Nanoscience & Nanotechnology and M.Tech with Nanotechnology Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur - Integrated M.Sc Nanotechnology Indian Institute of Nano Science & TechnologyBangalore Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University"Granth Sahib University to commence session March 2011", "sify.com" Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab Anna University, Coimbatore Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore - M.Sc in Nanoscience and Technology (2-year course) Important: AICTE New Delhi has added B.Tech & M.Tech Nanotechnology courses in the list of approved courses in the academic year 2011 – 2012 North Maharashtra University JALGAON M.Tech in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Department of Environmental Microbiology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University, Lucknow. M.Sc in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Amity University, Noida [bachelor's and master's in Nanotechnology] School of Nanoscience and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur-416004, Maharashtra State, India (B.Sc-M.Sc 5-year integrated Course) Department of Nanotechnology offers two year M.Sc. course in Nanotechnology, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad-431004, Maharashtra State, India.
Iran Iran university of science & technology - master's Sharif University of Technology - master's, Ph.D Tarbiat Modares University - master's, Ph.D University of Tehran - master's, Ph.D Amirkabir University of Technology - master's University of Isfahan - master's Shiraz University - master's University of Sistan and Baluchestan - master's University of Kurdistan - master's Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht - master's
Israel Bar Ilan University Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials (BINA) - with research centers for materials, medicine, energy, magnetism, cleantech and photonics. M.Sc, Ph.D, youth programs. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology - with units for nanocharecerization and nanofabrication. M.Sc, Ph.D Technion Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI)- Over 110 faculty members from 14 departments. M.Sc, Ph.D Tel Aviv University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Interdisciplinary graduate program, marked by a large participation of students from the industry. M.Sc The Weizmann Institute of Science - has a research group in the Department of Science Teaching that build programs for introduction high school teachers and students to Nanotechnology.Blonder, R. (2011). The Story of Nanomaterials in Modern Technology: An Advanced Course for Chemistry Teachers. Journal of Chemical Education, 88(1), 49-52. Blonder, R. (2010). The influence of a teaching model in nanotechnology on chemistry teachers' knowledge and their teaching attitudes. Journal of Nano Education, 2, 67-75.
Japan Tohoku University - bachelor's, master's, Ph.D Nagoya University - bachelor's, master's, Ph.D Kyushu University - master's, Ph.D Keio University - master's University of Tokyo - master's, Ph.D Tokyo Institute of Technology - master's, Ph.D Kyoto University - master's, Ph.D Waseda University - Ph.D Osaka University - master's, Ph.D University of Tsukuba -master's, Ph.D University of Electro-Communications - master's, Ph.D on Micro-ElectronicEE.UEC.ac.jp
Kazakhstan Al-Farabi Kazakh National University - master's, Ph.D
Malaysia University Putra Malaysia - M.Sc and Ph.D programs in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology UPM-Nano