Materials Science and Engineering

Materials science and engineering is the discipline that determines what the physical world is made of and how to make it better. Every manufactured object, from a smartphone to a wind turbine blade, a hip replacement to a carbon-fibre aircraft fuselage, depends on materials that have been chosen, processed and tested for their particular combination of mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. Materials scientists and engineers design and develop new materials, characterise the properties of existing ones and understand the relationships between the atomic and microstructural features of a material and its macroscopic behaviour in use.

At Imperial College London, this three-year full-time programme gives you a rigorous scientific and engineering education in the discipline, covering the full range of material classes including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites and electronic materials. You will study the structural basis of material properties, the thermodynamics and kinetics of processing, the mechanics of deformation and failure, and the characterisation methods used to investigate materials at every scale from the nanometre to the metre. Imperial's strength in research means you will engage with contemporary developments in the field, from advanced manufacturing and biomaterials to energy storage and quantum materials.

A typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the mathematical and scientific preparation the programme demands.

Graduates work in industries that depend on advanced materials, including aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, defence, biomedical devices and construction. Materials engineers also find careers in research organisations, government laboratories, standard-setting bodies and consultancy. The fundamental nature of materials knowledge means that the discipline's graduates are employed across a wide range of technology sectors, and many go on to postgraduate study or doctoral research in materials, physics, chemistry or engineering.

Progression towards chartered engineer status is a natural aspiration for those who wish to build a long-term professional engineering career.