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Materials Science and Engineering Masters/MSc

Start date
September
Duration
MSc: 1 year full-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024/25:
£11,340 (UK students)
£29,340 (International students)
Further fee information is available.

Metallurgy and Materials Science at Birmingham is a major research centre with world class facilities. Our research is at the leading edge of Materials Science and Engineering, and we work closely with a range of industrial partners to ensure that the potential of our discoveries are maximised.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

New materials underpin development and progress across a wide variety of sectors. New technologies, from planes to batteries, from hip implants to electronic devices, are made possible, and often limited by, the materials we currently know and use. Materials Scientists and Engineers work hard to understand how and why materials behave the way they do, and exploit this knowledge to develop new materials with amazing properties.

Studying Materials Science and Engineering, you will develop a fundamental understanding of how the properties of a material, such as strength, electronic properties and biocompatibility, are affected by the material’s structure, such as its crystal structure or microstructure.

This knowledge can then be used to formulate strategies to develop new materials, such as alloys able to operate at higher temperatures for jet engine blades or high-toughness ceramics for armour applications. This programme will equip you with the skills required to join a wide variety of industries in the capacity of materials specialist, or continue your education at a PhD level.

Why study Materials Science and Engineering Masters at Birmingham?

  • Materials underpin almost all industrial sectors and the global challenges have increased the demand for new materials. Accordingly, there is a growing demand for materials engineers and researchers worldwide and in rapidly developing countries in particular. The School of Metallurgy and Materials has long been a centre of excellence in materials research and education. 
  • The course is designed for graduates who want to acquire knowledge, concepts and research skills in advanced materials in order to seek a research or technology development career in materials. It will also provide excellent preparation for those wishing to undertake the classic PhD, new PhD with integrated studies and EngD.
  • One of the best centres for materials research in the UK.
  • World-leading and unique facilities, such as the £60M High-Temperature Research Centre.
  • Strong collaborations with a large number of industrial partners, including Rolls-Royce, Baosteel and many others.
  • Wide range of research activities, from the atomic scale to components.

The specialty of my course is that it’s a combination of project and learning. We have many lectures to enrich our knowledge, and a final project to put this knowledge to use.

Yingzi Xi, MSc Materials Science and Engineering

Modules

This course consists of 180 credits distributed over 12 months. Two thirds of the content (120 credits) consists of taught modules. One third of the content (60 credits) is the individual research project, which is carried out in the summer.

Core modules

The core modules will ensure you will gain the adequate background to tackle most aspects of Materials Science and Engineering, and ensure you will develop key professional and research skills. You will learn the fundamentals of materials science, and how materials can be analysed and studied.

Optional modules

Choose 60 credits from the below example modules (all 10 credits):

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25

  • UK students: £11,340
  • International students £29,340

Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

Postgraduate Loans (PGL) for Masters students

UK and EU students (with settled or pre-settled status) looking to pursue a Masters programme in the UK can apply for a non-means-tested loan from the British government via the Student Loans Company (SLC).

The loan will be paid directly to you, into a UK bank account. It is intended to provide a contribution towards the costs of Masters study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs is at your own discretion.

Learn more about applying for PGL 

 

Scholarships

We offer a range of postgraduate scholarships for taught programmes and research opportunities to ensure the very best talent is nurtured and supported at postgraduate level.

University scholarships

Birmingham Masters Scholarship

Our Birmingham Masters Scholarship offers £2,000 via a tuition fee discount, to support the brightest and best applicants from UK or Ireland undertaking Masters study at Birmingham during 2024-2025.

Global Masters Scholarship

This £2,000 Gloabl Masters Scholarship award is available to all international students from a selection of countries who are seeking to study a taught Masters degree at Birmingham in the 2024-25 academic year.

 

How To Apply

International applicants requiring visas

Applications to this programme from students who are international for fees will close 7 May 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

UK and non-Tier 4 applicants

Applications will close 31 August 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

 

International students applying for this programme will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the University can issue you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). We recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as soon as you receive an offer from us.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

Obtaining a 2.2 or above in engineering/technical subjects (eg, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, Mathematics or any physical sciences subject). Learn more about Entry requirements.

International Requirements



International Students

English language

For students whose first language is not English, one of the following English language qualifications is required:

 
  • IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

International students applying for this programme will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the University can issue you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). We recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as soon as you receive an offer from us.

Learning and Teaching

This one-year master course comprises 12 taught modules (two-thirds of the year) taken in Semesters I and II and an individual research project (one-third of the year) carried out in Semester III & summer. In addition to technical modules, the course also provides training for transferable skills.

The research project involves full-time research for one third of the academic year. The project report must be submitted in September of your year of study and will be internally assessed by two academic staff. 

Research projects can be carried out in a broad range of topics related to Materials Science and Engineering in any of the Research Groups within the School of Metallurgy and Materials or in industry. The project involves full-time research for one third of the academic year.

Assessment Methods

The programme is currently delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, project-based and laboratory-based teaching and learning methods.

Our graduates go on to become engineers and scientists at a wide variety of industrial partners, or opt to continue their studies at PhD level.

Typical employers

  • BAE Systems
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Royal Air Force
  • British Petroleum

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.